The Guildford Arms, Greenwich, SE10

This is a mid-19th century pub, which has recently been subjected to a savagely modern ‘gastro’ makeover, visible on the website. There’s a modern pale boarded floor with hexagonal tiled bar apron, a totally new bar array with black field panelled front and brass top and enough tubular steel to the bar back and gantry to compete with the Lloyd’s Building. The walls are part field panelled and all dark grey, with a pale grey ceiling displaying ugly exposed suspended ceiling gantry and aircon unit. Décor amounts to a few potted plants, trendy prints then a clutch of pewter tankards crudely clinging to the picture rail, an ironic nod to the traditional interior, with lighting coming from achingly trendy glass fittings. Customers were more genteel Greenwich locals, with a noisy child late in the evening, all eating. There were two ales on offer and not the usual boring suspects either, with By the Horns London Classic and Brick’s Peckham Rye at a very pricey £2.90 a half, very decent and served by a friendly barmaid. With the utterly unnecessary, pompous and studiously ignored ‘Wait Here To Be Seated’ sign by the entrance, it’s hard to call this place a pub rather than restaurant, certainly not a traditional one, the overall aesthetic being a bit hackneyed and unnecessary; the Morden Arms over the road is to be the preferred choice in this neck of the woods.