The Loose Box, Westminster, SW1

This is a modern bar/restaurant beneath a modern block. It's a large place, with all but a few tables, some with sofas, laid for diners. Although I obviously sat at one of the tables not so laid, I was still asked if I was dining today. Table service was of course available for those dining; maybe also for drinkers but I didn't test that. There's nothing traditional about the place, with potted palms dotted around; bare-boarded of course; and walls and bar counter are painted a sort of aquamarine colour. There are a fair number of tables outside in an enclosed area. It was less than half full during my weekday lunchtime visit, bit it was still very noisy. It's not the place to go for a quiet pint. But they did have Sambrook's Wandle on handpump (£2.40 a half) which was avctually in excellent condition.

Soulless place with two weak real ale and usual keg offerings. Despite me being virtually the only person in the pub the barmaid started to pour me a pint instead of a clearly asked for half so a point off for that.

Behind some potted bushes a few café tables run along the length of the glass fronted Loose Box. The bar on the left hand wall is separated from a raised area to the right by some standard tables and chairs. At the front to the right is a sofa seating area where punters can relax whilst following muted rolling news that is aired on a flat screen TV. It was very quiet during my mid-afternoon visit a couple of days before Christmas; however most of the tables were reserved for the evening. Due to the time of year there were some festive tunes playing, but the volume was very low. A premium draught range was available from the bar that supports a couple of hand pumps that were drawing Truman’s Runner and Wimbledon Brewery’s Common Pale Ale. I decided to give the £5.50 a glass mulled wine a miss. In the week this bar and kitchen opens at 8am for breakfast and closes at 23:00. The kitchen is closed between 15:00 and 17:00. At the weekend the opening times are 11am until 18:00. This venue is available to hire weekend evenings.

This large bar is quite popular in the evenings with groups of workers mainly from nearby government departments, though is fairly quiet at other times (a friend of mine often comes here at lunchtime for a sanity break). It has six ale pumps, populated alternately with only London Pride and Sambrooks Wandle. There is a strong emphasis on food, with mains starting at £10, and whilst there tends to be a balance between groups that are eating and groups that are drinking, I don’t think I’d come here if I wasn’t part of such a group, as I find the place rather soulless and I have to rely entirely on the people I’m with to make it a pleasurable experience.

Official site of the Loose Box, contains menus - www.theloosebox.co.uk

Official site of the Loose Box, contains menus - www.theloosebox.co.uk