The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton, N1

Having been coming here for many years, the Wenlock always used to be known as the best real ale pub in central London. Along with the area itself, it has been gentrified a little these days. It feels a little more like a hipster hangout now. There is still a half decent range of 6 real ales. These were Five Points Pale & Railway Porter, Mighty Oak Saxon Strong, Redemption Hopspur, Gun Project Bablylon & Purity Jimbo. But there was no sign of the Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde this time and the huge range of decent ciders they used to stock is also gone. Instead I was offered a Cidre Breton in a bottle from the fridge. I stuck to the cask ales! The bar sits in the middle of the pub. You used to be able to walk right around, but an extra gents toilets with urinals only has been built on one side of the room to block the corridor. Still well worthy of a visit, but has lost the slightly edgy side it once had, attracts a slightly different clientele and the lack of real cider is a definite shortfall in my book.