'I used to sell pacemakers': Rob Star on 10 years of Leyton Star - and how he built a pubby empire

It’s a grey yet stifling afternoon in the Leyton Star’s leafy secret garden — even more so ensconced deep in one of its wooden booths.

Owner Rob Star (not his real name, more of which later) is pleased as punch with the new individual screens installed in each just in time for the World Cup. It’s a nice idea, affording privacy for groups of revellers combined with an all-important sense of community.

That word — community — is a key tenet here at this big sister to Leytonstone’s Heathcote & Star, especially as it celebrates its tenth anniversary this week (read the first Leytonstoner review from back in 2016).

Without the ongoing support of locals, a decade in business would simply not be possible. So that’s why Rob and I are huddled in here, pints in hand, chewing over his unique career trajectory.

We’ve been meaning to catch up for a while, but he’s a busy man, and in my two decades of writing about London’s food and drink scene, somehow we’ve circled each other — but never quite met.

And yet I was curious as to how he built his well-curated empire in north and east London, from the 2008 opening of the legendary Star Of Bethnal Green to nine venues (and a whopping 200 staff) across a vast swathe of the capital from King’s Cross to Leytonstone.

In today’s issue, Rob spills the beans on how his enterprise stemmed from an unswerving dedication to warehouse parties in the mid-noughties — remember Mullet Over? — and how he slow-built his brand while holding down a succession of jobs. And yep, that included a five-year stint driving around the country flogging pacemakers.

He also tells me how he stumbled across the Leyton Star in 2016, then the rather scruffy King Harold pub, which had just been saved from being turned into apartments. “I instantly knew it was the right place,” he says.

Fast forward ten years and the E10 boozer is as well-regarded for its kitchen residencies as its sport. So, after our chat I returned a week later to see if the current incumbents, Patty & Bun, still deliver (you may recall they popped up at the former Birds pub in Leytonstone last summer). And I also hear the story of this iconic burger brand from co-founder Fred Webster-Trussell, who explains why you can even order his patties as pink as you like (yay). Scroll down for more on both.

Leyton Star 10th birthday bash is on Saturday August 15th. Leyton Star, 116 High Rd. Leyton, E15 2BX, follow @leytonstar

Welcome to issue 90. With Leyton High Road’s William The Fourth also reaching a milestone this week (is it really only a year?), I swung by impromptu with a friend on Tuesday to see if their award-winning pizza is still doing the business.

And I can happily say: it really is. Over a pint of Verdant’s classy alcohol-free Psych IPA, we shared two entirely different pies, pictured above (around £16 each). Their famed signature Marinara — pimped up with burrata, blobs of garlic puree, swirls of chimichurri and majestic Sicilian anchovies — just pipped the other, a World Cup special, to the post. Even so, the latter’s vodka sauce base, laced with pepperoni, Calabrian chillis and aged parmigiano, punches hard.

For their first birthday next weekend, owners Exale Brewing are pulling out all the stops with three days of food, live music and creative workshops. Things kick off on Friday July 31st with a Chunk Provisions gelato pop-up from 5pm, followed by a Short Road Pizza party on Saturday 1st featuring grilled BBQ oysters and one-off toppings (like andouille sausage and spicy potato pie) from local legends Decatur, who recently stormed Tilbury Yard. There’ll also be live music from 9pm, along with craft workshops all day on Sunday.

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In this week’s issue for paid subscribers:

• Earl’s owner Tim Vincent on why he’s pressing pause on his two excellent sandwich bars in Leytonstone and Shoreditch

• Rob Star on the tragedy that set him on the path to nightlife, how pacemakers paid the way — and the engrossing story of Leyton Star

• The secrets to Patty & Bun’s awesome burgers — and how co-founder, MD head chef Fred has navigated hospitality’s rough waters

• Side Portions: a bumper round-up plus food & drink gossip, opinion, news, pop-ups, one-offs and foodie titbits.