WC2.

A corner pub not far from Charing Cross Road. The nearest tube is Leicester Square a short walk away. This is a Mitchells and Butler's pub in the heart of London and so expect the beer range to be average - on this occasion there was Wadworth's 6X and Boddington's Bitter, plus Bass on. All were well kept though needed topping up after serving. There are two bar areas, the downstairs which is more like a shop size with standing tables and tall stools around the bar floor area and another seating area up a small step with round dark wood tables and chairs. The second bar is upstairs and is quieter with no music. Seating is much the same as downstairs. The bar is a dark wood affair downstairs and the floors are wooden too. There is a food menu served into the evening, which has traditional offerings as well as a few more esoteric choices. There is an offering for vegetarians, but not a large or imaginative selection, specials are available from the chalk board. Prices are standard London, but not expensive for that. Due to its situation, it is mainly frequented by tourists as the theatres are so very close by. Access for the disabled is possible to the downstairs bar as there are two entrances. However, once inside, there is not a lot of space to manoeuvre at busy times. For the rail traveller Charing Cross Station is just 0.2 of a mile away.

A corner pub not far from the High Court just off the Strand. The nearest tube is Temple a short walk away. Don't bother trying to visit on a weekend as it's closed. This is an office part of London and they can make their money during the week and have the weekends to themselves - sensible people. The pub gets its name from the writer and journalist from nearby fleet street when it was the centre of newspaper production. The pub has a single bar in a small-ish room. The decor is rather dark with green pillars holding up the building in awkward places. The bar is dark wood and the carpet dark too. This is not helped by the imitation hanging gas lamps which throw no light at all - note the shelf above the large window as it has lots of bottles on it. Seating is at benches against some walls with mainly round tables although there are some square ones. There are also stools around the tables and a couple of high leaning places. It can get busy at times and only does food at lunchtimes (for the office set), this is traditional stuff, such as fish and chips, jacket spud, etc. Prices are keen for London though. Beers on at the time were not out of the ordinary (London Pride, Adnams Bitter, Greene King IPA, Taylor's Landlord), but seemed to be well kept. The beers were served without sparklers but were still short measure. Hoegarden served here too now. Not a noisy pub, so conversation is possible. Access for the disabled is not good as toilets are upstairs.

This was once a good real ale pub serving up to 8 real ales, but has now reduced to serving three of the major ones Greene King Abbott, Charles Wells Bombardier, and Theakstons. They also serve lots of wine, at least 8 different choices. The decor is all wood and the bar area is not very large - it can fill up most early evenings before the theatre kicks off. A mixed clientele of theatre goers and office workers and of course real ale pub searchers. There is a little music in the background but its not intrusive. Food is available, though it wasn't tested on this occasion - but China town is round the corner and you can get all you want from there should you need to. Chalk boards tell you all you need to know about the beers and wines, etc. Getting a seat was hard and many were standing, but this is London pre-theatre call. The toilets were clean and staff were friendly, but looked rushed off their feet. If you are near the theatre, its worth a look in. Closer to Covent garden tube stop. No accommodation here. Access for the disabled is possible.

This pub is in a street opposite the Prince above. It is a Greene King pub and has most of the range on, plus it's a little quieter. Apparently it was here the the Football Association was born. The Freemasons is a single bar pub decked out with wood inside. Food is served 12-6pm on Saturday and Sunday only. To get there its really up to you as its about the same distance from Covent Garden and Holborn tube stations.

This is another small corner boozer to be found in London. Situated below Covent Garden it has two floors and two bars, one on each. The main bar downstairs has a narrow entrance which is not good for wheelchairs, though there is a side entrance you 'might' be able to use. The bar is the usual wooden floored with dark wood bar, no overhang this time. Seating down here is all stools up against the walls where there is a window sill ledge for your pint. There a couple of tower tables for high stools. Upstairs (very narrow and not to be negotiated after a few pints) the room has more traditional seating of dark wood tables and chairs. There are toilets up here, but it is unisex! The beers on at the time seemed plenty but most were off and on a Saturday! The bar staff were reminded to turn the pump clips round if a beer was not on and they had never heard of this before. In any case the only decent beer on was the Bateman's Rosey nosey and there was need to ask for a top up (people in London never fill a glass correctly it seems). When busy this place can get very cramped. Food is served both lunch and evening and comes from the same menu as the other Hogshead houses. Getting there it's between Covent Garden and Temple tube stops and Charring Cross station is slightly further away. Not far from Drury Lane and just a short hop from the Lyceum theatre, it gets the pre-theatre crowd. No accommodation here

The Porterhouse looks like any block of flats in London with a pub underneath, but the plain facade belies what lies within. Enter and you go into a world of shining copper and low ceilings. Opened in 2000, you get the 21st century take on what a 'plastic paddy' pub in Dublin might look like if it were done by the Irish themselves. There are three floors - lifts for the disabled - with two mezzanines for staring at other people trying to get served below. These acquaint to the nooks and crannies you can find in older pubs. Seating has been placed wherever there is space and there are some nice two-seater tables, though they can often be in gangways. The whole ambiance of the pub is good and friendly - we met some Dutch people over for the 'experience'. The bar area has tiled floors and a ceramic surround - to mop up all the beer the staff seem to slop over it. Pictures are banned on the inside! So no one steals their style - as if photos are the only way to do that! Anyway, the large working mechanical clock is a sight to behold and when it's quiet you can hear it working. Naturally you'd expect prices to be a bit steep (£2.80/pint for Plain Porter 4.3%) and they were, more so than the other pubs in the area. However, the choice was good, and they did a large selection of bottled foreign beers too, which were on a price par with Paris in 2002. Food is served from 5-9pm Mon-Fri, Sat 12-9pm, Sun 12-5 with a roast. Prices for food were about normal (only steak was £10-£12), but portion sizes weren't checked on this occasion. A couple of choices for vegetarians - Thai Noodle Salad, Spinach Pasta and a Mushroom Burger for £6. Worth a stop off if in London.

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This is an an ex-Whitbread "free" house. Last time I went there were the standard Boddies, Wadworth 6X, Flowers IPA and a couple of guests. It's not bad, very touristy obviously. Pricey and beer quality is mediocre. If you're around that area I'd recommend the Ship & Shovell in Craven Passage (Badger) or the Lord Moon of the Mall on Whitehall (Wetherspoon) instead.

This used to be a typical Hogshead but has reverted back to its orignial name. It still retains the the traditional Hogshead interior, all wood floors and dark wood bar with overhang. A small but friendly corner pub (you are likely to find lively conversations going on) right at the Holborn end of Drury Lane (opposite Cats) sort of in a triangle between Covent Garden/Holborn/Tottenham Court Road tube stops. The guest ales on has dropped to two, but the quality is still good. The Sun has recently started to do food, so call to check what times. Access for the disabled is possible, but the bar area is small and difficult to negotiate in a wheelchair. Toilets are also upstairs.

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