The Defectors Weld, Shepherds Bush, W12

I liked this pub a lot.Big and busy on the night but easy to get served.5 real ales on and the Redemption -hopspur was in good nick.Reasonable priced beer.

This large street corner pub situated between Shepherd’s Bush and Shepherd’s Bush Market stations, close to the Westfield Shopping Centre, markets itself as the area’s best freehouse for beer choice, catering mainly for a younger crowd in search of foreign lagers rather than the craft beer craze that has developed in other parts of London. As such, there is a pretty impressive keg range here, including the likes of Meantime London Pale Ale, Birra Moreti, Bitburger, Cotswold Lager, Konig Pilsner and Hogan’s Cider, but just the four hand pulls, although these were offering a decent selection of Adnams Southwold Bitter, Twickenham Original (£3.60), Purity Ubu and Sambrooks Junction. I gave the Twickenham a try and thought it was very tired, almost to the point of returning it, which was a real let-down. I visited on a Thursday evening and the place was so busy that it took an age to get served and the bar staff looked a little lost at times. The pub is laid out in a square around a very large central servery. Seating in the main area at the front and either side of the bar is plentiful, with lots of leather banquettes and standard tables and chairs. Wooden floors and dark painted walls covered in endless numbers of posters for upcoming events gave the place a studenty feel, which was enhanced by the music selection playing just audibly under the din of so many customers. The rear of the pub has a number of curved banquettes separated by wooden slat partitions and lit by some nice low lamps. There is a nice lounge type area to the rear left with a fireplace above which hangs a painting entitled ‘The Knight and the Disillusioned Bear”, which makes about as much sense to me as the pub’s name. From the back of the pub you can access the upstairs Snug Bar and the beer garden. The stairway to the Snug Bar has a display of old recording equipment, which seemed a bit odd. Food was being served and a number of tables were reserved, meaning that it was standing room only by the time I arrived. I think this pub has the potential to be a decent spot for a few drinks, but its flaws outweigh its qualities at present. I will no doubt be back here in the not too distant future thanks to its proximity to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and I would hope to see improvements in beer quality and service.