The Lillie Langtry, West Brompton, SW6

Just down the road from West Brompton station, this is a nicely fitted out gastro pub which seems to still be happy enough to welcome drinkers, especially if it’s a match day at nearby Stamford Bridge. On arrival, you pass through a front patio garden with lots of comfy looking wicker chairs serving some sturdy looking tables in a spot next to a fairly busy main road. You then enter into the broad, main bar area, which has exposed floorboards and a cool chequered tile strip of flooring around the servery, which dominates the back wall. The bar has an attractive dark wood counter that curves 90 degrees at its left-hand end before running toward the rear of the room. It has a modern metal frame gantry and a spectacular high, dark wood bar back with some decorative top pieces, recessed mirrored arches and hefty pillars. High tables and stools fill the space opposite the bar, whilst a high, button backed banquette runs under the front window, with more of the same available at a regular height down the left-hand wall. Where the room runs to the rear down this side, you’ll find an excellent skylight with loads of plants hanging from around its perimeter, which looks pretty impressive. All of the front and left-hand parts of the pub are painted in dark shades or have dark wallpaper, but the right-hand side has been done out in much lighter shades and filled with more high tables and stools. An impressive decorative ceiling extends through all parts of the room and numerous TV screens were showing muted live football with easy listening tunes playing in the background. On the bar, four handpulls suggested that Fullers London Pride, Sharps Doom Bar and Park Brewery Saw Pit were the cask options, but upon enquiring about the latter, I was told it was off, despite being double clipped, so I had to opt for the Pride from the less inspiring remaining two alternatives. This clocked in at £6.15 and was served by quite a brusque barmaid who was also very keen to point out to people that the tables they were sat at were reserved and they could only stay there until the customers who had booked them arrived. Whilst there were still a few spots for drinkers, these had already filled up early in the day and the vast majority of people were eating. Being a match day, the beer comes in plastic glasses, irrespective of the fact that there were still five or six hours until kick-off. I thought this was quite an impressive pub with some grand, traditional features that are worth checking out. It’s a shame they could only offer a couple of ubiquitous ales and that it felt more like a restaurant, as they seemingly do have more interesting beer on at times and have made an effort to accommodate drinkers. I enjoyed this one for the interior but would be likely to look elsewhere the next time I’m in this part of town.

The Lillie Arms as it was, dates from 1835 and was trading by this name until 1979 when the current name was applied; Langtry had no association with the pub, which is Fulham’s oldest surviving. It has indeed had an aggressive makeover, which as mentioned, must have been an interior designer’s dream, the whole place having been fairly tastefully trendified, that can be seen on the pub’s website gallery. Surviving items of note are the extravagant carved wooden bar back with plaster cornice and fine fibrous plasterwork ceiling. Customers are fairly mixed, though it’s clear that the area’s more fashionable prefer this pub to the other surrounding ones, the Prince of Wales (opposite) operating more like a nightclub. There was one unused pump, then Park Brewery’s IPA and Winter Fire, then Naked Ladies at £2.45 a half and rather sour; borderline undrinkable, I soldiered on to the bitter – or sour – end. This is quite a nice pub if you find yourself in the area, though there’s not a lot to shout about round here. It’s not though a destination pub, especially given the beer quality, an improvement in which would get the score up a point.

Fairly cosy establishment, just down the road from West Brompton station. The barman was friendly enough and all 4 handpulls were clipped with Twickenham Naked Ladies, Timothy Taylor Landlord & Park Isabella & Winter XPA. A barmaid also appeared and with at least one member of staff in the kitchen, staff equalled or outnumbered customers, with just 2 other drinkers present. There is an outdoor seated area at the front and a "cocktail bar" upstairs, which I didn't explore. My Winter XPA was in good condition.

An impressive old pub which has been trendified with arty furnishings and decor but thankfully retaining a substantial bar counter and back so still feels more or less like a pub. There is a patio area to the front and a tabled yard at the back, as well as an upstairs room which is described as a "Victorian cocktail lounge". A clutch of handpumps offered Twickenham Naked Ladies and Red Sky, along with TT Landlord, in good condition.

Open plan L shaped room with all manor of seating types scattered around, The floor is part wood part carpet and the various artworks remain on the walls. The beer selection was a little better than expected, (though not that exciting) with the four handpumps offering up Timothy Taylors Boltmaker, Trumanns Runner and Wimbledon SW19. Not a pub I would hanker after returning to though theres not a great deal of competition in the near area.

Official site of The Lillie Langtry - www.thelillielangtry.co.uk

Official site of The Lillie Langtry - www.thelillielangtry.co.uk

This pub's been given one of those aggressive makeovers that's transformed it from a fairly nondescript, edgy boozer into an interior designer's dream. There's nothing traditional about it, although I have to admit that the bar back and bar counter front look unchanged. There's arty stuff everywhere, including a veritable art gallery on shelves on the left, sofas and cushions with modern art decoration; coloured pom poms all over the place, although that may be just a Christmas thing. There are tall tables/tall stools cluttering up the centre of the room, plus bucket armchairs as well. The overly loud pop music being played obviously forced customers to shout at each other, in turn raising the volume level. There was a sign to a cocktail bar upstairs but I didn't venture up there. I also saw a New Year's Eve party advertised, but I wasn't tempted to sign up for it. I'm undecided as to whether I dislike more the rubbish boozer it used to be or the totally ruined and raucus bar it is now. But I have to say that the beer is far superior now - they had on Black Sheep Blitzen (named after the reindeer presumably), Twickenham Naked Ladies, Sambrook's Wandle, and Truman Zephyr (£4.20 a pint). They had rolling pins for handpumps, and my pint was served in a dimpled mug. I didn't see a menu, but a blackboard on the wall advertised a couple of daily specials - the "whole pan fried bream, sprouts+bacon, caper+butter sauce" is £14.50, and the "turkey burger w/stuffing, braised red cabbage, broccoli+fries" is £12. No pub grub then. I don't expect to return. But it gets a 5 solely for the ale selection and quality.

The Lillie Langtry is a decent enough looking pub that is one of four pubs that are very close to West Brompton station. Once inside there is a decent side single L shaped room with the bar facing,the seating is comfy bench type which is in bays and small stools,there are a few normal tables and chairs to the front right,there was a TV to the rear left which was off,there is a darts board to the front right. No real ales on the bar,so it was a drink of John Smiths smooth crap,which was crap. This is a decent enough pub that is let down by the lack of one real ale. Pub visited 1/7/2015