Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Is this an East London thing? Or does it exist elsewhere?

How did it become a thing in the first place?

Have to mussel out the competition to get a prime spot !

My mate sold crabs on the sidewalk !

And you used to get a man with a basket selling seafood in the bar.

Do the Salvation Army still sell the War Cry in pubs (when they are open)?

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:43 pm Is this an East London thing? Or does it exist elsewhere?

How did it become a thing in the first place?

Remember buying prawns outside pub in Becontree after game.mate put his shells in empty milk carton and hid them under front seat.was A new car and the new car smell was soon lost and replaced by obnoxious one.I had no idea until I spoke to him week or two later

Always stopped at the pub outside the entrance to Victoria Park for cockles after a home win as a kid. A very clever way to get me interested in the outcome of the match.

Tubby Isaacs the shell-fish van king

There is one in a pub car park in Green Street Green (near Orpington) and I believe he has 2-3 in the wider suburban Kent area.

Just had mine delivered. Lovely jubley.

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:43 pm Is this an East London thing? Or does it exist elsewhere?

How did it become a thing in the first place?

Never seen one west of Aldgate. I think it was originally a Jewish thing like fish n chips. Maybe it never went west was most of the cockles, eels, whelks etc. came from the river at the point it went out to the sea and was still salty.

Possibly also an Irish thing a la Molly Malone.

RientO wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:21 am

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:43 pm Is this an East London thing? Or does it exist elsewhere?

How did it become a thing in the first place?

Never seen one west of Aldgate. I think it was originally a Jewish thing like fish n chips. Maybe it never went west was most of the cockles, eels, whelks etc. came from the river at the point it went out to the sea and was still salty.

Possibly also an Irish thing a la Molly Malone.

Is Shell-fish kosher ?

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:43 pm Is this an East London thing? Or does it exist elsewhere?

How did it become a thing in the first place?

I've seen them in other parts of the country.

How did it become a thing though?

Burger vans is obvious but how have shellfish stalls in pubs proliferated?

StockholmO wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:03 pm And you used to get a man with a basket selling seafood in the bar.

Do the Salvation Army still sell the War Cry in pubs (when they are open)?

My father when an Apprentice on the Hull Daily Mail during the early 50's used to visit local pubs over weekend selling seafood from a basket to customers.

Sea food has always, until recently been a food of the poor. Oysters were a mainstay of poor Londoners. The poorest always lived in the East-End. Grays believe it or not, was a fishing village, obviously dealing in Estuary fish. The pollution from the 1850's onwards done that business in. Samuel Pepys would come up to Grays to buy his fresh fish and it was obviously easier to do this journey by boat ( plus he worked for the Admiralty ).
Jews are not allowed to eat fish without scales ( especially shellfish ). So if you can't eat it, sell it!

Yeah, apart from fish with scales and fins seafood isn’t kosher. But that’s never stopped most secular Jews (or a fair few observant ones of the reform variety) from tucking in. Also see bacon. They can spot a silly outdated religious rule to ignore when they see it.

As for seafood sellers in pubs, I can’t think of many I’ve seen outside of the East End and it’s diaspora. The Friday night cockles treat (and a War Cry) after a few pints was a ritual.

I used to live, as a youngster, right opposite a pub in a back street in Clapton and there used to a bloke with a barrow who would come along every
Saturday and Sunday during opening hours. In the summer when it was hot and we had the windows open, all you could smell was sea food, beer
and cigarette smoke. Ughh.

there is one just opened up in a pub car park 5 minutes from my house
selling all fresh fish and sea food.
love all sea food especially jellied eels. ummmmmmmm.

Before lockdown we still had a guy doing the seafood from a basket in Befnal green and the surrounding areas he's been doing it for years , eastern European guy who's a lovely chap , I used to buy .mussles and kippers off him and lovely they were too

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:19 am all you could smell was sea food, beer and cigarette smoke. Ughh.

did it put you off all three for life?

Never seen a seafood stall in any pub car parks in Scotland. I believe it's because the car park is reserved for fighting at closing time and combatants appreciate the extra space.

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:26 am How did it become a thing though?

Burger vans is obvious but how have shellfish stalls in pubs proliferated?

Why are burger vans obvious ?

MungOgogo wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:00 pm

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:26 am How did it become a thing though?

Burger vans is obvious but how have shellfish stalls in pubs proliferated?

Why are burger vans obvious ?

Burgers are more commonplace on pub menus than Whelks

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:48 pm

MungOgogo wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:00 pm

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:26 am How did it become a thing though?

Burger vans is obvious but how have shellfish stalls in pubs proliferated?

Why are burger vans obvious ?

Burgers are more commonplace on pub menus than Whelks

What has a pub menu got to do with a burger van or a shell fish van in a pub car park?

Daft Logic , pub menu's usually all have Fish & Chips , but I've never seen a
Fish & Chip van in a pub's car park , or a chicken wing van & so on & so on .

MungOgogo wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:10 pm

Currywurst and Chips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:48 pm

MungOgogo wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:00 pm
Why are burger vans obvious ?

Burgers are more commonplace on pub menus than Whelks

What has a pub menu got to do with a burger van or a shell fish van in a pub car park?

Daft Logic , pub menu's usually all have Fish & Chips , but I've never seen a
Fish & Chip van in a pub's car park , or a chicken wing van & so on & so on .

I have

slacker wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:58 am

As for seafood sellers in pubs, I can’t think of many I’ve seen outside of the East End and it’s diaspora. The Friday night cockles treat (and a War Cry) after a few pints was a ritual.

The Shell Fish Pig in Cornwall is very good . Also Claws down in Torquay is good to