Rising Sun, Belgravia, SW1

This is a 60s looking place in a quieter part of Pimlico/Belgravia. One main room inside but with a small squareish rear room returning behind to the left, there is a dartboard to the far right end. The main room has a varnished boarded floor, some dark wood panelling, bar on the back wall. Décor includes film posters, caricatures of Victorian gents plus a few horse related pictures. Window cill candles, mostly traditional seating but with a few high tables in the back room. Doors from the rear lead to a small courtyard garden with jumberellas. Young's beers, but only ordinary bitter on, Bombardier was reverse clipped. Despite being relatively modern, this pub feels quite traditional and I quite liked it despite the lack of beer choice.

The Rising Sun is an L shaped Young’s pub that was quiet when I visited mid-afternoon on Thursday last week. There is a dartboard to the right of the bar and around to the left is a seating area that can be shut off from the main bar to create a function room. The bar is stocked with standard draught products alongside Peroni and the three hand pumps were drawing Young’s Ordinary and Bombardier as the third pump was unused. Food is served during lunch periods and early evening with the mains costing around £8. Roasts are served from midday until 15:00 on Sundays and I took advantage of an offer of a ham and cheese toastie that are available all day for £3.25. I didn’t spot any TV, but there was some low background music playing. A sixties party is advertised for this Saturday so there is entertainment, but it’s not a weekly occurrence. This is a pleasant enough pub and I’d have no qualms about returning in future.

There’s been a Rising Sun on this site since the first half of the 19th Century. The Victorians rebuilt the pub in 1891, but that version got damaged during WWII, and although it got patched up it was decided to rebuild it yet again. Thus the current version dates only from 1961. As such the exterior is modern in appearance. It looks like many pubs these days – essentially a single room, although this one has a small drinking area reached through a wide doorway to the left of the bar counter. It’s carpeted, and the furnishings are mainly standard tables and chairs, banquettes, although I think there was a sofa or two lurking in the slightly separate room on the left. I spotted a number of Dickensian style caricature prints on the walls, as well as an ancient looking Newgate clock. It was quite busy on the Wednesday evening I was in, largely because it was the first stop on a London Pubs Group crawl. This is a Young’s pub (it always has been one), but they only had on Young’s Bitter and Bombardier. The menu was pretty standard fare, with most main courses around £7 - £8, with a couple at £10.95. I actually quite liked this pub, even though the ale selection isn’t likely to inspire the discerning drinker. It is a comfortable enough place to stop off for a pint, even though it’s not likely to qualify as destination pub.