The Porterhouse, Covent Garden, WC2

I came here once or twice around 20 years ago, not long after this pub conversion opened and at an age when this sort of thing had greater appeal. Not quite as large as described and claiming to be an Irish bar, it is mulit-levelled (12 including mezzanines according to the website) with a huge amount of polished brass and copper handrails. It's dominated by office workers in suits and laadz in T-shirts, all of whom are in high spirits. A wooden floor and dark brown woodwork add to a degree of gloom in a pub which, with so many hard surfaces, has terrible acoustics and despite the lack of music, the noise of chatter was so great as to make conversation all but impossible. Seemingly there were three ales at the lower bar but I couldn't reach it due to the midweek crush. A smaller bar upstairs offered around three craft ales at £5.00 a pint which is increasingly the norm in London and an absolute giveaway in Covent Garden. Neither Covent Garden nor this kind of drinking establishment are my thing though it does have a soupçon of curiosity value, so I'll not be hastening back.

The best of the pubs on Maiden Lane, not that that's saying much. Real ale on offer, but not of any strength.

Official site of The Porterhouse - www.theporterhouse.ie

Official site of The Porterhouse - www.theporterhouse.ie