The Sindercombe Social, Shepherds Bush, W12

I remember visiting a long time ago for a pre gig pint in its O’Neil’s days and being singularly unimpressed. First time to visit in this new guise and have to say I found it much more appealing and comfortable spot to meet up and socialise in the ‘bush. A very spacious pub with lots of different comfortable seating options all the way round the large central serving area with its copious keg drink dispensing pumps, the couple of Meantime beer tanks referenced below and five ale pumps. Unfortunately for my visit only three of the five ales were on with the mainstream London Pride, Doombar and fortunately a very decent St Austell’s proper Job being available. Decent diner type food menu with a focus on Burgers and a plate of nacho’s went down well. So despite the pedestrian ale options I still liked it here and there were plenty of interesting craft options also available and if you were looking for beer choice you now have the Brewdog with its 40 lines opposite.

A large barn of a place, extending round an L-shaped bar, with a mixture of trendy furnishings of various styles, and a mixture of flooring also, with prominent tiling round the bar. Appears to have guest ales alongside the usual Doom Bar etc and seemed in good form (Cask Marque listing). Was pleasant enough at a quite time of day, but guessing it gets busy at times.

A first in what was originally The White Horse, but is now called the Donald Sinden Social Club or something and is influenced by an American diner which explains why lavatories carry the imbecilic description of REST ROOMS. There's some fluorescent signs, scarlet vinyl booths, bare brick and strange leatherette seats which look a bit early 1970s'. Otherwise furniture is fairly conventional high/low stuff. Lighting comes courtesy of hipster filament bulbs. What is genuinely interesting though are the polychromatic floor tiles which look like they were designed by Minton in the 19th century; there are a few columns and music was muted. Monday is tappy, Thursdays and Sundays host live music whilst Fridays and Saturdays are when a disc jockey puts records on a gramophone. Not surprisingly then, this pub is the preserve of a young trendy crowd. Ales: Sharp's Doom Bar, Hopback's Summer Lightning and Purity's Mad Goose at £3.30 (usually £4.30) a pint and good. This isn't my kind of place so I don't envisage returning.