The Doctors Tonic, Welwyn Garden City

One of the original Garden City pubs, located just off the shopping centre, and a fine example of slightly austere inter-war symmetrical architecture. The leafy front patio leads to the left-hand entrance (its match seemingly not now in regular use) and into a full-width bar with two pool tables at one end and a separate dining room at the other. Thoroughly modernised throughout, although the seating area around one of the bay windows with a feature fireplace and several reproduction drinks posters retains a modicum of character. As a Greene King house, I found the regular IPA, a seasonal Barmy Army version (£1.85, half, less 10% Camra discount) and Abbot on three of the four handpumps.