The Prince Alfred, W9

A highly unusual interior and worthy of close inspection.There are 4 snugs ,each small and with it's own external door but they are all connected by ducking under an opening wall panel which is around 3ft high,quite a feat for lanky and /or inflexible customers.However most folk give it a go,it's part of the fun.There are lots of great internal features with one snug having working snob screens,etched glass everywhere,a high Victorian moulded ceiling and with each snug having bar access you can drink with friends in some solitude.The main room is to one side and opens out into a large restaurant but the bar counter here only has keg taps,the largest of the snugs has 3 handpumps although the choice on my trip was Youngs Bitter and Wimbledon Copper Leaf (dull and £2.55 the half,a rip off).The food offering looked pricey too. Operated by Youngs,their corporate hand does impact the charm,and with a poor real ale selection I couldn't possibly base myself here for an evening.But it's worth popping in to see the wonderful listed interior snugs.

I was unsure which door to use and ended up going in through the side entrance which leads through a restaurant area into the bar. Here the room is divided into segments by wooden and partly glazed screens, through which it is possible to pass by using the low doorways. Of course, by now it was apparent that any of the street doors would have provided access to the bar. Indeed, having found my way later to the toilet - which is down some stairs near the restaurant entrance (disabled and baby change at ground floor level) - by ducking through three of these low doorways, it dawned on me that it would have been better to use the street doors for that too. At the time of my mid-afternoon weekday visit I was the only drinker, so had a choice of rooms. It was great to have a chance to explore, but equally this could be the sort of pub that would reward a prolonged visit with a group of friends - not too many, as the rooms are small. My half of Youngs Special was good, but London prices make me gasp - £2.40 for a half! I can still get a pint for that in Sheffield.