St George’s Day On Bishposgate

Callum Crumlish observes the changeable atmosphere in Dirty Dick’s.

On Bishopsgate, opposite Liverpool Street Station, stands the English institution previously known as The Old Jerusalem, now only ever referred to as Dirty Dick’s.

Where better to celebrate St George’s Day, I thought. At Dirty Dick’s I would be able to share the festivities with patriotic City folk.

In honour of the nation’s patron saint, English ales were priced at £2, and there were complementary canapes to boot (I didn’t see many people in working boots). But the musical entertainment was not especially timely. EJ Music consisted of a singer and a guitar player, playing blue grass-esque covers of pop songs such as ‘Forget You’ and ‘Valerie’. Not a Morris dancer in sight!

As the evening wore on and a seemingly endless stream of people continued to enter this closely confined area, the relaxed mood music was replaced by something more like the atmosphere of a brawler pub. As one of the few remaining drinkers under the age of 40, I started to get some questionable looks. I’ll put this down to traditional English xenophobia.

No one is above suspicion at Dirty Dick's
No one is above suspicion at Dirty Dick’s

Although it can be an uncomfortably territorial pub, depending on what time you happen to go in, Dirty Dick’s also possesses a strange, English charm that is difficult to find in London nowadays.

Perhaps St George would not have been out of place here after all.

 

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