Little Driver, Bow

A lively pub with much remaining to enjoy from an ambitious turn of the century refit.

This appealing two storey local was rebuilt in the mid 19th century of brick with a polished stone dado, and refitted c.1900. It is now a lofty single space with a spacious peninsular servery - but four sets of exterior doors indicate it was originally a series of rooms which probably encompassed  an off sales department. Some of the partitions survived up to about 1990. The sturdy Victorian bar counter with its architectural finish survives - painted a peculiar mushroom colour in 2010. There is a very basic stillion where the lower shelves and most of the upper part look old, and a monumental two bay bar-back with delightful mirrored sections, incorporating back-painted depictions of roses.

At the rear left is an ornate Victorian mahogany fireplace with a curved hood and a richly decorated tympanum, and below this two tiers of mirrors adorned with back-painted flowers and foliage. Supporting the first floor are three columns, one with an ornate capital. Originally a massive Hoare & Co’s brewery mirror advertising their celebrated stout dominated the right-hand side, but it was very sadly lost during a recent change of management.  The extensive fielded panelled dado has thankfully been left unpainted.