Princess of Wales, WC2

Nice Nicholsons pub near Charing Cross, dark and moody interior, prices match location near the river

I vaguely recall visiting a pub in Villiers Street years and years ago. It could have been this one. But I returned on a Monday afternoon to visit pubs that had appeared in the last 2 editions of the Good Beer Guide. If I did visit, it's not how I recall it! The single ground floor bar is quite small. However, there is an upper floor, roped off on our visit. TVs were showing Sky Sports News, which nobody appeared particularly interested in. Doom Bar is the regular beer, whilst there was also a guest beer in Ghost Ship. Nicholson's pubs have really gone downhill in recent years, in terms of their beer range. This one is no exception. So there would be no reason for me to return here.

This is a Nicholson’s outlet, right next to Charing Cross railway station, so gets a great deal of passing trade, less so on a Sunday. It’s pretty predictable inside, though less ornate than most of their outlets, with dark grey paint to the dado, mid-grey above, continuing to the ceiling. Lighting is Victorian-style and furniture is conventional, tall or normal; décor comes in the form of portraits of famous former local residents. What was wholly unnecessary, was American football playing on the TV, which added nothing but ugly light; naturally, no one was watching. Ales were an improvement on my previous visit, a GK pub, which just goes to show how much better are Nicholson’s compared to their more numerous competitor, with Ghost Ship, Pride, Doom and Oakham’s Citra at £2.80 a half and good, though too cold. Better than a GK pub, but still average and not bad if wanting a swift one before getting the train.

2 floor Nicholson's pub(didn't visit upstairs). 6 real ale taps 5 on during my visit. Quite a plain interior by Nicholson's standards.