The Atlas, West Brompton, SW6

From a distance this is not obviously a pub, they could perhaps do with an A-board on the main road or at least a hanging pub sign (I supose there might be one behind all the flowers). Nice little bare board pub with a decent selection of drinks including 3 real ales. Good service and Sunday newspapers available. Outside seating is essentially just an enclosed alleyway alongside the pub. Menu leans towards gastro rather than pub grub.

I work near the Atlas and for years it's been a brilliant gem of a pub in an area with a decided lack of decent drinking venues. Over the years the company I work for has spent thousands of pounds in the Atlas as it's always been our automatic choice for birthdays, lunches, leaving drinks and after-work pints. Until a couple of months ago, we'd always received excellent service and we'd never had a bad night in the Atlas. However, they now have a new member of staff (possibly the manager?) who seems to have a serious attitude problem. A few weeks ago we were there as a company for someone's leaving drinks and, having been in the pub since 4.30pm, at 11pm we were unceremoniously told by this barman/manager chap to 'drink up and leave'. Then last night a group of us went in for a couple of after-work drinks and three of us were sitting having a normal conversation when the barman/manager came over and said 'Look, ladies - I don't mind you being here but you're going to have to stop swearing'. We weren't swearing and we hadn't even raised our voices - it's not as if we were sitting there effing and blinding and being rowdy! There were far more noisy groups in the pub, but for some reason we were singled out. We asked other members of staff if anyone had complained about us, and they didn't know what we were talking about. Suffice to say that was the final straw and we won't be going back - so well done to that barman for losing the pub a large group of very loyal customers.

They had Pride, Deuchars IPA and Harvey's Best on – the Harveys was on good form and at £3.10 a pint the going rate for the area I suppose. This pub still retains a number of its original features, most notably, in my opinion, the wood panelling in the back bar. This was clearly originally a two-room pub with the public bar at the front and the saloon bar at the back, although some of the panelling that separated the two bars is still in place. But it is no longer the backstreet boozer that I remember from the mid 80s, although the furniture seems not to have changed much. The emphasis now is on the food, but I had no trouble getting a seat to just have a pint at 2.10 on Saturday afternoon. It still had the feel of a pub to me, albeit an “upmarket” one – gastro food-centric, bare-boarded etc. Worth dropping in for a pint if you're in the area.

This place looks like a good old fashioned boozer from the outside, but as you walk through the doors your heart sinks as you realise that you have entered a gastro pub. Thankfully I think that this is better than most gastro pubs as you are made to feel welcome by the polite staff, even if you are not dining. There is some outside seating running up the side of the pub that was a pleasant area to have a couple of beers. Pride, Deuchars and Meantime Pale Ale were available alongside a standard and premium lager selection. I'd rather drink in a pub that has awards for beer rather than food, but this place is well worthy of a visit if in the area.

Gone a bit gastro-pubby, with "mediterranean" food, but still retains old back-street boozer charm and keeps an interesting guest ale or two amongst an impressive wine list. Quite close to Earls Court exhibition centre.

Official site - www.theatlaspub.co.uk

Official site - www.theatlaspub.co.uk