The Pavilion End, Mansion House, EC4

a loud overbearing townhouse sports bar. Somehow I kind of liked it though. There’s no real pretence here, or any attempt to be anything else. Four real ales on. It was absolutely packed at 4 on Friday so god knows what it’s like later!

This Fuller's pub closed for a brief refurb at the end of the summer of 2018 and now has a London townhouse vibe internally, although keeping the odd bit of framed cricketing paraphernalia dotted around. The bar is through a door to the right of the entrance up three steps and against the right-hand wall and offered London Pride, Oliver's Island, Gale's Seafarers and Darkstar Hophead (£4.50 for a pint of the latter). Various screens dotted around showed old Division 1 football matches as well as old England T20/ODI highlights on mute, with 70s/80s soul/disco muzak playing at a semi-palatable aural level. There are plenty of drinking options in and around here, and if Fuller's beers aren't your thing, you ain't gonna wanna drop in here. I thought it a pleasant enough stop-off based on this visit though.