Dirty Dicks, Bishopsgate, EC2

There's not much to add to that listed below; this is indeed a dingy place and is certainly reminiscent of a railway bar. On our last trip a few months ago we all agreed that the cast of shady characters whose haunt this is weren't fun to be around and the Crown & Shuttle up the road which has just reopened is in a different league. Indeed, Woodins Shades (opposite) whilst not great is a big improvement on this place.

Ground floor bar adjoining Liverpool Street station, but has the feel of a cellar bar. Lots of barrels and bricked alchoves. Beams & everything are nice, but here its almost like you would expect an olde British pub built in Disneyland. Its location on Bishopsgate means its extremely expensive but there are six ales, served in the London style (no head). Not one to go out of the way for at all.

I've often thought about venturing into Dirty Dick's during the past 40 years while waiting at the bus stop opposite but the infrequency of London Transport's offerings have always got the better of me - I daren't miss another bus! Anyway this week I ventured in mid-afternoon and my illusions were, well, shattered. The ground floor interior is, in fact, also an illusion - my grandchildren are older than most of this pastiche of 'olden days'. The beers were OK, the service cavalier and slow (considering it was almost empty) and it was damned expensive. Thank goodness for Woodin's Shades on the opposite corner.