The Courtfield, Earls Court, SW5

Dating from 1876, this is a relatively grand pub in the heart of Kangaroo Valley, situated bang opposite Earl’s Court tube. The interior’s quite commanding, with a fine bar back featuring bevelled mirrors with the pub’s name etched into a mirror at centre, though of course, no unimaginative bar today would be complete without the addition of boring glazed white tiles. There’s tall furniture with a studded oxblood banquette, smoky blue wainscoting, then munge coloured walls. Games machines flashed away, whilst a megavision screen showed the football, which no one was watching. A snug to the rear is quite attractive with its three-quarter height wood panelling, the problem being that this is the lair of the games machines. A Greene King pub with all the resultant liquid baggage in the form of GK IPA and Abbot, three further pumps unused, with me plumping for a Neck Oil at £3.35 a half, served by a rather clueless barmaid, for whom English wasn’t her strongpoint. Given the location, this is something of a transients’ pub. There’s better locally, such as the Bolton, Blackbird and King’s Head if in need of a drink and a better choice of ales.

Official site of The Courtfield - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Courtfield - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

On previous visits this place has been a bit overrun with tourists, but in their Covid-related absence it has returned to being a reasonable boozer. The interior is a sort of modern traditional and not overdone with decoration, with a nice wood-panelled dining area to the rear. A few TV screens seem to be kept under control - I could do without the musak but never mind. An upstairs bar and dining room is signed also (not visited). Another GK pub with Abbot and IPA on handpump - condition good.

Again, a nothing pub with no ale to speak of. At least no squawking kids.