Friday 14 November 2008

Goodbye To The Ruskin Arms - East Ham, London!

The pub Iron Maiden used to play gigs in, during the late seventies (before they became famous), is closing forever!! I went down to East Ham, to have a few last beers in the Ruskin.

The Ruskin Arms - East Ham - London








Ruskin Avenue






The next evening i got the tube back to East Ham for a final beer :-(





The bands played in the back room, but its only open when theres a band playing, so i could not take any photos of it.
Here i am finishing my last pint.
R.I.P.
The Ruskin Arms
THE END

(or was it...)





A few months later, i went back to have a look and it was still open...







Sadly, the Ruskin closed shortly after this final visit...

Good News: The pub has reopened Click here to see some new photos! 

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nooo not the Ruskin Arms! I wanted to go there and visit one last time, to get a better look at it.
And by the way, when I was there in the summer, the door to the stage was open! It was rather dark in there though, didn't get any good picture :(

Justin Clapham said...

Dont worry! The Ruskin is still open!! Im guessing, due to the resession and credit crunch, the developers changed there minds :-)

Anonymous said...

I dont care if the ruskin arms shuts. I used to go there in the 80s/90s and early 2000 and it just died a death slowly. And i think the so called dj on a saturday night was the main cause of lack of punters. He just refused to play up to date stuff and was stuck in the past. Glad i dont go to the dump anymore. There are plenty of other places guys.

Justin Clapham said...

Unfortunatly the Ruskin closed in the autumn of 2009. I liked going there more for the Heavy Metal history of the place, than the beer or rock dj. I do like the idea of more older music being played, as most of the new so called metal bands are crap LOL. Here are some pics of the Ruskin as it is at the moment (i walked past it in may 2010 and it still looked the same as in these photos) http://crusader747.blogspot.com/2009/11/some-sad-photos-of-ruskin-arms.html

Anonymous said...

hi justin im a maiden fan from greece i used went in ruskin 24 years ago when i was student in london im very sad aboutthe close of ruskin whats on it instead now?
billy from greece

Justin Clapham said...

I think the Ruskin is being converted into apartments (flats). I will have a look in april, as im off down to London again then!

Anonymous said...

ok keep me informed can you suggest me any simmilar places like ruskin because im planing to visit london in the summer
THANKS A LOT
BILLY FROM GREECE

Michiel said...

I think it's demolished already.

carol said...

I am very sad to learn that the lovely old Ruskin may now be demolished. I worked there as a bar maid in 1966 for 3 years, Joe Lucy the boxer was Landlord. We had some wonderful times it was a very busy pub,other boxers and well known names were customers. I have not been back since 1970 when Joe was still landlord.

Anonymous said...

I am very sad the learn that the dear old Ruskin may be demolished. I spent many happy times there with my husband, I was a bar maid from 1966 to 1969 when I moved out of the East End. The Landlord was Joe Lucy the boxer who won the Lonsdale belt in 1954 for Fly weight boxing, it was displayed behind the bar and I was given the honour of handling it, very heavy. it was a very busy pub famous east end boxers and other well known people we customers.

Anonymous said...

Thought I'd let you know. The Ruskin has reopened, but as an Hotel. The main part of the pub is being refurbished, but I've no idea what it's going to be. At least it hasn't been demolished.

Justin Clapham said...

Thank's for the info. I will take some pics later in the year!

Anonymous said...

I live not far from the Ruskin and I can confirm as of 3 weeks ago when out and about in East Ham, the Ruskin was behind hoarding still.. Nothing much has changed on the outside and I could not see inside due to the wood in the way. Maybe Iron Maiden would like to revive the place, just a thought..

Ruskin Hotel said...

Guys the Ruskin pub is soon to re open. hopefully the pub will be open by end of June. We are getting in touch with Iron maiden to come for the opening of our pub and their new cask ale they are looking to bring out soon. we will try and keeps you guys posted as this Pub has alot of history we want to bring back with a modern twist.

Anonymous said...

interesting that its still there.
Like the idea of trying to get iron maiden to reopen it.

Rankin Mike said...

@ RuskinHotel - are you serious???

I went past the Ruskin in the spring and it was boarded up apart from the hotel + wine bar round the corner.

What are your plans for the RA pub itself? I'm assuming it won't be as metal as it was once...

Unknown said...

Can someone from the pub please either confirm or deny that when it re-opens, it will still be a rockers pub?

Anonymous said...

Hi

I am a friend of one of the owners. The pub will be reopening from tomorrow - as of yet I don't know of any details, however I'm sure if enough rockers/metal heads turn up or request a rocker section it could be arranged !

Anonymous said...

In the place now, used to come here a fair bit as i used to live 2 mins up the road. The place is looking good if you ask me. Still think they should of had the motorbike zombie above the bar. But alas couple of rock and roll prints up, iron maiden, small face, kiss..... And now serving pub grib.a very clean modern pub, different from how it was, i did quite like its old grimeyness. But you got to move on i suppose. Look like some works being done at the back, so hopefully some bands and rock nights on a Friday and Saturday will remain. Maiden was just playing over the speakers, so still a rockers pub in essance but with a gastropub twist. Do i like it...... Well yes to honest.... Just need to come on a Friday night now to see if it has some of the old magic. Jimmy

Justin Clapham said...

Thanks for the info. I am down in London next week, so I will have a look and take some pics. Cheers!

Ivan said...

Went there on a Friday massive improvement I'd say, and a very good bar manager. They serve London Pride on tap too. I have heard the food is good too!

Justin Clapham said...

Its very nice now in the Ruskin, after a well needed refurb. Photos Here http://crusader747.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-ruskin-arms-open-again.html

Simon said...

I used to go here for The Small Faces conventions, back in the day it is where The Small Faces formed up.
I met Stanley Unwin amonst others Don (Don't news with me) Ardon.Their manager.
Happy Days.
The convention has moved to pastures new.
Still have a soft spot for this place.
Long Live Rock.

Simon said...

Put your hands in the air.

Simon said...

Now put them down by your sides.........
Lol.

Anonymous said...

Hi.
I used to work in Ruskin Arms in around 2006. Do you know if management changed? It was run by Indian guy that owned few other pubs such as Havelock in Ilford and one in Canning Town.

Anonymous said...

I used to travel up on the train most Saturdays until it started to die a death... Although I have moved out of London now I will have to pop by just out of prosperity.

Anonymous said...

Is it open nowadays or not?? Thanks a lot!

Justin Clapham said...

Very much OPEN!! Not a rock pub anymore though!

Anonymous said...

Brilliant news

TOM said...

ITS RE OPENED :)

Anonymous said...

Hey guys.
I am hosting Karaoke at the pub tonight and was just looking up the history when I found this blog.
My company is called London Entertainment and we are there once a month on a Friday. The guy who runs my company plays in Killing Joke and sometimes hosts here, so if you ever want to pop in and request some rock please do.

Wendy said...

Fascinated to have found this blog. I spent many a wild Friday (or was it Saturday?) night in The Ruskin (affectionately known as The Dustbin) back in the 80s. It seemed to go around the same time as several other rock pubs I frequented at the time. I was just having a discussion with other half about Maiden when I googled this wonderful old pub and found all these great comments. Nostalgia... 😀 No bikes parked outside anymore... 😕 Great bit of history, though. Cheers, guys. Wendy (aka Flymo).