Blue Posts, Soho, W1

I’ve always found Berwick Street one of the more interesting of Soho’s lanes with its market, eclectic music shops and pubs that seem to have withstood any attempt to go down the tourist route. The Blue Posts feels like it should be anywhere other than the heart of Soho, small and traditional, cosy but with the air of a local’s boozer where the arrival of an American or Japanese tourist would probably be looked upon as a stand out event. The carpeted interior is a single room with central bar and seating pushed to the edges. Some remnants of old tiling remain from previous refits and the walls contain a few old Soho pictures and a collection of plates. Above the bar canopy are numerous nick nacks ranging form jugs, urns and brass kettles to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Potted plants sit in the half frosted windows giving it a bit of a homely feel and everything is cosy enough without being anything spectacular. There is some pavement seating where you can watch the market traders, office workers and people wearing unseasonable overcoatsscurrying around about their daily business. You probably wouldn’t come here just for the beers, a standard collection of mass market names and just 2 ales, Courage Directors & Adnams Bitter although to be fair quality and price have always been reasonable on my occasional visit. It has to be said that pubs like this are a bit of a rarity in these pubs and that does give it a bit of added value although were it were not for its location, no-one would probably give it a second glance.