Paddington is not an area of London that you would go to unless you had a very good reason. Yes there are some impressive properties, some nice Georgian terraces and a lot of money. But on the whole the impression you come away with is that of small seedy hotels, transient lives lived behind well secured doors, and too many dodgy money laundering type businesses. It’s the sort of place where white vans take red lights at speed and you need to have your wits about you.
This is not an area where you will find many good and / or historic pubs. But there are exceptions. The first one I came across was called the Victoria, an old-fashioned dark oak pub with a main bar and two upstairs rooms called the theatre bar and the library respectively. These are utterly charming.
A few minutes walk away is a pub called the bear. This has a fabulous array of beers and a menu which consists the most exclusively of burgers and bar snacks. Inside it looks a bit like an old-fashioned American diner with padded booths and retro fittings but it is very difficult to categorise. The bar staff are loud and friendly and very helpful. The clientele is a good mixture of hipster, old and normal, whatever that is. Highly recommended although at peak times I imagine it becomes unbearably busy.
The last pub I visited was the Swan, a Fullers Pub directly opposite Hyde Park at the northernmost end of The Serpentine. I think of the three pubs I went to today this was my favourite, because it was slightly rough at the edges and full of people who were obviously locals and known to the very friendly bar staff. In fact from eavesdropping I’m pretty certain it was an unofficial Irish pub. Lots of space here with a separate dining area and a big front garden.
So not my favourite part of London but next door you have more interesting areas such as Notting Hill and Maida Vale. To be continued …
Eyecatching 