The Hope

There used to be a lot more pubs in Cowcross Street (even though it's only a small street), but today there are only The Castle and The Hope. There has been a pub called The Hope at the east end of Cowcross Street since at least the 18th century, but today's pub was built in 1877, and its frontage, with its fine timber bowed window, probably dates from the great public house boom of the late 1890s.

I've never actually been in this pub, it's not the sort of place that a woman on her own would frequent. It's just across the road from Smithfield Market and is open by 6am for the market traders and porters. Its HUGE meaty breakfasts, often served with Guinness, are famous! Well, if you'd been humping carcasses around all night, you would be hungry and thirsty too!

Apart from the meat market workers it has an amazingly mixed clientele. It's about 20 metres outside the boundary of the City of London, and at lunch time and early evening it's popular with smartly suited bond dealers and bankers who jostle at the bar and spill out onto the street (there are few tables and chairs). Later in the evening (but not too late as it is usually closed by 9pm), and especially on Fridays, "kids" come in for a drink before moving onto Fabrics (the nightclub, which is just round the corner). They are sometimes there again at 6am, but they are not served if they are drunk already!

This photo was taken at 10.30 in the morning and I'm not too sure who these drinkers are, but probably the drivers of the huge refrigerated lorries that won't be leaving again until after dark tonight.

I'm off on a journey today and I hope I can take you with me. I will certainly try to blip if I can. If not, take care, and I'll see you again in 10 days :-))