The Islington Town House, N1

The beer range still seems to be Deuchars, Doom Bar and Pride, though only the latter two were available and a "back soon" note adorned the back of the other pump clip. I had a half of London Pride, and was surprised to be charged £2.15 - quite a price hike since the previous review, unless there's a "half surcharge". If I'd bought a pint I can't imagine I'd have finished it, because this was pretty poor stuff, and even allowing for the beer being nothing like as good as it used to be, some blame must attach to the cellarman and bar staff. As a concept, a jazz and blues bar is something I welcome, as I can enjoy most performers of either genre, and the guy who was noodling away on his National Resonator was OK while performing, less good while talking between tunes. But why spoil the idea with badly designed and uncomfortable seating and bland and poorly presented beers at rip off prices? Best bit of my visit: Bob Newhart's gag about country music which has been graffito'd in the gents toilet. Good enough to get the rating up from what was looking to be a derisory 4.