The Lion and Lamb may not be the place you were hoping for when you took that wrong turn on Old Street and ended up at a pub in a house hoping for shelter and compassion.

The Venue
It’s easy to forget that not so long ago, Shoreditch and Hoxton were no more fashion forward or famous for their nightlife than somewhere like Romford. The Lion and Lamb may be a short trip around the corner from the bright lights of the Electricity Showrooms but the lights dim as you wander past Hackney Community College and you’re left with the flickering depression of a pub built into a post-war council manor.

Inside, the pub isn’t really too different from an oversized living room. The ceilings aren’t particularly low, nor particularly high, but measured up with the generic necessity that came with the one-plan fits all era. The bar to your right as you enter is the sum of all interest. There may be a number of imitation Chesterfield red leather sofas, or all the fun of a large pool table but in a place like this nothing can beat the bar and what it means. The bottles are stocked and shelved with a scrupulousness that contradicts the rest of the pub. The worn carpet and sticky rings that lard the tables are barely noticeable as the bar, which may be just an old wooden war-horse, is giving of what everybody wants. If you can conjure up the image of the bar in Shameless then with a touch more colour you’ll have arrived at a good picture of the Lion and Lamb.

The Atmosphere
The Lion and Lamb will always appeal to those living in the immediate vicinity but beyond these realms the pub is destined to remain a mystery. This isn’t wholly due to the strange looks you’ll garner upon entering, or the fact that in a place that’s often empty until the clock strikes six you get the feeling wherever you sit you’re in somebody else’s place.

The old beer posters on the outside are outdated by ten years but they’re there to stay, like the passing trade that will probably remain the same for the foreseeable future. This very local pub will stay like this because it seems to do alright. The presence of something as outlandish as a pair of skinny jeans might be a huge source of entertainment, but when everyone’s doing it the community unites and marches on with another pint of the finest Carlsberg.

The Drink
The bar is full of all the classic spirits with nothing more surprising than the ubiquitous red label of Smirnoff vodka. The wine is hidden from view and there is not much on offer in the way of ale. There are Carlsberg, Stella and Fosters on tap alongside Guinness.

The Last Word
The Lion and Lamb could well be an enjoyable place to be once you’re initiated and ingrained with the place - the dartboard and pool table are there to socialise over, after all. However, with its ugly facade and lack of warmth you may never get to that point.

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