The Windsor, Fenchurch Street, EC3

This is a Stonegate pub right next to Fenchurch Street station which acts as a bit of a canteen and a sports bar for commuters to and from the station next door and the throng of City workers in this part of town. Its partial subterranean layout remains the same as previous reviews and it opens at 10.00AM most days providing a Wetherspoon’s type breakfast service but at a higher price point, then a lunchtime service for the nearby workers and then a decent enough sports bar vibe for the afterwork crowd. I didn’t find it half as offensive as the previous reviewer, and for those of you who are aware what part of the South of England Fenchurch Street station services it will not be a surprise that it is favoured by loud City Ladz for a beer or many before their commute home. However, I will concur that this many screens is annoying, especially if you have no interest what is on them. But I too was surprised to find a decent ale choice available on four of the five ale pumps. Alongside Doombar were two Black Sheep Brews, Finisher English Pale Ale (Black Sheep Breweries seasonal beer for the Six nations) and Respire Carbon Neutral Cask, and a fairly decent Brains SA. The fifth pump had a clip exclaiming that all cask ales were £2.95 a pint on a Tuesday, which was slightly annoying considering I visited on a Wednesday and paid significantly more than this. This pub serves a purpose and was being well utilised by those that work in the nearby area. But there are better pubs nearby and as I don’t work in the city or have cause to use Fenchurch Street Station, I cannot see myself returning anytime soon.

Dating from the mid-19th century, this was originally the site of the Railway Tavern (it’s adjacent to Fenchurch Street station), replaced in 1977 by an office lump, with this rambling multi-level ground floor bar. I hadn’t actually intended to go in here, but my destination of choice, the East India Arms was closed and I’d paced myself for a three-pinter. The main entrance is at upper concourse level, then it’s down a flight of stairs, a side entrance below leads out to pavement seating. Once below, one finds oneself in some sort of…I don’t know what. The floor is part boarded, part tiled, thereafter it’s a modern place on several levels, with a vast number of TV screens and flashing games machines; I feared I might suffer an epileptic fit. There’s a raised area to the rear, which is carpeted, but here there’s booth-style seating, with an individual TV for each booth; it’s a bit like drinking in a Belushi’s, but not quite as bad. Customers were loud City ladz and a Moby (as in Porcelain) lookalike, his smooth, perfectly spherical head reflecting all the electronic light. Amazingly, there was a selection of real ales in the form of Doom, Ringwood’s Boon Doggle and Mad Goose at £2.35 and good, served by a friendly barmaid. With a 1.00am Friday licence to prolong the torture, this is certainly not my cup of tea, but it’s better than the Cheshire Cheese.

Official site of The Windsor - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

Official site of The Windsor - www.greatukpubs.co.uk