The Ship, Hart Street

The Ship, Hart Street is a historic pub at 3 Hart Street, off Mark Lane, in the Aldgate area of the City of London (EC3R 7NB). It presents itself as established in 1802, while the surviving building is a Victorian-era structure dated to 1887 and listed at Grade II. The pub occupies a three-storey building with one storey set back, notable for elaborate painted doorways and moulded decoration, and it sits between two newer buildings. The Ship operates as a traditional London pub rather than a corporate chain brand. Its offer centres on real ales, specialty beers and a regularly refreshed wine list, supported by bar snacks. It is open Monday to Friday, with weekday hours running from about 11:30 to 22:00 on Mondays and to 23:00 Tuesday to Friday; weekends are reserved for private hire. The upstairs space, known as the Top Deck, can be booked for private functions all week, accommodating groups of around 40 with a minimum spend of £500 to open the Top Deck bar (requiring a £100 deposit until that spend is reached); smaller groups can book with no minimum spend but buy drinks at the main bar, and outside catering is permitted. The pub runs a recurring events programme, including a monthly karaoke night on the last Wednesday of each month and a weekly School of Uke session on Mondays, and it offers dart boards that can be booked. It is affiliated with or recognised by the Good Beer Guide, holds 5-star accreditation from Cask Marque, and is linked with the School of Uke and the City of London Darts Association. It also participates in the CAMRA scheme. Contact details published by the pub include the telephone number 02077024422 and the email info@shipec3.co.uk, with a presence on Facebook and Instagram. As a single-site heritage pub in the City of London, The Ship serves the local after-work and visitor trade around Mark Lane and Aldgate. Its identity rests on its listed Victorian architecture, its cask-ale credentials and its private-hire Top Deck rather than on multi-site expansion.

The Ship, Hart Street traces its identity to 1802, the establishment date the pub itself displays. The present building, however, is a Victorian-era structure dated to 1887, and it is this building that gives the pub its architectural character and its Grade II listed status. The listing recognises a three-storey building with one storey set back, featuring elaborate painted doorways and moulded decoration; it stands between two newer buildings on Hart Street, just off Mark Lane in the Aldgate area of the City of London (EC3). Over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries the pub continued to operate as a traditional London house, serving the local business and visitor trade of the City. Its modern identity is closely tied to cask ale: it participates in the CAMRA scheme, appears in the Good Beer Guide, and holds 5-star accreditation from Cask Marque. Alongside its drinks offer of real ales, specialty beers and a fresh wine list, it has developed an events and private-hire programme. The upstairs Top Deck is marketed for private functions throughout the week, with capacity for groups of around 40 and a minimum spend of £500 to open the Top Deck bar, secured by a £100 deposit until that spend is reached; smaller groups can book without a minimum spend but purchase drinks at the main bar, and outside catering is allowed. Weekends are given over entirely to private hire. Recurring events include a karaoke night on the last Wednesday of every month and a weekly School of Uke session on Mondays, and dart boards are available to book. The pub maintains a digital presence through its own website and Facebook and Instagram accounts, and lists affiliations with the Good Beer Guide, Cask Marque, the School of Uke and the City of London Darts Association. As a single-site heritage pub, its history is one of continuity and adaptation within the City of London rather than of chain expansion.

• 1887

  The present Victorian-era building is built; it later becomes a Grade II listed structure.

• 1802

  The pub is established, according to its own displayed founding date.

• The pub participates in the CAMRA scheme and appears in the Good Beer Guide.

• The pub holds 5-star accreditation from Cask Marque.

• The upstairs Top Deck is offered for private functions with a minimum spend and deposit arrangement.

A traditional, heritage-listed City of London pub known for cask ale, weekday trade and private-hire events.

• Real ales

• Specialty beers

• Wine list

• Bar snacks

• Top Deck private hire space

• Dart boards

1. 1HPNEW - The Shipshipec3.co.uk
2. 2about - The Shipshipec3.co.uk
3. 3The Ship, Hart Street (Wikidata)wikidata.org
4. 4The Ship, Hart Street (Wikipedia)en.wikipedia.org