London Pub Tour 42 - Westminster: Barley Mow, Royal Oak, White Horse & Bower and Loose Box

Since I swept up some of the remaining pubs in Victoria I thought I would make my way across towards Horseferry Road in Westminster to tick off the four pubs there resulting in another large part of the map being completed. I done this trip in two phases, the first two pubs during lunch the other two after work, but of course, both on the same day. The first point of call was the Barley Mow (SW1P 2EE) a large Enterprise Inn pub. The entrance door on the main road is actually the side entrance as you arrive at stairs to go up to the large function room or turn right to enter into the bar area. If your enter from the side road entrance, you face the bar straight on. The bar is in a U shape hugging around the wall. The space around the bar is very open and the floor around the bar is tiled. The bar has a large selection of ales (8 hand pumps) which on my visit were LPA from Southwark, Naked Ladies, Eagle IPA, Lighthouse, Doombar, Blindside, Session IPA and Sharp's Barley Mow Ale. On keg there was Blue Moon, Guinness, Sharp's Pilsner, Coors Light, San Miguel, 1664, Magners and Carling. Alongside this was a varied bottle selection of ales, lagers and ciders.

As there was a large ale selection I went for two halves. My first half was of Blindside by Truman's, a golden ale at 4.4%. This was a smooth ale and tasted good. My second half was Session IPA from Three Sods Brewery. I've not come across this brewery before which was behind my selection. This beer was also 4.4% but it just felt like something was missing in flavour, it wasn't all there. I had my two beers stood up on the quieter side of the bar. For a lunch this place was very busy, there were bout 50+ people in the pub and the majority were not eating. The pub does normally get busier in the evenings and to control the outside area there are large plastic barriers installed to prevent people spilling too far out onto the pavement. The pub has a wooden interior and where the walls are painted it's a dark red colour. The floor is wood apart from the raised seating area towards the front of the pub which is carpet. There are lots of tables around the pub all suitable for dinning, and there are some high tables scattered around as well. What I did find strange though was the food wasn't being made on site. Staff were ferrying food back and forth across the road from a cafe (about 200m away) on traps with the food wrapped in foil. Then a member of staff unwrapped it and would check to see if order was correct and send out to the table. I can only imagine this would lead to a large number of incorrect orders and delays in food going out.

I left the Barley Mow and made my way a short distance past the source of their food to a pub just off the main road. The Royal Oak (SW1P 4BZ) is a Young's pub set on a tight corner which provide a distinct shape to the pub, a triangle shape without the top point. Due to the shape there are windows on three sides. there are entrance doors on the two large sides to the pub, and both entrances are level with the bar. The bar is a small straight bar and offered up 5 ales but only three were on at the time of visiting, which were Bombardier, Young;s Gold and Young;s Bitter. On keg there was Coast to Coast, Thatchers, Fosters, Peroni, Hells, 1664, Estrella and Guinness. I wasn't interested in any of the cask or keg offering so went for a trusted bottle of Ram Rod. Although only 275ml it comes in at 5.2% so makes for a suitable lunchtime drink.

The area in front of the bar has high tables and always is well lit with the light able to enter from all sides. This section was busy with customers as expected. The pub goes back further on the right hand side and against the wall here are a few tables, with sofa seating on the wall side. These tables seem aimed at diners and there were a few people eating here. The front of the bar is mainly glass with the bits in between being painted white or wooden. The rear section of the pub was painted red. I took a seat on one of the rear tables as it was towards the end of lunch and no one else would be coming in this late for food. There were about 25 people in the pub and all of them were men apart from the two bar ladies working, who were clearing through the two hand pumps for tonight. I seen a sign saying happy hour was 4pm to 6pm Monday to Friday, which entailed 20% off all drinks. Once sat down I did notice the plates people were seating off, small slates, which seemed impractical for eating off and also too small. Excusing the 'plates' the pub was very nice and I could see this as a nice pub to relax in outside of busy hours, whilst the Barley Mow would be best during the after work rush, due to its size and outside area.

I headed back to work to put in the few hours as required before walking back to Horserferry Road to visit the two remaining pubs. My first port of call was the White Horse & Bower (SW1P 2EE) a Shep Neame pub. The pub is on a corner and has a small outside seating area. There are two entrances in, one at the front and one near the rear on the side road. This is a single room pub with the bar stretching about halfway down. The floor at the front is wooden with the other half being carpet. There were a few tables at the front with the majority of tables in the rear including two booth seats. The furniture felt quite basic and minimal though. There were no stalls at the bar which is probably a good idea considering the width of the pub at this part.

Being a Shep Neame pub the ales on sale were all from their brewery. There were 4 hand pumps serving Spitfire Gold, Master Brew, Whistable Bay and Hog Island. The keg beers aside from the Guinness are again all Shep Neame beers produced under licence with the likes of Ashai and Oranjeboom. There were a few Shep bottles including the wonderful Double Stout. In the end I opted for a pint of Spitfire Gold at £4.40. Although the styles are different, I really can't tell the difference between Spitfire and Spitfire Gold. I think I might have to do a side tasting at a pub one day. I found a seat, as the pub wasn't that busy with only about 20 people in. The pub was hot but thankfully not smelly. Towards the rear of the pub there is a dart board and the toilets. On the walls of the pub there were black and white old photos of London including the nearby Whitehall area. I finished up my gold and made my way across the road to my last pub/bar the Loose Box (SW1P 2AA).

I had never even realised this place existed, as its slightly covered with the bushes outside and that it seems to fit in with the government buildings next door. The place is a large single floor open plan pub. There is a slight raised seating area which was reserved for a work party. The rest of the pub had the seating and tables re-arranged to cater for different bookings and as a result although the pub was empty all the seats were reserved. At some points of the pub there were four tables pushed together and the seats arranged around them in a U. The floor in the pub was wood and the walls painted blue and white. The ceiling wasn't high so the pub felt dark, and wasn't helped with the fact the sun was shinning the other way, hence why the other pubs are probably more popular earlier in the evening.

The bar ran all along the left hand side wall. I was surprised to see that they served ale and that the ales weren't your standard national brands like Doombar. On the two hand pumps they served Wimbleon's Common and Truman's Blindside. On keg there was a bigger offering which has Bud Light, Toasted Lager, Honkers, Goose IPA, Leffe, Camden Ink, Caple Road, Camden Pale, Peroni and Estrella. So it was all in all quite a good varied selection of keg beers. I went for a half of the Toasted Lager by Blue Point Brewing Company. Considering the keg was from the US the price of £2.80 seemed reasonable though I didn't taste any toasted notes to the beer as the name would seem to suggest. The pub also had a nice bottle selection and so I opted for a bottle of 312 Urban Wheat Beer by Goose Island. The 330ml bottle cost £4.95 and didn't have as strong a wheat beer flavour as I expected but was nonetheless enjoyable. I would perhaps come to this pub again just to have the Honkers on tap as I really enjoyed it in bottle previously, but other than that I'm not to sure what the appeal of the place is, other than work drinks.

London Pub Tour 29 - Wandsworth: Waterfront, Royal Standard & Alma

Last time I was down in Wandsworth I had popped down just to visit the Cat's Back a Harvey's pub, and before I headed home managed to squeeze in a visit to The Ship, a Young's pub by the river. I decided to head back and knock off the three other pubs in the small area near the station. My first stop was The Waterfront (SW18 1TS) a modern Young's pub built under a new build tower facing out onto the Thames. Young's seem to have made it their style now to open most of their new pubs in new developments which face onto the River Thames. The Waterfront has been around since 2006 and has generally been one of the quieter Young's pubs due to the surrounding area still being developed.

To enter the pub you need to turn just off the Thames path and enter from the side, as there is no front entrance leading onto the river. The pub is large inside, helped by the majority glass exterior letting in lots of light. There is an outside area on either side of the pub with lots of seating, covers and heaters. The very large square bar is set right in the middle of the pub with the area in front set for casual drinking and the area towards the rear serving as formal dinning. In between the two areas, on one side, there is a very large booth that could seat 15 people which I assume is used by after work groups. Also towards the front is an open gas fire.

The bar had 9 hand pumps which between them offered up Grandstand, Special or Bitter. On the keg front there was more selection with the standard Young's offering of London IPA, Guinness, Estrella, Hells and Hells Unfiltered, Fosters, Peroni, Yakima Red and Heineken. There were some craft beers from Brixton and brew by numbers (I believe) but I opted for the London IPA and a packet of spuds, which came to £6.90. The pint was smooth and went down well even on a windy day. There were only a handful in the pub and some music was playing lowly in the background. This sort of pub is perfect to visit on this type of day, and sit reading a book, watching the river and the people go by. After sipping and enjoying my pint I made my way away from the banks of the Thames, inwards towards Wandsworth Town station on Old York Road. I avoided the obvious pub directly opposite the station to The Alma (That was my next stop) and instead turned away from the Alma and a few metres down Podmore Road I arrived at The Royal Standard (SW18 1AL).

It's quite surprising how many people are unaware of this pub, even though it can be seen from the Alma. The Standard is a small looking corner pub, has the look of an old back street boozer. Upon walking in the corner door the bar seems quite empty of furniture and seems small. The bar is just against the wall and itself is not too large either. There were two hand pumps with only one in use offering Doombar. On the keg front there was Lagunitas IPA, Fosters, Freedom Authentic Lager, Orchard Pig Reveller, Guinness, Hop House 13, 1664 and Peroni. I selected a pint of Lagunitas for £5.60 which is reasonably priced for a 6.2% beer. The beer itself is very hoppy and this hides the flavour of any alcohol you would be expecting.

There were only 3 other customers in the pub and one of those was sat chatting with the barman. The pub has a wood floor with some small tables placed along the outside, and a set of sofas at the rear. There is a dart board alongside the bar, and sport on TV. On the walls there is lot of ruby memorabilia, which makes sense as this is a rugby area. There is a smoking patio/garden out the back. I've been in this pub previously and at times it can get very busy but today it was relaxed but I feel this is a pub that requirements more of a buzz going on rather than the relaxation like at Waterfront.

I managed to finish my pint quite easily and walked back up the road to the Alma (SW18 1TF). This is a large corner pub that looks very attractive, and is conveniently located directly opposite the railway station. This is a Young's pub and it also has a hotel, with a separate entrance area just slightly further down the road. The main entrance is on the corner through the curved doors. The pub is open plan with a large square bar in the centre. There is seating all around the outside of the bar ranging from sofas to small tables and high tables. There are function rooms upstairs and a dinning room in the rear. The bar is a dark wood which differs from the more pale wood of the floor. The walls are dark green up to waist height and light green from there up, and onto the ceiling.

Unlike some other pubs with square bars, this one does offer service on all sides. The bar has 14 hand pumps with three on the shorter sides and four on the longer. The ales on the pumps were a mix of Gold, Special, Bitter, Grandstand, Wandle and Pale Ale. The tap offering was standard for Young's with the likes of 1664, Camden Pale, Estrella, Guinness, Hells and Heineken. The only slight difference was the offering of Yakima Red and Neck Oil. I though had my eye on the fridge where there was a selection of beers in bottles and cans from breweries I'd yet to try. I ended up going for a can of Backstage IPA by Signature Brewery. There is a nice hand written looking label on the can but aside from that nothing much stands out from the beer. There was a fruit aroma and a slight orange peel taste and the beer was drinkable.

The toilets at the Alma are downstairs, and on the way you pass the wine cellar which is behind bars. The cellar adds to the pubs lure, and it's certainly well worth a visit, though I would recommend avoiding rugby days, as this is the pub everyone gravitates towards. The pub wasn't busy so I managed to get a table and from here I seen a bar tended being trained on how the pour the perfect Guinness, which is less regularly taught nowadays in pubs.

After finishing off my drink I walked across the road to the station to head home. Wandsworth Town Centre is just around the corner and has quite a few pubs but these will have to wait for another day.

London Pub Tour 21 - Mayfair: Guinea, Coach & Horses and Burlington Arms

Photo by Ewan Munro

I actually assist CAMRA by delivering London Drinker magazine every two months to a selection of pubs in central London around the Piccadilly area. Delivering the magazine gives me the perfect opportunity to visit a varying selection of pubs (both on the route and off the route) along with discovering some pubs I wouldn't have previously. I'll cover some of the other pubs in the route throughout the next few months, as sometimes I don't always get to stop and drink due to time pressures.

After trudging across London with a box of Magazines and coming out of Green Park station with the rain beginning to drop, I was glad to finally arrive at the Guinea (W1J 6NL). Now the Guinea is probably the least favourite pub on my route mainly due to the typical customer. As expected the pub was rammed inside with lots of suits. This is a very small pub and mainly does good trade during good weather as everyone can stand on the quiet cobbled road outside drinking. It's based in an old mews, and has what I can only assume is a posh grill restaurant upstairs based on the doorman in his outfit.When walking in the pub door, you see how small the pub is, with the bar just to your left. There is seating against the front window and a sofa area just behind the bar. Then there is a little standing area along the walk next to the entrance, and that's about all the space inside.

Photo by Alan Stanton

The Guinea is a Young's pub and as such they have Young's ale on (Special and Bitter) and also Sambrooks Pale Ale. They also have 6 kegs serving up Guinness, Amstel, 1664, Estrella, Camden Pale and Heineken. I went for a pint of Estrella which was okay, and standard lager. Looking behind the bar it was strange to see they had jars of Pickled Eggs and Onions, which I assume they were selling. The rain started to let off and the suits made their way outside with their drinks for a smoke. After drinking my pint quickly, I made my way onto the next venue I was dropping the booklets at, The Coach & Horses (W1J 6PT).

The Coach & Horses is a Taylor Walker turned Green King pub. It stands out amongst the other buildings around it due to its design and height. It's a stand alone, slim, tudor beamed pub. This is one of my favourite looking pubs from the outside, due to the contrast with its surroundings. The front entrance is not in use, and you have to use the side door. The building is slim on front and actually gets wider as it goes back. The bar area is small and there is some tight seating surrounding it. There are some small tables against the partition wall separating the larger and more spacious dinning area from the bar area.

Photo by Ewan Munro

The bar was offering up Exmoor Dark, 1730 and Ruddles. They had in Keg Camden Pale & hells, Hogstar, Peroni, 1664 and Fosters. I picked up a half of Exmoor Dark which was dark-ish in colour and smelt very good. Not sure if lager previously impacted upon my tasting of the beer, as it felt quite plan. The pub wasn't too busy and so I found a small table and a seat in the bar area. Looking at the bar, the top had loads of pump clips showing off beers they'd sold previously. Sadly now as a Greene King it stocks more Greene King ales and only has one guest.

After finishing up the half I moved on to my final stop for this delivery batch, the Burlington Arms (W1S 2JL). The pub is down a cul de sac just off Bond Street and out the back of Burlington Arcade. The pub isn't large on the inside but does have an upstairs dinning area. This place is frequented by suits just like the Guinea and it was busy on this day with customers.

The pub does have an automated brewing machine, and I remember talking about this with a representative from the company at this pub over a year ago. I don't believe I've had any of their own brewed beers during my previous visits. On this visit there were 6 ales on including Good Old Boy, Market Porter and Edinburgh Castle. On the keg front they had Rothaus, Harpoon IPA, Goose IPA, Pilsner Urquell, West Coast IPA, Mosaic Pale, Amstel, Heineken, Cote Breton Brut Cidre and Guinness. I opted for a pint of the Rothaus which was a beautiful pint. After my Rothaus I stayed for one more drink as something in the fridge had caught my attention. I didn't know the name of the beer but liked the can design, so ordered based on that. What I ordered was Ægir India Pale Ale by Ægir Bryggeri. The can was a ring pull which completly comes off, and as I was unaware of strength required I did spill a little. I poured the beer into a glass and enjoyed the hoppy pale ale-ness of it. I've since seen further beers by the same brewery and have been tempted to pick them up, but have thus far resisted.

London Pub Tour 19 - Wandsworth: Cat's Back and The Ship

Heading south of the river again and this time to Young's Territory, I arrived at Wandsworth Town station. My first stop though was not a Young's pub, and wasn't near the station either, but was one I wished to visit again as part of my London Pub Tour. I made my way about 15 minutes following part of the Thames path to the Cat's Back (SW18 1NN) which is halfway between Wandsworth and Putney, and situated right near one of those new Thames developments.

Sadly I never made it to the Cat's back under the previous owners when there were interesting tit-bits all over the pub, but since 2012 this pub has been owned by Harveys, and is one of only three in London. When I arrived outside the pub, I could see one of the workers outside cropping up wood for the fire. Upon entering the pub the bar is directly in front, to the right and left are tables with seating. On the right at the end of the bar is the open fire, which the worker was tending to. To the left in the corner facing towards the road is a piano, which had a sweet machine atop. The pub has vinyl wall paper on the bottom half of the wall, whilst the top half is either a plain colour or pattern paper. The flooring is wooden block flooring.

There were about as many customers as staff when I walked in and it remained that way for my visit. On tap at the bar there was Guinness, Peroni, Thatchers, Blue Moon and Staropramen. But I wasn't here for the keg stuff, I was here for the cask. There were 5 taps, though one was separate from the other bank of 4, and may have just been a prop. Only the bank of 4 had ales on offering up Sussex Best Bitter, Old Ale, IPA and Wild Hop. I of course started with a pint of the excellent Sussex Best Bitter and it did not disappoint. The body, mouth feel and flavour were all on spot, and made even better sitting opposite a nice crackling open fire.

Harveys is a brewery whose beer I always enjoy, but sadly don't have often enough. My last pint of Harveys was at the GBBF in summer last year, and it was their monsterous Imperial Stout, which likewise is an amazing beer. I was hoping they might have sold bottles at this pub, so I could take a few away, but alas no. After finishing up my lovely pint of Best I thought I'd give Wild Hop a try. Unfortunately this was just out, and so I selected Old Ale instead. The ABV on this is slightly higher at 4.3% and the price was 20p more at £4.20, though still a great price for London. This was a dark beer that was still light and smooth to drink. Not as good as the best, but certainly a well made beer. As I sat down and supped my pint I noticed an extra bit of furniture, the large old suitcase on top of the bar, which I thought a strange addition to the pub, and wonder if it was a nod to the Cat of old.

After finishing up my pint I made my way back along the Thames path towards Wandsworth to The Ship (SW18 1TB). This is a Young's riverside pub, that was at one stage the closest pub to where I lived. Unlike some of the other Young's along the river here, this one is an old pub that has stood here for over 200 years. The outside has a raised decking area with seating, providing a wonderful river spot in the good weather. To accompany this there is an outside bar at busy times, and a burger shake. But as we know this is January, and the outside was empty and everyone was inside.

There are two parts to the pub. I entered via the smaller part of the pub where you see the final tip of the large horse shoe bar. There was one person on this side, and though I normally enjoy sitting here I opted to walk through to the main bar area. Walking through to the main bar, you actually leave the old original pub building and enter a large conservatory. It has all been tastefully built and when the rain is pouring down outside, its a good place to wile away the time. There are a number of function rooms in the pub, in the original building. Connected to the extension is a private dinning area serving up a different menu to the rest of the pub. There was a very nice fire light in the middle of the extension, that added a bit more to the feel of the pub.

On tap there was the usual Young's selection of Estrella, London IPA and Camden Pale, but there was also the addition of London Lager Brewery Fresh and Camden Hells Unfiltered. On Cask they were serving up Pure Gold, Special, Bitter, Winter Warmer, Pump House and Broadside. But I had already been taken by the Camden Hells Unfiltered. To be honest, the pint came out looking very clear and couldn't tell much difference between this and the filtered Hells. Also following on from the two lovely Harveys pints, I don't think this drink stood a chance. I took a seat, though it was had to find one what with the pub being practically empty, yet every table having a reserved sign for people who were due (and even overdue) within the next 30mins.

I think the Ship is a nice pub, and it just depends on the day and the crowd you get. Similarly with the Alma nearby, which I hope to cover in a London Pub Tour, along with some of the other Wandsworth pubs in the next month. So for today it was just the two pubs, but it was all for the Harveys anyways.

London Pub Tour 17 - Belgravia: Orange, No. 11 Pimlico Road and The Rising Sun

My next London Pub Tour was back in the work grounds. My first stop was The Orange (SW1W 8NE) in Belgravia. This is a pretty building from the outside with its white facade. The main door into the bar is on the corner and is curved, which is a really nice touch. You walk into the small bar area with the bar directly ahead of you. To your left are a few tables for seating, whilst to your right (Which is directly opposite the bar) are a few 2 seater tables. The Orange was a brewhouse, and was one of the new wave of breweries in London, though am not sure when it closed, but think it was probably before my drinking days. The pub is now owner by Cubitt House and also own the Thomas Cubitt nearby. Unlike the Cubitt the orange does feel more open to causal drinkers, hence a bar area, whilst the Thomas Cubitt seems more restaurant like. The Orange has some function rooms upstairs and a hotel, and to the side of the bar is a large dinning area, and I understand that they do quite a good Sunday roast.


The bar area in the Orange is very much sanded down wooden floor boards and bar, therefore a much lighter wood colour. The bar has a large selection of wines and spirits but also does have a few surprises when it comes to beers. They have 3 hand pumps serving up Adnams Lighthouse and two of their house ales, Journeyman and The Cubitt 1788. Both the house ales are made by Canopy Brewery in Herne Hill, which I have been meaning to visit for a while. On keg they offered Amstel, Guinness, London Lager, Peroni and 1664. Alongside this they always serve a rotating Meantime beer, and quite often from the Pilot series, and thankful this visit it was a pilot one. Without hesitation I paid for my pint of Cake Boy Hazelnut Ale. The beer didn't have much aroma to it, but boy did they get that hazelnut taste spot on. A very enjoyable brew which I understand was for the winter season, and it went well on this cold January day.

I'd had both the house ales previously and the pub started to suddenly get busy, mostly with suits, so I left it at the one and moved on. I don't think my next stop qualifies as a pub but nonetheless I shall include it on this blog (and start to work on my definition of a pub going forward). The venue was No 11 Pimlico Road which was just a minutes walk away from the Orange and was much emptier, in the sense of, only bar staff empty. No 11 Pimlico Road is certainly more resturant than pub, but it could even fall under the classification of gastro pub. There were plenty of tables, some reserved, with mismatched chairs. There was some comfy seating as well thrown in for a good mix. The venue is large and upon walking in and stating your just here for drinks, you can walk straight to the bar. There are bar stools available, and you may also sit at the table if you wish, but I decided to remain at the bar.

There was only one hand pump on and this was serving Redemption Pale Ale. Considering it was still early January and this place probably hadn't been busy, I assumed the ale wouldn't be in good condition and gave it a miss. On tap we had Kozel, Goose Island IPA, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni, Becks, Guinness and Franziskaner, which is quite a good varied selection. Looking in the fridge I seen a very small bottle selection of 3 craft, 3 standard and 2 ciders, but the craft beers caught my eye. I selected a bottle of Wu Gang Chops The Trees by Pressure Drop. I really liked the bottle design, though didn't realise until pouring that it was a Hefeweizen. The beer was okay for a Hefeweizen, being light and wheaty though there was a lot of herb flavours coming through which was unexpected, but turns out that was the style. I guess this would match well with food, but on its own towards the end part of the bottle it was slightly less enjoyable. As this beer was only 3.8% and 330ml, and the bottle selection was small, I stayed for another bottle but of a different beer. This time I selected Pale X No. 2 by Howling Hops which was a much higher  5.2%. Both in aroma and taste there was a wonderful citrus taste, which wasn't overpowering. It was a fresh and balanced beer.

No 11 Pimlico Road

Two more guys had come in and taken seats at the bar ordering the Goose IPA but otherwise the venue was still deserted. Rather than try the 3rd bottle beer (which I really can't remember the name of) I moved on round the corner to the Rising Sun (SW1W 8PZ), a large Young's pub situated on a main road, which isn't too busy. I assume their main custom in previous years would have been soldiers situated at Chelsea Barracks. Their main custom still comes from Chelsea Barracks, but now it's the builders. There is some seating outside on the main road, and a small patio out back as well. Inside the pub is spacious with plenty of seating. Upon walking in the bar is straight ahead of you. To both your left and right are seating areas of equal size, and straight ahead behind the bar is an additional seating area which also doubles up as a function area and can be partitioned off.

Inside Rising Sun

The ale selection was a choice between Young's Bitter or Christmas Ale. On the keg front there was Foster's, Amstel, Estrella, Peroni, Three Hop, Coast to Coast, London IPA, Heineken and London Lager. I selected a pint of Meantime's London Lager at £5.75, and also a portion of Pork Scratchings from the jar. The bar man topped up my pint without asking, which is also good pub etiquette. The pub had wood flooring all the way around and all the walls paneling to waist height. There were some modern art photos on the wall, along with some historical vanity fair framed pages. The pub is cosy and very much a traditional boozer, but I suspect that once the development is complete and the workers go, then they might invest in making this more up market and gastro to attract the new residents and workers nearby.