The Coach & Horses, Soho, W1

This place is a dump. A beautifully shabby dump and I love it. Its like drinking in the 50s. Especially if you go in on a Wednesday night and they are belting out Knees up Mother Brown on the piano. I avoid Wednesday nights. Been coming in for years, since I read about the author Derek Raymond who used to frequent it. If he was alive now, the only thing he would have noticed changed would be its now rumoured a Fullers house (although only appeared to have Chiswick Bitter on my last visit). The Lowenbrau has long gone. I go at least 4 times a year for the last 15 years and have not been served by the same person twice. Worth checking out if you like to drink in a different era. Skol, Inde Coope and Double Diamond will all make sense when you go in.

I hadn't visited this pub before so walked in as part of a 'tour' of Soho pubs. The tables were all kitted out in bright, but cheap-looking, red and white Gingham plastic tablecloths with the result that the pub resembled a poor pastiche of a transport cafe. The place was, quite unsurpisingly, completely empty and totally lacking in character - we walked straight out as there are far too many decent pubs within a two-minute stroll to waste any time here!

I'd known about this pub for a while mainly due to its long-standing association with Private Eye. As a reader of many years, it was probably my duty to make a pilgramage; I was able to do so on a Sunday evening, which you wouldn't imagine to be a busy time for pubs in this area but nonetheless most of the seating was taken. With its pine-heavy wood interior it has a lighter feel than a lot of more 'traditional' pubs although it clearly inspires a loyal following. Pints of Doom Bar were consumed but sadly we didn't stick around for the food, which looked simple and appealing in its 'Britishness'. I'd certainly say this is one to check out although it probably isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The Coach and Horses is one of Soho's best known pubs, situated right in the heart of this vibrant area of London. It's still promoted externally as Norman's Coach and Horses - "Norman" being of course, the notorious Norman Balon, allegedly London's rudest landlord, who retired several years ago. I never had the distinction of being served personally by Norman, although I did once receive an icy glare from him when I pointed out to one of his staff that my pint needed topping up. It's a former Taylor Walker pub with a light pine, wood panelled, carpeted interior and several interconnecting areas. It still has a rather bohemian feel, attracting some real local characters, several of whom were noticeably rather the worse for wear on my recent early evening visit. There's a Private Eye dining room upstairs. In one room a woman was enthusiastically belting out all the old Cockney favourites on a piano and customers were being avidly encouraged to join in, without too much success. A drinks break between songs revealed that the woman was not a Pearly Queen, nor even a Londoner, but was actually Romanian ! There appears to be a wider range of real ales being served from what I remember several years ago. Beers on were Cumberland, Black Sheep, Pedigree, Bombardier, Doom Bar and Trumans, which I suspect is probably too many for this pub. All beers were priced at £ 3.40p. This pub is inevitably crowded and, taking the visit as a whole, I'd only rate it as average.