The Glassblower, Soho, W1

Dating from 1868 as the Bodega and now yet another Greene King outlet. Sigh. Probably original, there are very large, distressed industrial wooden members in here, where it’s all a bit dark, with a black match boarded ceiling. The floor is modern boarded, with Minton-style tiled entrance and bar apron. Furniture is tall, mismatched and industrial. Lighting comes from bulkhead caged lamps and music is quite loud. Ales: two ciders, GK IPA, Landlord (off), so I opted for a Neck Oil at a painful £3.30 a half. This is a bit of a pest of a pub; perhaps GK are trying to provide something that’s actually different from all their other identikit outlets in this area and indeed London, but I don’t like industrial interiors so would definitely opt for GK’s Leicester Arms over the road.

Official site of Glassblower - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of Glassblower - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

An architectually interesting looking pub as described by ETA below, thats where the interest stops for me, inside its a typically touristy Taylor Walker pub thats rife in this area.Beers were T&W 1730,Sambrooks Battersea Rye, Something called Dompah ? And W&E Canberra which was average in everything except the price, £2.50 a half, ouch. Wont be back.

A triangular corner pub with a single triangular public bar on the ground floor and a similar bar upstairs which was closed for a private function. The building was originally a workhouse, and glass was made here in Victorian times, hence the name. The bare floor and gaming machines make it feel Spartan. It’s currently run by Taylor Walker, and it certainly isn’t their best effort. The staff were young, inexperienced and amateurish. Four handpumps on the bar – one advertised Windsor Knot, but that ran dry while we were being served. As an alternative I had Sambrook’s Lavender Hill, which tasted much too much like a megakeg lager to be enjoyable. Other beers on were 1730 and Doombar, but we weren’t tempted. Food was the usual over-reheated slop served in chipped enamel pans, not at all enjoyable. I really wasn’t terribly impressed, but given its location it does OK.