Cheap pints and sticky carpets: the old-school pub is back

In the Palm Tree pub, east London, barman Alf is taking only cash at the rattling 1960s till.

- Tomé Morrissy-Swan and Matthew Pearce

The building, which is Grade IIlisted, stands in the middle of Mile End Park, and Alf has worked here since 1976. "It's a wonderful pub," he said.

It is also ranked fifth in Time Out's 50 Best Pubs in London list, published this month, and marks a preference that has emerged for traditional boozers. The majority of pubs in the top 50 are old-school, with carpets, karaoke or Irish music nights. Pickled eggs are often the extent of the culinary output.

From the outside, the Palm Tree's windows glow a dark red. "Sometimes it might look closed, but always try that door. There's always a warm welcome, for everyone," said Alf. And punters agree. "It's authentic," said twentysomething Tabatha, nursing a Guinness. "Classic is coming back. Traditional has become the trend."

Across Britain, pubs are struggling with rising costs and changing drinking habits. In the first half of this year, 378 pubs closed, the highest total since 2013. According to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), "wet-led" pubs, which rely on their beverage offering and often don't have a food menu, have closed at faster rates than food-driven establishments.