The Telephone Exchange, London Bridge, SE1

Just a short walk from London Bridge station and within touching distance of The Shard, this is a large, open plan Fullers pub that opened in 2018, after the venue had been through a number of different guises. The pub occupies a wide, bare boarded room with the servery along the back wall. Plenty of tables and chairs have been laid out through the middle of the room, filling much of the space between the front windows and the bar. A few comfier seats can be found down the right-hand side of the room, whilst over to the left, a raised platform offers additional tables and chairs in a somewhat blander space. The servery has a pleasant traditional-style counter with an attractive mirrored bar back that incorporates a couple of decorative panes with a floral motif. The walls have been decorated with a few items that pertain to the pub’s name, including a bizarre collection of old dial telephones that have been nailed to the right-hand wall. Elsewhere there are sections of smart wallpaper or else walls painted in quite a warm colour scheme. There was a decent post-work crowd in when we visited one mid-week evening, and some had even spilled out onto the few high tables and stools provided on the pavement outside. As a Fullers pub, there were no great surprises at the bar, with the handpumps clipped with badges for Fullers London Pride (twice), Jack Frost and Dark Star Hophead. The Hophead was in surprisingly good shape and several pints were enjoyed over the course of the evening. Several craft keg options were also available including beers from the likes of Siren, Beavertown and Camden. The staff all seemed to be switched on and competent dealing with busy post-work crowds in an efficient manner and diligently cleaning down the tables to the point that I nearly got a big squirt of disinfectant in my pint from one overly eager team member. I thought this was a pretty decent place that had essentially converted a typical drinking barn venue into something a bit more pub-like, to create something that could serve a large number of passing customers in a pleasant environment. In many ways, it feels a bit like a more pub-like version of an All Bar One or Slug and Lettuce, making it a good option for drinks with work colleagues or friends who don’t normally enjoy pubs. It’s not worth missing out on the far superior pubs nearby just to check this place out, but if you fancy a change of scene, you could certainly do a lot worse.

Nice modern Fullers pub but quite loud music.Usual expensive beer from Fullers but I am not the target market.Was in here when it first opened and they were providing table service which a nice touch. Friendly staff

This is a Fuller's conversion, in the shadow of the Shard, that had on London Pride, Hophead, and Fuller's Botanist's Batch (£2.60 a half). They clearly do food as there's a separate and slightly raised area on the left with all tables laid for diners. But the main bar area for drinkers is larger, and as this where I sat I didn't get to see a menu. But I wouldn't expect the food prices to be cheap if the beer prices are anything to go by. The pub itslef is all modern and characterless, but functional I guess. It's not very bright inside as the windows are relatively small and the awnings also cut down on the natural light getting in. I suppose I could also blame the promixity to the Shard. But I guess City types don't mind these sort of places. Furnishings are predictably a mixed bag - banquettes, a few normal tables and chairs and of course too many tall tables/tall stools. In the dining area the prints on the walls are all arty farty stuff, but elsewhere are telephone themed, with one wall having a dozen or so old (70s perhaps by the look of them) telphones mounted on it as decorative feature. I reckon this is the sort of place you might drop into for a swift one - I can't imagine anyone wanting to spend any length of time in here, or it having any local regulars. And the beer prices are at the top end of the range, even by London standards.

Official site of The Telephone Exchange - www.telephoneexchange.co.uk

Official site of The Telephone Exchange - www.telephoneexchange.co.uk