White Swan, Pimlico, SW1

A decent sized corner pub, opened out internally but tastefully decorated, a spiral staircase leads on to upstairs dining. Six handpumps with five from McMullen's plus a guest of Rivertown Quin which I should have chosen but for some reason decided on an AK. Decent pub but can be doing without McMullen's beers.

McMullen's House near the river end of Vauxhall Bridge Road. The busy bar at the front extends back to three smaller seating / dining areas further back, one of which is raised by a couple of steps. Semi-traditional furniture and decoration, although the feel is more modern and the clientele mostly young. Duplicate AK, Country and IPA (£5.10) clips on the six handpumps, although only the latter two were currently on.

Dating from the mid-18th century in some form, this has been a McMullen’s pub since 2012, with a less than successful refurb in 2018. It’s a spacious interior which kicks off some way to the rear, with two raised areas with normal furniture, areas with lower floors having the tall stuff. There’s wallpaper which looks distressed, rather than actually being so, which matches the distressed Victorian-style chandeliers, a little bare brick and substantial exposed timber members above the bar; a black cast iron helical staircase lead up to a function room. The floor is modern bare boarded, the ceiling black Anaglypta and customers who seemed to be a mix of noisy locals and office workers. Ales: AK, IPA and Country at a very decent £2.30 a half and not bad. This is a much better place than the phalanx of Greene King outlets that infest the area, but it’s not great, let down by the loud music and distracting TVs showing the football, which typically no one was watching.

Official site of White Swan - www.mcmullens.co.uk

Official site of White Swan - www.mcmullens.co.uk