The Admiralty, Whitehall, WC2

A very plush Fullers Ale and Pie house and perfectly placed as a tourist trap, I'm not the greatest fan of Fullers beers but agree with Bucking Fastard the Jack Frost was quite pleasant.

A pleasant Fullers pub in grand surroundings which are well described by PSM (below). There are bars on two floors, the main bar at ground level and ‘The Gun Deck' in the basement. There is also an upstairs terrace with tables for diners. Five ales on, I had a pint of Red Fox Autumnal, which was in good condition, almost spicy in flavour, and slipped down very nicely. Food was very much overpriced, but that is to be expected given its location. None of the staff were English, they were pleasant enough but not terribly helpful beyond smiling while they served food, which wasn't enjoyable, and drink, which was. I was particularly annoyed at being solicited for a tip, something which seems to be a growing trend in London. Clientele were mainly American tourists, though one or two staff from nearby Whitehall offices were using it as a bolthole. The view out over Trafalgar Square makes this a very pleasant place to while away a few hours over a beer or three, or just for a fleeting visit.

This new Fullers Ale and Pie house has a great location overlooking Trafalgar Square, in a grand Portland stone and red granite building that started life as the Union Bank of London in 1871, before becoming a NatWest bank and latterly a restaurant and bar. Given the pub's location, it is fitting that the designers have styled the whole place on Nelson's flagship - HMS Victory - which gives the pub a very distinctive look and no doubt pleases the numerous tourists who must pass through its doors. The ground floor is home to the main bar, which comprises a large, open space with the servery to the rear left and a good deal of seating around the perimeter. The bar has a high dark wood bar back with an impressive pub mirror and the seating comes in the form of padded benches which have been split by some lovely partitioning screens and run under branded windows and a number of large mirrors. There is a fair bit of nautical memorabilia on show, including a mast flying the Union Jack, various seafaring instruments such as telescopes, and a few old pictures and information boards. Fresh flowers have been arranged in vases around the room, adding some colour to proceedings and there are some huge gold chandeliers suspended from the ceiling. Stairs to the rear lead up to a mezzanine level called the Quarter Deck, which was available for diners only and had plenty of standard tables and chairs. Sadly, its position to the rear of the room means that you don't really get the great view of the Square you might hope for from such an elevated point. Stairs lead down to a room called the Gun Deck, but this was closed on my visit, so I didn't get the chance to explore. Music played quietly throughout our visit but was generally drowned out by the noise from the crowd within and I also noticed a few tables out on the front pavement, which would be a prime people watching spot in warmer weather. Fullers are clearly keen to offer something close to their full range in a location such as this, with options on hand pump comprising London Pride, ESB, Oliver's Island, Beachcomber, Summer Ale and Seafarers. White Horse Weyland Smithy was the solitary guest ale and there were some rare Fuller's bottles in the fridges. I plumped for the Oliver's Island which turned out to be a bad choice as it was seemingly on its way out and certainly below par for such a high profile Fullers outlet. We ate here as well and found the food pretty good and not as over-priced as I'd feared. This is a great venue for Fullers to get their hands on and they've done a fine job in creating an interesting space to enjoy a pint whilst escaping the tourist masses outside. It's a good alternative to the chain's other central London venues which are aimed more at the post-work crowd and worth adding to your itinerary the next time you're in the area.

Official site of The Admiralty - admiraltytrafalgar.co.uk

Official site of The Admiralty - admiraltytrafalgar.co.uk

I like what Fullers have done here with their refurb, as the interior of this pub most definitely fits the name The Admiralty. This is a Fullers Ale and Pie house, with the full range of fullers ales and pies. The bar on the left was finished with a granite counter and the timber work painted in black, with gold painted inlay. The Quarter Deck upstairs was mainly set out for dining. I went for Oliver's Island Golden Ale, which was superb.

Now owned by Fullers and high quality interior.large ground floor bar with upstairs balcony.Lots of chandeliers, mirrors and comfortable seating.Booths as well.Money well spent on the interior but not for pub traditionalists.7 OR 8 handpumps with the full Fullers range so I tried the George Gales -fire cracker.Good condition but dull beer.