The Beehive London – The perfect pub

In one of George Orwell’s less groundbreaking essays, he described a fictional pub. ‘The Moon Under Water’, as he named it, had ten qualities which, according to Orwell, made it the perfect British pub. While I’d agree with some of these - cheap food, good beer and friendly staff - others do seem, in the context of the modern age at least, rather outdated. Beer served in china or pewter, for example, is something that I have never seen. Nor have I ever been to a pub that serves aspirin and stamps.

Minor points aside, the Beehive in Tottenham comes pretty close to Orwell’s Moon Under Water. It is so family friendly that, in the summer months, it inflates a bouncy castle in its large garden and welcomes children until 20:00. It also offers a selection of changing ales and lagers and a reasonably priced menu. All this in a spacious Victorian building with traditional fittings, just as Orwell described.