The Flying Horse, Fitzrovia, W1

This fine Nicholson’s establishment first opened as a pub back in 1826, when it was known as the Flying Horse before being rebuilt in 1892, and now has the somewhat sad distinction of being the only remaining pub on Oxford Street. The main part of the pub is made up of a single narrow room which has the bar running along the front half of the left hand wall. The servery is fairly impressive, with lots of dark wood and what seems to be a comparatively recent mirrored bar back. There are some high stools at the front of the room, near the bar, which give you an opportunity to do a bit of people watching out onto the busy street outside. Wooden floorboards lead you into the mid section of the pub where there is a mix of high tables and stools and some nice leather banquettes. Perhaps the most striking feature of the pub is the large coloured mirror set into an elaborately carved wooden frame and flanked by several other mirrors. The look is completed by a series of large paintings depicting three of the four seasons on the mahogany paneled walls, as well as a number of circular pictures on the ceiling. There are a couple of ceramic tile rails running around the room, with some skirting around an impressive skylight. Music was playing quite loudly, but this wasn’t too irritating as the general hubbub of the customers dampened the sound enough. The traditional look is spoilt somewhat by a slot machine opposite the bar, although I didn’t spot any TV screens. There is a restaurant downstairs called the Astoria, which looked closed on my visit, but had a good number of formally arranged tables. Disappointingly, there were just three ales available on my visit – Fullers London Pride, St Austell Nicholson’s Pale Ale and Windsor and Eton Knight of the Garter (3.70) – although there were two ‘coming soon’ clips and a sixth pump unused. My Knight of the Garter was in good condition as went down very well. This pub is well worth taking a look and not just because it’s a handy bolt hole from an afternoon of shopping. The pleasing interior is undoubtedly the main attraction and with a slightly broader ale selection, this would be somewhere well worth spending some time.

The only remaining Oxford Street pub boasts a superb brick and stone front elevation above the ground floor dating to the 1892 rebuild. Inside the well-preserved Victorian interior enjoys a wealth of carved wood, tiles, mirrors and murals as well as a lantern to the rear with post-WW2 glass. The welcome was warm but the pub was almost empty (mid-afternoon on a Thursday). Five ales on - London Pride for me at this stop, delicious and well kept without being too cold.