51°30′51″N0°03′11″W / 51.5143°N 0.0530°W /51.5143; -0.0530
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 Interactive map of The George Tavern | |
| Former names | Halfway House |
|---|---|
| Location | Stepney, London, England |
| Public transit |  Shadwell Shadwell |
| Owner | Pauline Forster |
| Type | Venue,pub |
| Events | Blues, rock, punk, folk, indie, alternative |
| Capacity | 150 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1623; 403 years ago (1623) |
| Reopened | 2002 |
| Rebuilt | after 1745, 1799-1819 |
| Website | |
| thegeorgetavern | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Designated | 27 Sep 1973 |
| Reference no. | 1240090 |
The George Tavern is aGrade II listedpublic house andmusic venue located onCommercial Road inStepney,London. It is owned and operated by artistPauline Forster.
Formerly known as theHalfway House, the building contains original brickwork some 700 years old,[citation needed] and is mentioned in texts byGeoffrey Chaucer,Samuel Pepys andCharles Dickens. In 2002, artist Pauline Forster bought the derelict building at auction and has reopened it as a music, performance and arts venue, and pub. It is also a popular location for photo, film, and video shoots.
The George Tavern was built approximately on the site of the Halfway House, believed to be of mid-17th-century origin.[1] Map evidence shows that the Halfway House was rebuilt in the 18th century, some time after 1745, approximately 50 yards to the north east of the earlier inn. A corner building, with the annotation 'George', appears onWilliam Faden's Fourth Edition ofHorwood's Plan map published in 1819.[2]
The present building was probably built between 1799 and 1819 and also appears onGreenwood's map of 1827.[2] The pub therefore forms part of the development ofCommercial Road, which was created following theCommercial Road Act 1802 (42 Geo. 3. c. ci) to link the newly builtEast India Docks andWest India Docks to the boundary of theCity of London. The pub was remodelled in 1862 byJames Harrison and the ground-floor pub interior was further remodelled in 1891 byR. A. Lewcock.[2]
In the 1970s, a nightclub, Stepneys, was added in a building that backs onto the pub. The nightclub was famous for its illuminated dance floor.
The pub received Grade II listing in 1973 for the following reasons:
Since 2002, the George Tavern has played host to a number of musical acts, includingThe Magic Numbers,Kodaline,John Cooper Clarke,Nick Cave,Anna Calvi,The Last Dinner Party and SirRoger Penrose. It continues to host live music on most nights of the week.
It has also played host to a number of artists who have used the George Tavern as a photo shoot or film location. This includes Netflix'sSense8;[3] theSally Potter filmGinger & Rosa,MTV Bang,Plan B's filmIll Manors,Channel 4'sThe Morgana Show. Individual shoots with the likes ofKate Moss,Grandmaster Flash,Justin Timberlake,Adrien Brody,Grace Jones,Nick Cave, andClean Bandit have taken place on site.[4]
In 2002, Pauline Forster purchased the George Tavern at auction. The original plot was split at auction, with the nightclub Stepneys being sold to a landlord, who then sold it to Swan Housing Association.
In 2008, Forster became involved with a dispute with property developer Swan Housing Association, and this dispute continues into 2016.
Details about this matter are atPauline Forster's dispute.
In October 2008, The George Tavern was runner-up in theStella Artois "Love Your Local Campaign",[5] a competition to find London's best loved pubs and highlight the struggling pub industry.
