The Shaston Arms, Soho, W1

Previous reviewers reckon this has been either a wine bar or sandwich bar, or possibly both. Anyway, it certainly looks as if two small houses have been converted into a pub. The two front doors are still there, but only the left hand one is in use. As you enter you immediately turn right into the other “house”, as that is where the bar is situated. Most of the central dividing wall is in place, including a fireplace in what would have been the back room, making it seem very much a pub of two halves. Most of the seating, which is mainly normal tables and chairs, is in the left hand side of the pub for the simple reason that it doesn’t have a bar counter taking up a large part of the room. There is also a small conservatory extension at the back, providing more seating. But this is not a basic backstreet boozer (such a thing could hardly exist this close to the tourist hell of Carnaby St). Although it’s small and cozy it is still an upmarket kind of place – prints carefully and tastefully arranged on the walls, sombre colour schemes, bare-boarded floors, and candles on all the tables. As others have pointed out, it’s a Hall & Woodhouse pub, with Badger Bitter and Pickled Partridge on during my visit, the latter at £3.30 a pint. Despite its modern and slightly upmarket feel, I quite liked this pub. It didn’t have any of the tourist pub grub look and smells that many of the chain pubs in this area suffer from. I would be happy to drop in for another pint sometime.

Tucked away just off the main Soho drag, this is a small and compartmented little Hall & Woodhouse pub (and fairly new, converted from a sandwich shop I believe). As mentioned it's on the small side, so getting a seat can be tricky in the evenings and people tend to spill out onto the pavement. Not too bad and worth a stop if you like Badger beers (or HB lager, which apparently can cause an excitement), but not much reason to stay beyond a pint unless you sneak in at a quiet time.

Randomness Guide to London - Shaston Arms entry

Randomness Guide to London - Shaston Arms entry

This is a great little pub just off Carnaby Street. Good ales and good food. The staff are really friendly and it has a great atmosphere.