The Gloucester Arms, SW7

Grade II-listed, Philip Carter can rest assured that his photo is correct, taken when this place was briefly known as the Irish themed Finnigan’s Wake. It’s well described below, along with the annoying high tables, though perhaps a little modernised since, the main focal point being the curved front. There’s a games machine to the rear and music played at a reasonable level. Customers were mainly quite young and of indeterminate origin, as this place is in quite a touristy area. Three TVs were showing the football, which unsurprisingly, no one was watching, a giant megavision screen above my head; unattractive sauce bottles and menus are on tables. Aside from the four unused pumps, the ale department comprised Abbot (reversed) and GK IPA (reversed), so yet another Neck Oil it was, £3.30 the half. This isn’t a bad place, in fact it’s probably better than the other pubs round here – marginally – but a decent ale choice would get the score up, as would ditching the poor ambience created by all the TV screens. And of course, the Queen’s Arms is tucked away behind here.

Official site of The Gloucester Arms - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Gloucester Arms - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

A proper pub on a corner, with one large room in traditional style retaining a few original features but in the typical Greene King mixture of ceramics and grey panelling. A fair range of beers though, with Sambrook's Pale, Twickenham Smilers Ale & Naked Ladies, and Portobello Star joining the IPA and London's Glory.