The Lord Napier, Ilford

This pub had a couple of real ales on – GK Abbot Ale, and something called Bitter Sweet Symphony. I thought this a rather grandiose name for something that turned out to be some sort of ersatz 3.9% Greene King Ale, but as they were knocking it out for only £1.99 a pint I’m prepared to overlook that! The food was similarly well priced. I didn’t examine the menu in detail, but I had a cheese and pickle sarny with a bit of salad for £199. It was made with grated cheese which I regard as a pub nuisance, but still I can’t remember the last time I had a pint and something to eat in a pub for less than four quid. This is a deceptively large pub. The main bar area as you enter is completely opened up, bare-boarded, and is furnished with normal tables and chairs. There’s a stage on the left which is used for live music, the back of which is decorated with posters and photographs, presumably of acts that have performed here. Carved wooden pineapples decorate the tops of the balustrades, and a lot of the glazing features a leaded red circular design, which can be seen in the photographs. There is another large room at the back, which can be reached either from a corridor on the right, or round to the left of the servery, which contains a pool table. There are large TV screens on the walls all over the pub. This is a nice enough pub, where the service was very friendly. The ale choice could be bettered, but I don’t see that the prices could be. It’s worth dropping into if you find yourself in this part of the world.