One of London's longest-running wine bars quietly closed its doors just before Christmas. The Crusting Pipe first opened its doors back in 1980 marking the move of the former fruit and veg market into the shopping and hospitality hub it is today. As the first new bar in the area, and one that looked the part with its trademark sawdust floors, it was an instant hit.
But times are a changing and just before Christmas, its owners, Davy's Wine Bars, announced that it was closing for good. "As trading environments and customer habits have evolved, this chapter has now come to a close." The last day of service was 21 December 2025.
The last time we were in this neck of the woods, the bar looked practically empty. Maybe the move of the market from more of a middle-level place to shop and eat into somewhere boasting pan-European brands like Chanel, Laduree and Venchi has left this part of London lacking real character. It definitely doesn't feel like somewhere Londoners would head to anymore.
