Fox & Hounds, SW1

Situated in a quiet, residential side street and in close proximity to Sloane Square underground is The Fox and Hounds, a pub whose main claim to fame is that it was the last "beer only" pub in London. A full licence was not granted until 1998. It's a cosy, characterful, street corner pub with a small frontage, although it extends back further inside than you might expect from the outside. It's traditionally furnished, with much wood panelling and a profusion of fox hunting prints and pictures. A smallish room at the front, where the bar counter is situated, leads into a slightly larger room dominated by a couple of sofas, but with still a traditional feel. Just inside the pub, above the bar, rather incongruously, hangs a Yard of Ale and we are told that the pub record for downing this is 11.08 seconds. There's no music, TV's or fruit machines to detract from the fine atmosphere. On my recent Sunday early afternoon visit, the pub was dominated somewhat by several groups of smartly dressed people of both sexes and, since they included several people in dog collars, I presumed that they had just come from a nearby local church service. Despite being my usual well-behaved, affable self, an elderly Miss Marple type, who was in one of the groups and was sitting in the corner sipping red wine, say fit to look at me in a rather disapproving and sniffy manner. It was, with great difficulty, that I resisted the temptation to respond with a biblical quotation along the lines of "we're all equal in the eyes of the Lord". Formerly a Charringtons house for many years, it's now a Young's tenancy which, on my visit was serving Special, Ordinary and London Gold. The Special - £ 3.35p - was in good form, although I appeared to be virtually the only customer not drinking shorts. I quite like this pub, but I'm hoping for a wider customer mix next time I drop in.

Randomness Guide to London - Fox And Hounds entry

Randomness Guide to London - Fox And Hounds entry