Doggett's Coat & Badge, Southbank, SE1

Nice Nicolsons pub and easy to get seated with views over the river.About 5 cask beers on,inc Harvestoun-afterglow and my Maxim -lambtons was dull but not the pubs fault.

Dogett's Coat and Badge is a Nicholson's next to Blackfriars Bridge. It consists of a large pub-bar area, and has an outside terrace as well as a restaurant, and the name comes from a historical association with the actor and politiican Thomas Doggett. As ever with this chain, the food is good and reasonably priced. There were 6 ales on, plus Blue Moon on tap (OK, technically not a real ale, but it's not the worst American beer around). Staff were inefficient and, to be blunt, a bit slack as well as surly. I eventually secured a pint of Wharfedale's Fair Dinkum which was fine but not brilliant. It's by no means the best Nicholson's around, but it's fine for a meal or a few beers.

A great location for a pub,yet the building from the outside is unsympathetic and stark.However Nicholsons have done as much as they can with the interior,with a restaurant on the first floor and rooms for hire further up the building.That just leaves the wooden floored bar room if you just want to drink,but the views through the large plate glass windows of the tidal flow of the Thames under Blackfriars Bridge is memorable.There are a lot of high tables close to the bar helping viewing and steps lead down to a riverside terrace,sectioned off from the walkway.Towards the back of the bar room there are a few banquettes and more traditional furniture ,leading through to the large garden terrace.Menus are dotted about,so you can eat here as well as in the restaurant. My visit was on a hot Friday afterwork,and although busy the pub was never rammed.The muzak was quite loud and the atmosphere was lively with a wide mix of ages,afterwork boozers,tourists,young ladies and lads.At the bar there are two banks of five handpumps with London Pride,Sambrooks Junction,Brewhouse Lemon Grass,Hilden's Scullion,Wanderer Pale Ale,Navigation Traditional,Growler Gladness,St Austell Tribute and Harviestoun Schehallion and Old Engine Oil.Most pints were just shy of £4,but no issues with quality among a wide range of beers consumed by the crew.My visit coincided with the Nicholsons beer festival,one reason for the appearance of some unusual brews. Better than I was expecting,certainly on the ale front,it will make it onto the list for next years Last Friday of the Month drinking sessions.Deservedly in the 2013 GBG,it will be busy afterwork given the location so plan accordingly.

The name has been abbreviated from the previous Doggett's Coat and Badge, the coat and badge being the prize for winning the river race from London Bridge to Chelsea after which the pub is named. It is a shame that the upper floors are closed and seemingly for private hire only as the vista of the river and buildings over in the City would be first rate. Drinkers are restricted to the ground floor and outdoor terraces while diners can make use of the first floor (no one was). The bar is typical Nicholsons, wooden floor and dark wood attempting to add character to what is a characterless modernish building. There are a few prints of river scenes but I did take a wander upstairs too and there is a huge print of a Victorian map at the head of the staircase that is worth a look. The bar runs along a side wall towards the front, 10 handpumps offering a good range. Roosters Yankee, St Peters Mild, Nicholson's Pale Ale (St Austell), Brains SA, Hopback Summer Lightning, Tribute, Pride and Doom Bar. My initial choice, Itchen Valley Calypso went despite the valiant attempts of a rather clueless barmaid to fill the glass with foam, rather more worryingly she was about to use the same glass to continue with my revised selection and had to be abruptly told! Still a decent selection and an ok stop off while on a stroll along the South Bank.