The Grave Maurice, 269 Whitechapel Road

This place has cheated death having undergone a refurbishment and reverting to its original name. Though this latest incarnation is a definite improvement on the pub that I have come to know and avoid during my time living in Whitechapel, it still attracts a potentially toxic mixture of students, locals and market traders plus other detritus that wander in from the market. Once inside, the alternate red/grey striped curtains along the wall leave you with the impression that you have just wandered into a pub-sized circus tent. There is a DJ mixing desk at the far end and some massive speakers that would not look out of place at a stadium rock concert. Other attractions are a pool table and a small beer garden out the back. If you like loud music and lager this could be the place for you. This used to be the scariest pub in Whitechapel (i.e. truly terrifying). It was the sort of place which exuded menace and it was wise to quicken your pace as you passed its door. Then after suffering a period of perpetual vandalism it finally died. It has now been resurrected as "The Q Bar". As the name suggests it has succumbed to the relentless "trendifying" of other East End pubs, but at least you won't die from going there. There are various theme nights, the focus of which is a kind of pantomime stage at the back. It is cosmopolitan; Asian manager, East European bar staff and Caribbean music; but it is trying so desperately hard to be cool that it makes me want to cringe. There is an utterly pointless projection of Fashion TV on one wall which is a piss poor attempt at sophistication. Nobody was paying any attention. The already rather limited options on the beer front got worse when we were informed that the Guinness had finished. My alternative pint set me back a rather pricey £2.70. They obviously don't want students to come here then. We give it 18 months before it goes the way of the Funky Monkey (Ex Lord Rodney's Head and now a shoe shop). We like the Aeroflot candle holders though - nice touch.

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