The Speaker, Westminster, SW1

There were a handful of ales on – Young’s Bitter; Spitfire; Coach House Brewing Co Taverners; and a wheat beer whose name I failed to note. I saw a menu lying around, although I didn’t scrutinise it, and there was nobody eating when I arrived at around 2.45. This is a very rare type of pub, in that it has no piped music, no games machines, no cash machines, and no one-armed bandits. There is no doubt that it is a real pub, even though it has a somewhat modern feel to it, perhaps due to the pine clad walls and bar counter. It’s carpeted throughout, giving it a warm feel and helping to suppress the sounds of conversation. The walls are covered with all manner of prints, caricatures of numerous parliamentary heavyweights from over the years, miscellaneous paraphernalia, and even framed photographs of ex-Speakers Betty Boothroyd and Mick Martin, and current incumbent John Bercow. This is a delightful pub in which to enjoy a quiet(ish) pint or two, and I shall undoubtedly visit this little gem again.

This is a small and tidy back street pub, not too far from the busy Victoria Street. The place was almost full and therefore very cramped when I arrived on a recent Friday evening, but I was fortunate enough to be able to get a stool at one of the small tables near the stairs. There is a surprising amount of seating available thanks to efficient use of the limited space and drinkers were also able to take their pints outside, albeit in plastic glasses, and drink on the pavement. The interior benefits from the large windows which run along two sides of the building and provide a good amount of natural light. There are a large number of political caricatures on the walls, as you might expect in a Westminster pub, and I spotted a few display cases here and there, which I couldn't inspect properly due to the crowds. The place appears to have undergone a fairly modest refurb, and is in pretty good condition as a result. Four ales were available - Young's Ordinary, Shep's Spitfire, Hop Back Entire Stout and Dark Star Paradise Weiss. I had an excellent pint of the Entire Stout and would have happily sunk a couple more had I not needed to move on. The service was quick and friendly despite the crowded bar area and the staff had propped the bar hatch open with a list of upcoming ales written on the underside. Posters listed upcoming themed weeks which focus on beers from specific breweries or certain types of beer (I had just missed a wheat beer week). I quite enjoyed my time here and although it's not an outstanding pub, it has enough going for it to merit future visits.

Randomness Guide to London - Speaker entry

Randomness Guide to London - Speaker entry

Bit of a strange place this. Its very light inside, as there is lots of glass and the modern fittings are in pine. Small, light and airy, not what you would expect looking at it from the outside. Part of the bar has been turned into a food display case which looks weird, but this is probably down to the lack of space. Its not over friendly, I was served very gruffly, or particularly comfortable or interesting and not really a place I would want to go out of my way to revisit. However, the saving grace for me here was the quality of the beer - absolutely spot on, and included a mild for May. I had a crawl of 9 pubs between Victoria and Westminster and the beer here was the best.

Originally called the Elephant & Castle, the name is now more in keeping with the proximity of the Houses of Parliament a few hundred yards down the road. The interior consists of a quite small single carpeted room, comfortable, light. airy and welcoming but not really much to look at architecturally. From the newish wooden bar and furnishings, I would deduce that the pub has undergone a fairly extensive “sprucing up” in the not so distant past. They take great pains to let you know that there is no music, TV, big screens, fruit machines or the like, just beer and conversation, or in their words, a real pub. The beers are the main attraction with Spitfire & Youngs complimented by 2 constantly changing and interesting guest beers (sometimes a mild). Being close to our seat of government, there are political cartoons and prints and the façade depicts the history of the various Speakers and how the position came to be. There is a collection of books above the bar, a shelf of empty bottles where a TV once presumably sat, a few displays of clay pipes, packs of cards on the tables and, rather interestingly, a few sticks of quarry dynamite, presumably past their sell by date and no longer able to turn the pub into a mini Hemel Hempstead. In summer it can be a bit stifling and a few ceiling fans wouldn't go amiss. The customer base seems to be local office workers and presumably the odd MP (aren't they all?). Good friendly and helpful service and definitely one to seek out if in the area if you want a peaceful pint of decent beer.