I visited the following two pubs on alternate days, and they were the only ones in the surrounding area I needed to tick off. The first pub the Antelope (SW1W 8EZ) is situated just of Sloane Square. This is a Fuller's pub which has the appearance of a small back street boozer. The pub was built in 1827 and gives off a feel that it hasn't changed much. Walking through the front door and the island bar is to your side and takes up most of the space in the pub. There are some benches with tables under the front window, and then a little snug area at the rear with books on the walls and soft seating. The snug area is carpeted whilst the rest of the pub has wood flooring. There is a room to the left of the entrance that is more geared up towards dinning and has about 6 tables. The whole bar has wood panelling to either waist or shoulder height, with the remainder wallpapered. The ceiling is also wood panelled and large red velvet curtains drape over the windows.
Proudly presented on the bar were 5 hand pumps offering up a selection of Fuller's Ales: Pride, ESB, Oliver's Island and Seafarers (x2). The keg selection was quite small offering Frontier, Guinness, Veltins, Amstel, Honey Dew, Cornish Orchards and 1664. I went for a pint of Veltins Pilsner which came in at £5 on the nose. Most people in the pub were eating and the snug and front bench areas were taken, so I ended up sitting on a free table in the dinning area. There is also a dinning room upstairs though not sure if its open everyday. As I sat drinking my pint I gazed through to the main bar where there are old cricket and rugby team photos on the walls. Also there is a history of the pub's cricket team's wins. The majority of people in the pub were men in suits, who are guess are regulars or there on a business lunch.
The second pub I visited was certainly more touristy considering its the closest pub to Buckingham Palace, and on the route between the Palace and Victoria. The pub is the Bag O'Nails (SW1W 0PP) another Greene King convert from Taylor Walker. The pub resides on a busy intersection on the one way system around Victoria, so its not surprising that no one was sat on the seating outside. Walking inside and the noise of the traffic does still flow in, making the pub perhaps not a tranquil place for a pint.
The bar sits on the back side wall and had six hand pumps offering GK IPA, Bag O'Nails Best (GK House), London Glory (x2), Trooper, Amplified and one pump advertising Old Rosie Cider. Keg wise there was Peroni, Guinness, Aspall, 1664, Punk IPA, Amstel and Orchard Thieves cider. I went for a pint of the Bag O'Nails Best which as I suspected was just the standard Greene King House. I stayed for a second pint having the Orchard Thieves cider which was certainly very carbonated. The packet of sweet chilli crisps certainly helped drink it down. I didn't note the prices but the ale didn't break £5 though the cider did.
The pub itself has lots of clear space around the bar. The floor is wooden except for raised tiling around the base of the bar and at the rear of pub where it is carpeted . Rows of high tables run from the entrance along the windows on either side. Next to a small pillar opposite the bar are two small tables. The carpeted area contains 8 small tables and at the end sits an open fire place. Above the fire place is a TV on a news channel. One thing to note is the union flag which is all over the pub. When i first arrived there were about 3 people in the pub, but this increased to 10 by the time I left, though all of these were tourists.
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