The Bear & Staff, Leicester Square, WC2

My final pub before heading to Kings Cross for my train, but this is not the high note I was hoping to end on. Another quite small Nicholsons pub (see White Swan, Covent Garden for the other), but this one not only afflicted by the delivery snafu (only London Pride and Titanic Plum Porter on, out of six hand pumps) but also a smell, which I ascribed to mould. My notes made at the time mention "pretty dreadful background music" too, but fortunately both that and the smell have slipped from my memory, along with the London Pride, which was apparently "fine". My second foray into the Leicester Square area (see also the Salisbury), and I think the only good thing I've got to say for it is that there's a rapid tube connection via the Piccadilly line to Kings Cross and the North.

Dating from 1714 but rebuilt in 1878, the name is taken from the Neville family’s crest; Charlie Chaplin supposedly came here. I came here once before around 1985, probably after taking in a film in neighbouring Leicester Square. This is a Nicholson’s pub with Nicholson’s nods; pseudo-Victorian, but with a fine bar back, tall furniture, smoky blue or white walls with a glossy chocolate brown Anaglypta ceiling and Victorian-style lamps and sconces, mainly tall furniture, all geared towards tourists and theatregoers. Ales: Pride ‘coming soon’, Doom, Ghost Ship ‘coming soon’ and Nicholson’s Pale Ale at £2.55 a half and pleasant. This isn’t a bad pub, but given the location, it’s not worth making a special effort to reach it, but it was interesting to be back after 36 years.

Quite a small Nicholson’s pub across from the tube station.

A fairly small and busy pub with a tidy and rather understated interior, supplemented by an upstairs bar/dining room. Regular ales are Doom Bar, London Pride, Nicholson's house beer and up to 3 guests.

Smallish Nicholson's outlet with upstairs diner and six hand pumps of which I sampled Hopback Winter Lightning @ 5.5% ABV. Also standard keg stuff including Punk IPA and Hop House 13. This place was built in 1714 and took its present name in 1878 taken from the crest of the Neville family (Earls of Warwick).