The Duke of York, Marylebone, W1

Compact corner pub, but with some ornate architectural detailing on both façades. Features refurbished furniture and decor, prominent sports TV and a limited menu. The upper floors operate as a backpacker's hostel under the Emporium Inns name. Just one of the three traditional handpumps was working, offering Wandle at £3.90, but there is a also a modern Greene King IPA dispenser.

Doom Bar and London Pride (£1.80 a half) were available, along with GKIPA dispensed from one of those shiny new fonts that GK seem to like. There's a chalkboard menu on the wall - sandwiches including chips and salad are from £5.25, with some pub grub offerings also available, such as steak and ale pie (£9.95) and fish and chips (£7.95). This is a very small one-room pub, which looks of Victorian vintage. Furnishings are banquettes, and normal tables and chairs crammed into just about all the available space. The bar back is a modern addition and contains illuminated bottles and glasses. There are a couple of black and white rat pack photographs, plus a couple of large TVs on the walls, and that’s about it. Free wi-fi is advertised, there’s just the one fruit machine, and a few benches are outside, for use by smokers this time of year. This is a very unprepossessing pub despite its magnificent exterior. The ale choice is hardly inspiring – although of course any ale is better than nothing – so this is not a pub to which I will be rushing back.