The Sydney Arms, Chelsea, SW3

'Pub & Brasserie' & bar, with a 'U'-shaped bar counter and a dining area to the rear. Fairly plain furniture and decor. Café-style seating out front under awnings. Easy listening background music and silent sports TVs. Four handpumps, offering the regular Pride, Doom Bar, TT Landlord and something from Sharps re-badged as SW3 (£3.50).

Situated in the heart of Chelsea just round the corner form the town hall (renowned in the sixties for showbiz weddings) it's difficult to expect too much pubbiness: indeed if it were someone else you'd discount it completely. It was obviously once a traditional double-fronted boozer, split done the middle with central servery to public bar on one side and saloon on the other, now long knocked through. The front part is OK, the usual high tables and stools you get in London these days, Sky Sport on the TV (but not the Test match, recorded football) and a fair selection of ales including TT Landlord. It goes downhill quickly further back, red leather banquettes and tables all laid up with wine glasses but, on a Friday lunchtime, completely unused. It gets more traditional pub custom than its management would perhaps like, possibly due to the nearby hospital and the constant residential building work going on in the area. Service a bit grumpy. If you want a pint down the King's Road you could do far worse.

Official site of The Sydney Arms, contains menus - www.sydneyarmschelsea.com

Official site of The Sydney Arms, contains menus - www.sydneyarmschelsea.com