The Shakespeare, SW1

Large, touristy pub opposite Victoria station, with a typical Greene King knocked about interior which still hints at a former multiple room layout. There are many separate seating areas throughout the pub, all slightly opened out into adjacent spaces and generally all feeling much alike one another, so that no particular part of the pub stands out as being the best place to grab a seat. Tables and chairs fil most of the floorspace, but a few high stools and padded benches can be found here and there as well. The walls have low wood panels with neutral shaded uppers decorated with corporate blackboards, plain mirrors and a lot of old pictures, many of which seem to relate in some way or another to Shakespeare and his plays. There are also a couple of display shelves filled with bottle collections, whilst a few slot machines have been squeezed into recesses around the room. The servery runs along much of the rear wall and has a nice wood panelled counter front and polished stone top beneath modern metal frame pot shelves. A large Shakespeare mirror dominates the bar back, which is otherwise quite a plain, boxy affair strewn with fake plants, which can also be found entwining the handpulls. Tunes played quietly in the background throughout my stay and there was a constant flow of customers coming in and out, as you might expect for a pub next to a busy station. There were four ales available when I arrived – Greene King IPA, Abbott Ale and London Glory, plus St Austell Tribute. The latter was slopped up by a surly barman but was in decent enough nick and I was a little surprised to spot quite a few pints of cask ale being sold – turnover must be sufficient for them to keep four ales on the go. I came here with extremely low expectations, having dodged the pub for many years thanks to poor reviews on this site and elsewhere, but it must’ve turned a corner in recent years, as I found it an entirely inoffensive, corporate pub experience, with decent beer, plenty of seating and a reasonable atmosphere. Not somewhere I’m likely to seek out, but if you’re looking for a quick pre-train pint, you could definitely do a lot worse.

I came here once before around 20 or more years ago and I really don’t remember it being anything like this; has it been expanded into new buildings as it seems huge? Essentially this place is one very large room, designed in wholly fake Victorian style, with split levels, multi-screens for sport, games machines, recessed aircon units in the ceiling and a Clear Channel illuminated advertising screen. The pub has more styles of furniture than DFS, with different zones receiving an individual theme. There are sauce bottles and plastic menus on tables and a security guard watching over all, who seemed to be tourists. Ales: one reversed pump, then GK IPA and Abbot, so a Neck Oil it was at £3.35 a half. This is a very poor pub, even by GK standards, but failed to prepare me for the neighbouring Victoria, but what should one expect when drinking next to a busy railway station?

Official site of The Shakespeare - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Shakespeare - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Big pub right outside Victoria Station. Lots of seats and plenty of food choices. But the prices are a bit high. Soup of the day £4.79, it is served with bread & butter, Fiush & Chips £13.49. But now the best bit, a pint of Twickenham Naked Ladies, £5.10. For a big pub, the gents toilet is not that big, the floor is wet and one of the hand dryers doesn't seem strong enough to dry anything. I have rated it as 3 as the pint of Naked Ladies tasted good.