Back to the Local by Maurice Gorham, Edward Ardizzone

In this love letter to the London pub, our genial guide takes the reader through all aspects of the local hostelry as it was in the 1940s - a time of dark wood, dark corners and dark beer. Back to the Local is a fascinating nostalgic ramble around the post-war pubs of London: we are introduced to The Regulars and Barmaids Old and New; we venture into the familiar surroundings of the Saloon Lounge, Saloon Bar and Public Bar and squeeze into possibly the lesser known Jug-And-Bottle Bar, where customers queue to buy ale to drink elsewhere; we learn about 'lost' drinks such as 'The Mother-in-Law' or 'The Snort'. A truly memorable pub crawl, illustrated by the wonderfully atmospheric drawings of Edward Ardizzone.

This edition features a fold out map showing the pubs featured in the book which are still trading, plus a new preface by Robert Elms.