The George, Soho, W1

A small street corner Shepherd Neame house well described by Tris C below.There is a Sky Sports flatscreen on mute while no match was on,the muzak was well chosen and lively while the strange small handpumps were offering SN Spitfire and Whitstable Pale .(NBSS 3,£5.30 ). The first floor now seems to be a function room ,there was no sign of food and there is a perilous descent to the loos.However there is a traditional feel and a few pleasing features ,so worth popping in if passing.The three doors maybe hint at an original series of small rooms,these days it's open plan but still modest in size.

Another pub, another dating from the early 18th century, rebuilt in the late 19th, with attractive etched and cut-glass picture windows, bearing the name of the former owner, Taylor Walker and the pub’s name in mosaic to the entrance. This is quite a modest sized room, with a lacquered floor and full height match boarded walls, topped with a white Lincrusta ceiling. The bar front is stylish and the back is very attractive, with etched mirrors. At left, is a very grand pink marble fireplace. The walls are decked with integrated Victorian mirrors advertising mineral water and whisky with a very fine example at right, for former local brewery, Meux’s. Furniture is conventional and tall, with low tables, chairs and studded banquettes to parts of the periphery and given that this is a slightly more traditional pub, customers were a bit older; lighting is your traditional brass ‘n’ glass stuff. There’s a restaurant upstairs and treacherous steps down to the lavs. Ales: none, with all five pumps unused. I overheard the barman telling a disappointed customer that they were having trouble with deliveries, but I’ve been in Shep’s pubs years back and they’ve not had deliveries; talk about organising a booze-up in a brewery and it is an actual brewery! This is a nice pub, despite the shortfall in ale and is one of the best in the area, certainly one of the most traditional and authentic.

Official site of The George - www.georgesoho.co.uk

Official site of The George - www.georgesoho.co.uk

pleasantly decorated, clean and tidy Shep’s pub on a Soho street corner. A quite ornate single room with some nice features. Three ales on including the always excellent Bishops Finger.