The White Hart, Coulsdon

When I first knew this pub it had the magnificent name of The Leviathan with an impressive pub sign to match. It then got sold to some philistines who took down the signage, replaced it with a tacky banner and renamed it Champions. Clearly they had no idea how to run a pub and it went down hill quickly. A new guv’nor arrived called John who instilled a bit of discipline, and a lot of professionalism, adding a couple of hand pumps along the way. He has now left but the pub continues to flourish and has recently been taken over by a young couple who are doing well. They serve a decent pint, with Hobgoblin and Spitfire being the regulars, and it’s a good place to watch sports or have a game of pool.

This pub has endured series of refurbishments over the last few years, including disastrously conversion by new owners The Restaurant Group to their Blubecker's brand. Thankfully they've given up on that, the builders have been in again and now it's unbranded, though one of TRG's Brunning and Price outlets under the skin. The latest refurbishment has been reasonably sympathetic, and a great improvement on the disaster that went before, and it's more like the village pub it once was when Courage ran it 15 odd years ago. So reasonably pubby, gastro pretensions have gone, the regulars are back and welcome and, wonder of wonders there's a decent range of beers, Hook Norton the other day, a rare sighting this far from home. It isn't cheap, this is seven quid a sandwich territory, but all very pleasant. A good walking destination pub.