The Gun, Spitalfields, E1

Very smart and upmarket pub / restaurant. Met at the door and shown to a table - you know the drill! I couldn't see any ales so I went for a half of Neck Oil which was an eye watering £3.71! I wasn't here long and don't think I'll return!

This was a large quite traditional 1920s' rebuild of a pub dating back to at least the early 19th century, taking its name from Henry VIII's former artillery barracks in nearby Artillery Lane. It was decked out with Truman, Hanbury & Buxton livery and had a pitched roof which disappeared after World War II when an additional storey was added. I went here only the once around 2000 so can't remember the drinks' selection but it was a little tatty with a central bar; it fired its last shot in 2015 after which it was demolished. Well now we have The Gun v. 2.0 and believe me, it's of an altogether different calibre. We now have a modern redbrick four-storey office block with the 'pub' occupying the ground floor, accessed through a corner entrance of double glass doors, guarded by a bouncer. Inside, and one is confronted with an incredibly swish modern affair which must have cost an absolute fortune. The bar is long and runs down the rear left side. It's quite gloomy in here but I've experienced worse. To the ceiling there are some modern exposed wooden rafters. Furniture is mainly tall and relatively conventional. The floor is modern bare boarded with a stone bar apron but the most startling element are the dozen-odd copper pipes descending from a first floor mezzanine, delivering keg offerings to the taps which are suspended above the bar; it doubles as a DJ's pulpit as two folk were spotted on high and the music in here is blastingly loud - not quite nightclub, but certainly loud enough to ensure that conversation would be all but impossible; the website appears to show young people dancing - I was positively ancient by comparison with other customers. Amazingly the place does actually sell real ale - CAMRA states four but if there are, they must be in two banks of two pumps as I only spotted a pair, one with a reversed clip and the other dispensing Caledonian Deuchars, an enticing choice. Not. At around 10.00 pm it wasn't that busy but the bar staff were too involved in mixing cocktails and as the music was just too much, I decided to leave and no, I won't be returning.

Smart new 'Barrel House & Kitchen', with a mix of semi-modern furniture around the bar area which features plenty of window area on two sides under a high ceiling. There is also a slightly raised seating area at one end with more traditional furniture and decor. The beer barrels are visible too, housed in a glazed mezzanine behind the bar-back. Four real ales on handpump: the 'house' Gunners' (£4.80), Pride, Deuchar's IPA and Otter Bitter.

This is a 're-imagining' of the previous pub of the same name that stood on the site until around 2015 when the whole site was demolished for redevelopment. It is vastly different from the old pub, a fair bit bigger and they are going squarely down the gastro route. Being new it's all very sterile looking and with a new smell. There are a lot of glass doors and windows so it is not easy to spot the right entrance - which is on the corner where the old one was located. To the right of the bar at the far end of the pub is a raised area with a large fireplace and snug areas on either side. Much of the ceiling is exposed beams and copper piping in a brewpub sort of way. I don't think they brew on the premises but they did have a bespoke ale called Gunners Ale. The other cask ale was Caledonian Deuchars, which I recall they used to have on at the old place. All in all it's a decent venue and it's good to see the Gun rising from the ashes. I suspect the owners, The East London Pub Co. did a deal with the developers, and do seem to have spent the money well.