BoxRec

Off to the capital for a weekend - any proper boxing pubs I should make a pilgrimage to?

Gnome wrote:Off to the capital for a weekend - any proper boxing pubs I should make a pilgrimage to?

Not that I can think of mate. Mad eh. You'd think someone would have. The two big ones, The Thomas A Becket & The Royal Oak are long gone. The buildings remain. I can't think of any which is very odd. There's a pub called The Tom Cribb but in spite of the name is a tourist pub with office bods. Boxing is very big in London, but there's no Boxing themed one. There used to be one run by a boxer Dave Armstrong in Islington years back, but that's history also.

Bring back the Royal Oak!

buncey bangs on about one but forgotten the name

The ring...southwark

The Lamb and Flag in Convent Garden.

Did Magri have a boozer in Bow? Is it still about? I know he was selling the memorabillia a while back.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:The ring...southwark

That's about as boxing themed as you can get... Though (at least when I went - some time ago) they don't have any TV's so there won't be any boxing on.

It always surprises me with London. I can watch boxing, even on bn at anytime in the night at a pub, and I'm from a tiny city. Loads of pubs have fight pictures in, too, and kebab shops!

Lenny Cravats wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:The ring...southwark

That's about as boxing themed as you can get... Though (at least when I went - some time ago) they don't have any TV's so there won't be any boxing on.

It'a more like a soulless theme pub than a traditional boxing pub. I doubt a single member of staff or denizen could name a boxer. No TVs, naturally. Just a generic after work place for Southwark's media and theatre types.

The Crown & Cushion, a dirty hole by the side of a slimy bridge by County Hall in Westminster, always seemed to have a rough parcel of greyhairs hunched round the bar talking boxing in their thick Irish dialect. Them and the bartender seemed to be in with a fair few domestic boxers. Micky Steeds types if I recall, no one of consequence.

Tuan_Jim wrote:

Lenny Cravats wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:The ring...southwark

That's about as boxing themed as you can get... Though (at least when I went - some time ago) they don't have any TV's so there won't be any boxing on.

It'a more like a soulless theme pub than a traditional boxing pub. I doubt a single member of staff or denizen could name a boxer. No TVs, naturally. Just a generic after work place for Southwark's media and theatre types.

Great point about the staff. I went in about a year ago and it was crowded and overpriced. Crap beer also. Used to go in the Beckett years ago and it WAS a boxing pub. Disappointed with the Ring.

veriton wrote:buncey bangs on about one but forgotten the name

Let me know if the name comes back, mate.

jaymitch81 wrote:Did Magri have a boozer in Bow? Is it still about? I know he was selling the memorabillia a while back.

The Victoria in Mile End was the one Charlie opened, not sure if he's still involved though

Eddy wrote:

Gnome wrote:Off to the capital for a weekend - any proper boxing pubs I should make a pilgrimage to?

Not that I can think of mate. Mad eh. You'd think someone would have. The two big ones, The Thomas A Becket & The Royal Oak are long gone. The buildings remain. I can't think of any which is very odd. There's a pub called The Tom Cribb but in spite of the name is a tourist pub with office bods. Boxing is very big in London, but there's no Boxing themed one. There used to be one run by a boxer Dave Armstrong in Islington years back, but that's history also.

Bring back the Royal Oak!

There is now a bar again at the Thomas A Becket but its nothing to do with boxing and to be honest I haven't been in since it reopened. The ring as others have said is rubbish and not worth a visit nowadays.

The Tom Cribb someone mentioned on here I assume is the one on Panton Street near Piccadilly? Got a few framed photos etc on the walls, but very touristy and bar staff won't have a clue about boxing. Is a Shepherd Neame pub though so at least there is some decent booze on offer.

There was a little boxing bar near Moorgate for a while that I wanted to go to but always seemed to be shut (and I presume now completely shut down) for the big fights despite that being its main selling point that it had a licence until 7am for the big American fights.

Old bones Ian wrote:

jaymitch81 wrote:Did Magri have a boozer in Bow? Is it still about? I know he was selling the memorabillia a while back.

The Victoria in Mile End was the one Charlie opened, not sure if he's still involved though

No he hasn't been for several years now. Probably 5-6 years.

I don't think there's any traditional boxing pubs any more, given that boxing is a completely minority sport, it's hardly surprising.

im sure charlie mags also ran the one opposite york hall bethnal green for a while.

rhino222 wrote:im sure charlie mags also ran the one opposite york hall bethnal green for a while.

Yes, I think you're right.

Last I heard, Charlie was doing some kind of work with Spencer Fearon.

Tuan_Jim wrote:The Crown & Cushion, a dirty hole by the side of a slimy bridge by County Hall in Westminster, always seemed to have a rough parcel of greyhairs hunched round the bar talking boxing in their thick Irish dialect. Them and the bartender seemed to be in with a fair few domestic boxers. Micky Steeds types if I recall, no one of consequence.

Lol what does that mean Mickey steeds type
Mick used to drink in there with a few from the river as he was a waterman

mfc_se15 wrote:

Eddy wrote:

Gnome wrote:Off to the capital for a weekend - any proper boxing pubs I should make a pilgrimage to?

Not that I can think of mate. Mad eh. You'd think someone would have. The two big ones, The Thomas A Becket & The Royal Oak are long gone. The buildings remain. I can't think of any which is very odd. There's a pub called The Tom Cribb but in spite of the name is a tourist pub with office bods. Boxing is very big in London, but there's no Boxing themed one. There used to be one run by a boxer Dave Armstrong in Islington years back, but that's history also.

Bring back the Royal Oak!

There is now a bar again at the Thomas A Becket but its nothing to do with boxing and to be honest I haven't been in since it reopened. The ring as others have said is rubbish and not worth a visit nowadays.

The Tom Cribb someone mentioned on here I assume is the one on Panton Street near Piccadilly? Got a few framed photos etc on the walls, but very touristy and bar staff won't have a clue about boxing. Is a Shepherd Neame pub though so at least there is some decent booze on offer.

There was a little boxing bar near Moorgate for a while that I wanted to go to but always seemed to be shut (and I presume now completely shut down) for the big fights despite that being its main selling point that it had a licence until 7am for the big American fights.

They reopened the pub for a while then it was a restaurant of some kind. Was over there last weekend, the place was not trading.

Darcy Delaney wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:The Crown & Cushion, a dirty hole by the side of a slimy bridge by County Hall in Westminster, always seemed to have a rough parcel of greyhairs hunched round the bar talking boxing in their thick Irish dialect. Them and the bartender seemed to be in with a fair few domestic boxers. Micky Steeds types if I recall, no one of consequence.

Lol what does that mean Mickey steeds type
Mick used to drink in there with a few from the river as he was a waterman

As in that's one of the names I recall them knocking around - glad my memory stands up!

There was a small pub in Farringdon that used to stay open late for all the big fights. Was far enough from the beaten track to be free of casuals and the half-savage specimens London televised boxing tends to attract. A well ordered, almost communual crowd of regulars would attend. Management moved on and the new owners said "Boxing? What's boxing?" Was a great place for a couple of years.

I'm sure this gets asked on annual basis.

We are lucky there are a few places in Nottingham, plus the casino which usually shows all the fights.

They're not traditional though, they have no memorabilia.

Gnome wrote:

veriton wrote:buncey bangs on about one but forgotten the name

Let me know if the name comes back, mate.

just had a look through his columns, the one he talks about is The Globe on Morning Lane in Hackney, run by Steve Powell. it's on my list of places to visit, but if you get in there first let me know what its like.

Not at all directly relevant to this thread, but tangential - I'm in New York and popped into Jimmys Corner for a beer. Probably the best boxing bar around.

Loynesy wrote:Not at all directly relevant to this thread, but tangential - I'm in New York and popped into Jimmys Corner for a beer. Probably the best boxing bar around.

That's very handy for all the Londoners... Best one I've been in was in Munich. Incredible memorabilia.