It wasn’t unusual during city planning and construction for a larger number of pubs to be located right opposite one another. Examining any densely populated inner-London Ordnance Survey maps of the past this can be witnessed with little ‘PH’ signs on many street corners and wedged within Victorian or Georgian terraces.

More than a century after being brought to life it genuinely angers me that closures like these two were allowed to happen. I acknowledge that when the pubs closed in 1993 and then 1995 respectively the landscape of the area and pub culture was very different. Most struggling pubs in the East End and parts of South London were on their knees after a huge shift in demographics and downturn in profit and the pubcos need to shift them. Many were bought in bulk by Belhaven (part of Greene King) between 1995-2000 and then sold again quickly to property developers. Closure always followed very soon after.

Looking at the gorgeous Victorian streets here and how grand and ornate both these pubs were saddens me greatly as if operating now, in a transformed gentrified area, they would be thriving businesses. Hindsight is always an advantage you don’t have but if they could have just held on for a few more short years I can’t help wonder what might have been. Local favourites the Royal Oak and Birdcage are now packed to the gills with thirsty punters every day of the week.

Of course London Borough of Tower Hamlets also have their part to play permitting change of use and allowing repeated cultural erosion to go on unchecked. The detail and craftsmanship of the pubs when trading are striking and it’s tragic that people aren’t able to experience raising a glass in these beautiful historic buildings anymore.