Dog and Bell, Deptford

Where?
Tucked down a backstreet in Deptford. Be brave.
Who are the regulars?
Actually not intimidating at all, despite the insistence of graffiti outside that Millwall rule (okay?). The pub's offbeat style and varied ale attracts muddled crowd of local bohos, musicians, actors, writers, builders, market traders, plus students and lecturers from nearby universities.
What's it like?
The space is divided into three small, connected rooms, the smallest displaying local art. In the front double lounge, walls are decorated with an unusual collection of plates, each depicting the face of a TV chef. Celebrity chefs? Their heads on a plate? Its like a dream come true.
The beer
Casks change regularly. British ale incumbents include Harry Jacks Three Rivers, Over the Moon and other sips from breweries like Dark Star and Crondall. Pints are great value, all in the £2.10 - £2.30 range - try getting a snack sized tube of Pringles for that price in west London.
The history
Nothing to do with Ivan Pavlov's famous conditioning experiment, the name comes from the art of duck hunting, popular when this area was riverside marshland. A bell was rung to scare ducks into the air and, once they'd been downed by buckshot, a dog would paddle out to collect thier carcasses, the hunters not wanting to get their feet wet.
Bar talk
Theories are discussed that contradicts this history. "Why's it called the Dog and Bell?" offerred one regular. "Because when they ring last orders, we all bob around the bar like puppies". And salivating, no doubt, like Pavlov's dogs.
Tom Lamont