Mr Fogg's Tavern, Covent Garden, WC2

This is a small one-room corner pub in St Martin’s Lane. It’s got a reasonably attractive exterior with some hanging baskets, and windows comprising lots of smallish panes instead of the usual large panes. Inside it’s a typical West End pub; bare-boarded, mainly high stools tables and ledges by the windows and a couple of normal tables with banquette seating at the back. There are also a few potted plants, that brighten the place up a bit. The two real ales on were Adnam’s Bitter and Broadside. The Bitter was actually in quite good nick, and at a West End price of £3.20 a pint. There’s just one relatively small TV at the back but switched off – and some jazz being played, which makes a pleasant change from the usual banal pop music. It’s OK as far as it goes for a West End pub, but nothing special. I can’t see any particular reason to return unless I fancied a pint as I happened to be passing – but then I might summon up the energy to cross the road for The Salisbury, or walk round the corner to The Harp.

This is a decent little boozer with a restaurant upstairs and very friendly staff. There is a range of premium lagers along with Stella and ale offerings of Thwaites Lancaster Bomber and Wainwright and Adnams Bitter and Broadside. There is also a food menu behind the bar that consists of sandwiches and jacket potatoes. There was some background music playing during my visit and there is also a TV and small plasma screen which were both off and I spotted no sport advertisements anywhere in the pub. I'd drink here again if it wasn't for the fact that the superior Salisbury is just across the road.