The Flying Horse, Moorgate, EC2

Traditional central London pub with a 'L'-shaped bar, dark wood-panelling, busy after work so very shouty, limited furniture to leave some space for vertical drinking but still many customers out on the pavement on a sub-zero evening, etc. Four of six handpumps in use, offering two from Sharp's - Doom Bar and Coaster - plus a pair of Truman's - Swift and Runner (£4.45).

A traditional down-to-earth, no-nonsense boozer located just behind Finsbury Square in an area that has been pretty modernized over the last few years. An L shaped interior with some varnished wood panelling and aged pub carpet. Known as a wallet-friendly place (in local context) and didn’t disappoint on that score, well-under £3.50pp. Five ales on; Truman's Swift, Brains Bread of Heaven, Doom Bar, Tribute and one other. I went for the first two and sadly both were pretty pedestrian, with quite a muddy and muted feel to them which makes me wonder how aged the lines are. Filled up pretty quickly as mid-afternoon turned into early evening with a loud but convivial crowd. In short - nice boozer, good prices, shame about the beer quality.

Well described below, this is a pub which has eschewed gentrification and sits on the City fringe, technically being in the borough of Hackney. The rather nice illuminated Courage cockerel red square sign has recently been junked, which is a pity. Inside it's a bit scruffy with a dirty carpet, part wood panelled and tatty furniture - a bit of a traditional backstreet boozer then, and none the worse for that. There was a games machine - not my cup of tea - and at least two TVs showing what my iPhone described as 'plum pics'. Fortunately nothing that ominous, rather predictive text for the Olympics, with the sound muted. Customers were drawn from City suits and locals, drawn from where I know not. Ales? 1 clip reversed, Sharp's Atlantic, Timothy Taylor's Golden Best, Harvey's Sussex Best and Twickenham's Naked Ladies which was good and biblical value at just £3.00 a pint - I can't remember the last time I paid £3.00 for a pint in London. Perhaps when David Lloyd George was in Downing Street? This pub was a decent surprise and I'd happily come here again. Ditching the TVs, games machine and the awful carpet would garner at least one if not two extra points.