Lots Road, SW10

The former name cited below, arises from it being a former Firkin pub, just off Chelsea Creek and formerly a Watney’s house, called the Balloon Tavern, which featured in the film A Deadly Affair, visible as such on Reelstreets. Nowadays, this is a rather bland development, with a power station chimney looming over it, pretty much in the middle of nowhere and not easily accessible either. The interior has been completely gastrofied, with a modern floor, high metal topped bar, scaffold bar back with open kitchen, tall table ledges to windows with more scaffold, some conventional furniture, grey and white three-quarter height panelling and a lemon-yellow ceiling; at least the inset mirrored panels might be original. Acoustics in here are poor, due to all the hard surfaces and with a fairy large, mixed crowd, made for quite a din, along with the overly premature and tedious for decades Christmas soundtrack. Two unused pumps flanked one dispensing Portobello’s Ho Ho Ho, a seasonal beer – you don’t say – which was quite decent, but with a half setting me back £2.60. In all, this place is a bit stark. If marooned out in this backwater, the Chelsea Ram is a far better and more traditional alternative.

Official site of Lots Road - lotsroadchelsea.co.uk

Official site of Lots Road - lotsroadchelsea.co.uk

A very busy pub/bar. Light grey painted walls inside. Food is cooked behind the bar, so you can see them make your lunch. Real ale on sale, though can't remember what they were. Friendly staff. Not sure about this, but as food is actually being prepared in the bar area, are they allowed to let dogs in? Will give them the benefit of the doubt and rate accordingly.