Simon the Tanner, Bermondsey, SE1

Half gastro, half pubby bar is probably the best way to describe it, there were two ales on offer, Black Sheep Bitter and Southwark Bankside Blonde, I had a pint of the latter at £5.80, in fair condition. The place was busy on a late sunny Saturday afternoon, the lone barman struggled to keep up, not only with serving drinks but also tasked with delivering the good looking food to the tables, help arrived twenty minutes into my stay and normal business resumed. I didn't think it was a bad place but not really good enough to draw me back for another visit.

Limited frills pub with a few gastro-pub style pretensions (such as the clipboard lists of snacks and drinks) and rather curious fenestration at the front. The 'L'-shaped counter (although hardly large) takes up a fair amount of the floor-space in the bar so many of the tables are to be found in the opened-out back room. Plainly furnished too, although there is a good display of pump clips behind the servery. Three real ales - Marble Manchester Bitter, Great Heck Navigator and Gun Parabellum milk stout (£3.80) - plus a cider on handpump, together with a reasonable selection of craft keg offerings.