Racketeer, London

This pub closed in Oct 2016 and the local community mounted a huge campaign to get it reopened and prevent its conversion to non-pub use. In the latter they were successful but, while it has reopened, it does not seem to have done so in the form of its previous community pub guise, which is what the local campaigners were fighting for. Perhaps local people will get used to its new guise but that may prove difficult for some.

The original intention was for it to be a "cocktail bar" but the tenants have realised that a draught beer offering is needed and there are four keg taps for Lawless Lager, Long Horn IPA, Veltins Pilsner and Siren White Lips. These start at £4.80 a pint. A lot of work has been done to restore many of the Victorian features which had previously been hidden under redecoration and the original name still features on the facade where it will remain. The outside tiling has also been cleaned and there are some magnificent mirrors adorning the walls and some original tiled flooring. The interior décor of mirrors with tiled surrounds pre-date the pub, which was previously a dairy. The current tenants have to do what they need to do to make the business work and should not be criticised for that. The toilets have been moved downstairs and the space vacated used to create a small and intimate back room which leads into a little garden. The exterior walls have folding glass doors which are opened up in summer, when pavement seating is also provided.

For nostalgic reasons we retain our description of how it was.

This quite compact, community local has a busy calendar of events. Quiz night on Monday, entry fee goes to local charities, lots of darts night, live music Saturday from 21.30.