Butchers Hook & Cleaver, Smithfield, EC1

Just over the road from Smithfield’s Market, this is a rather appropriately named Fuller’s Pie and Ale House. You enter to a nice tiled floor main bar area with the servery directly opposite the front door. The bar has a nice counter with a marble-effect top and smart, arched bar back. The entrance is flanked by a series of attractive art deco style mirrors and modern partitioning screens. A bare boarded seating area to the left offers a selection of standard tables and chairs under some enlarged Hogarth images, a few regular sized paintings and a set of folding doors which open out onto the small pavement drinking area outside. The room has a high ceiling studded with some decorative roses and crazy chandeliers. To the right, there is a second seating area in a much gloomier space, broken midway through by a spiral staircase. Here, the walls are wood panelled and decorated with many small picture frames. The ceiling here is much lower, as the staircase leads up to a mezzanine area with plenty more seating aimed more notably towards diners. The balcony has a nice decorative rail and attractive frieze and gives good views down to the front of the pub. Music was playing away in the background, but was for the most part lost under the constant wash of noise from a decent post-work crowd. The usual Fuller’s ale range was evident here, with London Pride, ESB, Oliver’s Island and Bengal Lancer supplemented by Dark Star Hophead. These five beers were duplicated across a great many hand pulls, making it look at first glance like there would be a very extensive ale range. My pint of Bengal Lancer cost an eye-watering £5.10, but was in pretty good shape and the bar staff were all very friendly and remarkably attentive. I quite liked this place, especially the left hand side of the room and the various interesting decorative features. It was let down a little by over the top pricing and the dingy right hand area, but there was enough here to make me consider calling in again in passing.

Grand pub with limited opening hours, sadly the beer quality is poor

Founded in 1999 from the amalgamation of a meat wholesalers shop and branch of the Midland Bank, this is one of Fuller's City barn-like pie houses, similar to the Counting House and Bank of England. The interior's very imperious, designed to look like a grand Edwardian hotel. There's a mezzanine and lots of varnished and stained wood. It's all a bit soulless and corporate (everyone in here seems to work in the City) so can't really see myself coming again, the vastly superior Hand & Shears is just around the corner. Ales: Fuller's range with their Oliver's Island and Gale's branded ales, with ESB weighing in at a very hefty £4.60 a pint.

Official site of Butchers Hook & Cleaver - www.butchershookandcleaver.co.uk

Official site of Butchers Hook & Cleaver - www.butchershookandcleaver.co.uk

Fittingly, given its location on the south side of Smithfield Market, this is a Fuller's Ale & Pie house. Furbished in an alehouse style which suits its location, it offers no surprises but is a pleasant spot in which to enjoy a pint. The only disappointment on this visit was that only three real ales were available from a total of 12 handpumps on various parts of the counter: Pride, Oliver's Island and ESB (£4.40).

On approach I thought I was looking at two separate pubs in front of us. Once through the doors it was evident this was one large Fullers pub. The interior was bright and spacious. The service was good and so was my Chiswick ale. The pub had a good atmosphere and would pop in again when passing.

Large Fullers pub with the full range of beers.Very similar design as the Barrowboy and Banker.Okay but lots of good pubs in the area.