The Feathers, SW1

Situated close to St James tube, this is a Nicholson’s house with the chain’s usual faux-Edwardian style décor, though some genuine originality can be seen at the front entrance with lovely leaded and stained glasswork. Layout-wise, there’s a drinking area at front the front of the pub and a separate raised lounge area at the rear with wood panelling and unused feature fireplace. I sat in the rear area and felt quite posh - but unfortunately the lights were suddenly dimmed and a candle was plonked on my table meaning I could no longer read my book, the area feeling gloomy rather than atmospheric. Eight ales on; the ubiquitous Doom Bar, a West Berks rugby-themed beer (bit late for that!?), St Austell Nicholson Pale, Truman's Runner, Caledonian Autumn Red, Wadworth 6X and two house beers – these were from Truman's with a festive theme and appeared to be properly-done batches rather than a dodgy re-badge. 3 Wise Hops (ho-ho) and Yule Star Xmas Stout. I went for the latter and got an excellent festive-tasting ale for 2 quid a half – not too bad at all by the standards of the area. Overall, cheaper and generally better-run at the bar than the Sanctuary so gets my vote for the St James area.

Circa 1898. One of the main features I liked here was the main entrance, with its large front façade from the ground to first floor, featuring some leaded stained glass work. Eight ales on handpump, we went for Trumans and Woodfordes and drank them out on the street, as the pub was so busy.

Well, this one was a bit of a surprise! I've found Nicholson's pubs to be a bit of a mixed bunch on the whole, but this one was certainly above average on a recent visit. The main part of the pub comprises two levels: the bar to the front at street level and a raised section towards the rear, where the majority of the tables are found. Reservations are taken for these so, while it may appear that there's room for you and your friends, it's quite possible that someone else will be along shortly. 10 handpumps offer a wide range of ales and there's also 5 or 6 lagers available, so most visitors should find something they like. Quality was good and service swift. The table I chose had obviously seen a heavy session before my arrival: I expected the dozen or more empty glasses to be there a while, but they were swiftly taken away. While there are plenty of pubs in the vicinity, The Feathers seems to be ahead of most and I expect to visit again.

The building is quite attractive from the outside, and the rambling interior with its various snugs can be quite comfortable. It's generally light and airy, and the ambiance is busy yet calm. Nothing particularly special, just a nice Nicholson's with the standard range of food and ales. What marks it down is the attitude from the staff who are generally impatient and unhelpful. eight ales on, I had pints each of Moors Gold and Moors Porter, both well kept and thoroughly enjoyable. Worth a look as it is directly opposite St James's Park tube station and near enough other good pubs to form part of a decent crawl.

The previous two reviews are spot on - there's nothing intrinsically wrong with this place but I did feel it had something missing - maybe a saturday afternoon visit wasn't the best time to sample it. For Nicholson's, who have some of the best pub interiors in London, I felt it was rather ordinary, although I had a nice pint of Wolf Coyote Bitter. I'm sure given its location (adjacent to the Ministry of Justice and Scotland Yard) it does absolutely fine for business but I can't say I'll quickly return.