The Lord Clyde

Three friends wanted to escape office life, & felt they had what it takes to run a good boozer. This laid-back pub on the quieter end of Essex Road is the result. Locals – who lounge on sofas in the panelled interior or under trellises in the sizeable garden – have much to be thankful for. Staff are friendly & there are plenty of gentle diversions: quiz night on Mondays & ‘play for your supper’ on Wednesdays (tinkle the ivories in exchange for some grub). The menu is short, unfussy & capably handled, with mains around £10: perhaps homemade lamb, feta & sun-dried tomato sausages with spiced lentils, grilled aubergines & tzatziki; or grilled chuck steak burger with fluffy, chunky chips. At the bar, there’s a serviceable list of inexpensive wines, plus Aspall cider & Harveys bitter on tap.