The Old Bank, Battersea Rise, SW11

This is a Fullers pub, but those familiar with the many Fullers pubs across the capital and beyond may not recognise it as such, as it has been laid out in the style of a trendy bar complete with fancy wallpaper and chandeliers. Presumably the name refers to the fact that this is another bank conversion, and the large spacious room with its high ceiling would suggest it is, although it could just as well be a reference to the fact that you need to take a loan out to have a decent session in here. Just two Fullers ales available (Pride and Discovery) with the bar dominated instead by a range of continental beers such as Leffe and the somewhat unusual sight of Blue Moon from Molson Coors. I tried a pint of the latter and was a little shocked to find that I got very little change from a fiver. Whilst it was a nice enough pint, I can't say it was worth such an inflated price tag. There was a decent young crowd in here, including what appeared to be a couple of stag parties, but everyone was well behaved and it helped to create quite a lively atmosphere. A large screen was showing the Spain vs. Paraguay World Cup match and many customers had turned their tables, chairs and sofas around to watch it. The TV was muted though and the pub was notable for not playing background music either. There was a menu offering some tempting sounding food, but again the prices seemed too high for the portion sizes being handed out. Don't expect traditional pub grub either - this was a more modern, international menu.Not the greatest drinking experience all told, especially at those prices, but it did exceed my admittedly low expectations.