Old China Hand

Old China Hand is a family-owned freehold pub in Clerkenwell, Islington, London. It has operated since 11 March 2005, when the current owner bought the pub, and is run by the Smith family without brewery ownership or outside investors. The pub trades on a deliberately old-fashioned, unpretentious identity: background music, darts, bar stools, a piano and a weekly chess club on Wednesdays at 7 PM. It does not serve food but allows customers to order in pizzas, and it has two dart boards on a first-come, first-served basis. It opens Wednesday to Saturday from roughly 5 PM, with closing at the owner's discretion. The name refers to the affectionate term "Old China Hands" for expatriates who spent much of their lives in China, and also to the Cockney rhyming slang "old china" for "mate." The owner's family were born in China and lived there for most of their lives, tying the owner's previous life in Asia to his present life in London. The pub resists social media and keeps old pub songs at low volume, positioning itself as proudly uncool. Old China Hand sources its drinks from small independent or family-owned businesses across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Its range includes British ales, lagers, gin, rum, brandy, sambuca, limoncello and English and Welsh wines available by the glass, with tasters offered willingly. The pub is a small, independent London business rather than a chain or brewery-owned house.

Old China Hand has operated in Clerkenwell, Islington, London, since 11 March 2005, when the current owner bought the pub. The owner had never owned a pub before, and describes the experience as an eye-opener. At the time, Clerkenwell was not considered the most salubrious of areas, but the owner was encouraged by the presence of established businesses such as Moro in Exmouth Market. The pub is family owned freehold, with no brewery and no investors, run by the Smiths. The name was chosen to connect the owner's previous life in Asia with his present life in London. "Old China Hands" is an affectionate term for expatriates who have spent most of their lives living and working in China; the owner's parents, grandparents and the owner himself were all born in China and lived there most of their lives. The name also plays on the Cockney rhyming slang "old china" (plate) for "mate." Over the years the pub has maintained a deliberately traditional character. It has background music, darts, bar stools, a piano and a chess club every Wednesday at 7 PM. It no longer offers ping pong, keeping two dart boards on a first-come, first-served basis. It does not serve food but allows customers to order in pizzas. It opens Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from roughly 5 PM, with last orders and closing at the owner's discretion. The pub sources everything from small independent or family-owned businesses in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Its drinks range includes British ales and lagers, gin, British rum, brandy, sambuca, limoncello and English and Welsh wines available by the glass, with tasters offered willingly. The owner notes that this breadth of British drinks is not available elsewhere in the UK. The pub resists social media and sticks to old pub songs at low volume, describing itself as probably the uncoolest pub.

• Current owner buys the pub and it begins trading as Old China Hand.

A proudly uncool, old-school, family-owned London pub resisting social media and chain ownership, focused on British drinks and traditional pub culture.

• British ales and lagers

• Gin

• British rum

• Brandy

• Sambuca

• Limoncello

• English and Welsh wines by the glass

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