The Spice of Life, W1

Pub SignMan left this review about The Spice of Life

Visiting late on a midweek evening, I was surprised to find this open plan, split level, single room pub near Leicester Square operating more like a lare night bar than a pub thanks to loud music, low-level lighting, minimal seating and a boozed up clientele. Inside, you find a spacious bare boarded interior with the bar on the upper level and most of the seating in the marginally lower space to the front. The bar has a typical dark wood counter and a smart bar back with modern features such as tidy shelving pillars, blue glazed tiles and a triangular pediment. A large, panelled pillar stands opposite and has some etched glass mirrors and a clock, and is about the only thing breaking up the space within. There's a banquette to one side and high tables and stools elsewhere, whilst in the lower space you can find lots of button backed banquettes around the perimeter with chairs in support. Traditional features are thin on the ground, but I noted some nice leaded upper windows with colourful panes that put me in mind of those in the Chandos near Trafalgar Square. I spotted a few unused TV screens around the room which were out of favour thanks to the loud music being played, and it appeared that some customers were emerging from a basement venue which apparently hosts live music.
As a McMullen's pub, the ale range was uninspiring, with three handpulls offering AK, IPA and a rebadged house beer called Spice of Life. I had a couple of pints of the AK, which was alright, before calling it a night. The staff were variously cheerful and disinterested, but service was quick enough.
I must've liked something about this place, as I stayed for a second pint, which I rarely do, but I'm not too sure why, as the beer was moderate at best, the music was deafening and the interior is nothing to write home about. It had a bit of life to it, which is a polite way of saying that most people seemed to be smashed, but I can't really recommend it much beyond that.

Date of visit - 2nd May 2024

On 24^th August 2024 - rating: 5
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