The Editor's Tap, Fleet Street, EC4

Official site of The Editor's Tap - www.socialpubandkitchen.co.uk

Official site of The Editor's Tap - www.socialpubandkitchen.co.uk

A large and slightly noisy place in Stonegate's City Bars group, which seems to be the city workers' equivalent of a student bar. The usual Stonegate catalogue design features abound - glazed tiles, bare brick, neon signs and odd artworks. Sports TVs are in all directions, but at least with the volume off. The bank of four handpumps bizarrely had just Robinson's Dizzy Blonde on (even the Doom Bar was not available) but it was in good order. A small wall of keg taps had some more interesting crafty stuff. I can't say it did a great for me but it was at least a genuine pub and the beer was ok.

There is a flight of steps up to this ground floor bar,modern mixed furniture,a side area to the left which extends back while to the right past the bar there are some seating booths. Lots of BT Sport flatscreens,but all thankfully on mute when no live sport is on,while the muzak was at a sensible volume.However noise does bounce around the open plan interior. The long bar has 4 handpumps,two unused,Black Sheep Bitter "still settling",leaving just Doom Bar(NBSS 2.5,clear but a boring brew).Even the keg selection was mundane national brands .The food menu wasn't expensive but most definitely pub grub from a microwave and no punters were eating on my Friday afterwork trip. I can see no reason to revisit,there are far better pubs close by.

Once up the front steps, you find the usual anonymous modern furniture and decor inside the 'L'-shaped bar. Nothing much of interest on the beer front either, since this outlet has no real ale and only a limited number of keg offerings (of which the unfiltered Purity Longhorn IPA, £2.55 for a half, was the pick of the bunch).