The Devereux, Temple, WC2

Comfortable modern looking boozer with a lengthy history as a coffee house and home to the Illuminati of C17th society. Today - its vaguely irish themed - with three flavours of Tayto crisps available. Beer wise, its GBG 2026 registered. London Pride in fine condition. U shaped bar, with partitioned areas offering some privacy. Decent enough and can be added onto a crawl that includes the Edgar Wallace, next door.

After a period of closure this one was reopened under independent ownership in 2019. Looks like it got through the pandemic OK as both the pub and the courtyard outside were packed with thirsty after work punters when I paid it a visit the other evening. Haven’t been here for many years and its clearly been done over since I was last in and is a wooden floored internal space in sections around the main bar with the usual pastel colour scheme and some nice individual boothed tabled sections around the edge separated by wood panelling. Four handpumps on the bar but two of these were badged with St Austell Tribute, the third with Old Speckled Hen and the fourth unused. The Tribute was in good condition but due to its position literally around the corner from the Edgar Wallace I’m unlikely to choose this one over other options nearby.

Official site of The Devereux - thedevereux.co.uk

Official site of The Devereux - thedevereux.co.uk

Not visited for 7 years, but a regular haunt at the time, this was a decent, carpeted backstreet boozer which one wouldn't expect to find in the heart of London's legal district. A tiny lav, carpeted, conventional furniture to the rear with some taller stuff towards the front and a very friendly and welcoming landlord. Perhaps it could have done with a lick of paint but otherwise this was a decent, simple pub.