Few things are cosier than curling up by a fire. Perhaps it speaks to some ancient ritual of togetherness when the light and warmth of fires nourished our ancestors. Or perhaps it’s just a relief when the outside is frigid, and the rain’s coming down, and heading back to a damp flat hardly appeals.
Outside London, countryside pubs are marked by their fireplaces as gathering spots to nest in for a few hours ideally with a game of backgammon, or a book, and a few pints. In London though, the absence of a fire is more of a hallmark of a city which broadly prohibits burning logs under the Clean Air Act.
As such, pubs with live open fires are few and far between, meaning the ones which do exist should be celebrated this season as the nights draw in and the inevitable inclement weather approaches.
Another perk? Well, in most cases, these pubs are all dog-friendly. A faithful hound resting and warming by the fire while pints are sunk. All very poetic, yet it’s all very real. Here’s where to go.
The Pig’s Ear, Chelsea
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Another from the Gladwin Brothers’ — the famed farmers-turned-restaurateurs who gave London the likes of The Sussex and The Shed — is a rather lovely pub. Found at the site of the short-lived Chelsea Pig, The Pig’s Ear is rightly proving to have more staying power. The fireplace is found on the pub side, alongside ancient red rugs and pints.
35 Old Church Street, SW3 5BS, pigsearpub.com
The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead
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The Spaniards is one of those pubs so famous locally that people use it for directions. It is a cream-painted place of windows wonky with age and a bar with its varnish worn through from use. It dates from 1585 — built by two Spanish brothers, hence the name — and while a recent swerve towards the modern (floral wallpaper, cockails) has robbed the place of some its charm, it’s still a beautiful place, and the fire is on reliably over the winter, right by the bar, warming those coming in after a long walk.
Spaniards Road, NW3 7JJ, thespaniardshampstead.co.uk
William IV, Islington
Another new revamped boozer, William IV has done what all profitable pubs have done these past few years and upscaled its upstairs food offering. Expect British classics in the dining room, but on the ground floor, expect cosy corners and a roaring fire.
7 Shepherdess Walk, N1 7QE, william-iv.com
Blythe Hill Tavern, Catford
One of London’s finest pubs in its own right, the Blythe Hill Tavern becomes extra special in the autumn and winter. When the fire is roaring, the pints and the chatter flow through the dining room in equal measure. The cosseting nature of pubs is only accentuated by a fireplace and the Blythe Hill Tavern’s multiple fireside nooks make for a comforting trip.
319 Stanstead Road, SE6 4US, blythehilltavern.org.uk
The Sun Inn, Barnes
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The Sun Inn is one of London’s most idyllic pubs — in part because it barely feels like it’s in London at all, sitting as it does opposite Barnes pond, pretty with ducks, swans and cygnets. It is handsome in that square-jawed, 1700s sort of way, though inside it has been done over, though its marked wooden floors remain. It is somewhere to come for pints by its stove, a game of cards, and then head out into the night and walk down to the Thames.
7 Church Road, SW13 9HE, thesuninnbarnes.co.uk
The Washington, Hampstead
The Washington is something of a beacon for those not long off Primrose Hill: it’s the first proper pub you’ll come to, an imposing building that fills a corner, beckoning those walking up Primrose Hill Road. Inside it is a wood-panelled behemoth, and popular: on weekends, most tables tend to be booked from lunch onwards. It is somewhere that draws groups of friends, but young families too — the kind hoping a wine helps offset the little terrors. The fire is small but somehow seems to bloom out and fill the room.
50 England's Lane, NW3 4UE, thewashingtonhampstead.co.uk
Wenlock Arms, Old Street
Another boozer found between Old Street and Angel, the Wenlock Arms is an old favourite full of red panelling and dark ales. It’s dog friendly, too.
26 Wenlock Road, N1 7TA, wenlockarms.com
Mayflower, Rotherhithe
The Mayflower is a place which feels unchanged in decades, and — with any luck — will remain so for decades more. The fireplace, and Thames-side terrace, are both found at the rear, and are among the many original features in the pub.
117 Rotherhithe Street, SE16 4NF, mayflowerpub.co.uk
Holly Bush, Hampstead
The Holly Bush essentially feels like a succession of parlours and withdrawing rooms, with a fireplace across from the central bar. It’s a comforting pub, one that feels like a countryside boozer has been transplanted into this corner of well-heeled Hampstead.
22 Holly Mount, NW3 6SG, hollybushhampstead.co.uk
The Hillgate, Notting Hill
Quaint and quiet, the Hillgate is one of a few Notting Hill pubs worth a trip. The new Blue Stoops and the Windsor can happily make for a little W8 crawl, but finishing in the Hillgate ensures fireside cosy-ness to round off an afternoon's drinking.
24 Hillgate Street, W8 7SR, thehillgate.com
The Gipsy Moth
The Gipsy Moth is special for its view — not another look over the Thames or back over the city, but the Cutty Sark, in close-up. Admittedly, this is best seen from the terrace, in the summer, but when the cold and wet comes and shelter is wanted, the Gipsy Moth provides. It is one of those reliable pubs, rather than spectacular ones, but it’s warming, and the fire provides.
60 Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BL, thegipsymothgreenwich.co.uk
The Elgin, Ladbroke Grove
Nearby, between Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park, the Elgin is a dog-friendly Young’s with a great little fireplace in the pub dining room. With TVs for when the rugby is on, and quieter fireside relaxing when it’s not, there are few better places to park up for a few hours.
96 Ladbroke Grove, W11 1PY, theelginnottinghill.co.uk
The Approach Tavern, Bethnal Green
Outside the Approach is a more recent addition of a large covered terrace, inside are the traditions of a blackboard menu, wooden bench seating, taupe walls and a fireplace. Dog-friendly, naturally, and a decent selection of ales on draught make this one of the better boozers in east London this Winter.
47 Approach Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 9LY, theapproachtavern.co.uk
