The Pavilion End, Mansion House, EC4

This is clearly a relatively recent conversion from what I would guess were business premises of some kind. It’s a Fuller’s house now, and is typical of a number of their conversion pubs that I’ve visited. There are tall upholstered benches, tall tables, tall stools and a smattering of standard issue tables and chairs. A separate area down a few steps at the rear is furnished with sofas, and this in turn leads to a rarely seen (for the City that is) outside drinking area, overshadowed by the neighbouring office blocks. There is no decor worthy of the name. The TVs were on but muted, and there was a newspaper rack, which is a nice touch. I saw the Times and the FT, but no Sun! There is a basement bar that you have to walk through to get to the gents, but is just as characterless as the ground floor bar. I found this place to be charmless with no warmth. But the ESB was OK (not good, just OK); it was clean, and I suppose that it provides a service in catering for those denizens of the City who wouldn’t be interested in the few decent pubs in the area.

The Pavilion End is a large modern pub that opens at 10am during the week and has a late license until midnight on Thursdays and Fridays. Surprisingly for the area it is also open from 11am until 17:00 on Saturdays, although it is closed on Sundays. It is a Marstons PLC pub that has four hand pumps that were drawing Brakspear, Pedigree, Bah Humbug and Christmas Cracker when visited just before Christmas. The barmaid was polite enough, but I must say that I thought the Guinness was below par. There is a basement bar that was closed for a private function and the sunken area that leads to a rarely seen in these parts beer garden had its four or five tables reserved. I’ve been to worse places, but I prefer a more traditional pub and they are in abundance around this area so I cannot see a return visit.

Official site of the Pavilion End, contains menu and wine list - www.pavilionendpub.co.uk

Official site of the Pavilion End, contains menu and wine list - www.pavilionendpub.co.uk