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The Plough, Bloomsbury, WC1
WC1
WC1A 1LH
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Plough
The Plough is a thin pub with a small L-shaped bar to the right and a longer bar to the left. Both bars have large televisions for showing Sports, there was a football match on during my recent visit one afternoon between Christmas and New Year. Both televisions were muted in favour of some background music. Upstairs is the Bloomsbury Room that is a square dining / function room that houses another large television.
Premium keg products are available and the right hand bar counter also supports three hand pumps that were drawing Greene King IPA and Abbot alongside St Austell’s Tribute. In the left hand bar are five hand pumps that were drawing the aforementioned ales plus Rocking Rudolph, the fifth pump was unused. The Greene King food menu is present, the standard burger is priced at £12.50. My wife and I both went for a lunchtime sandwich, unfortunately the bread was stale. The service was friendly, but when you spend £14 on two sandwiches you expect them to be fresh.
On 22nd January 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Plough
Another typical Bloomsbury local, with some wood and glasswork although perhaps not as much as some others, with a slight feel of an attempted update. It does retain the two bar layout, albeit with the connecting door removed. The front bar is a bit cosier, with some tall tables in the back bar, however there are several large screen Sports TVs overlooking things. There is a further room upstairs and a few tables out on the pavement. Ales on handpump were Southwark LPA and Twickenham Naked ladies, alongside the predictable Abbot, IPA and Rocking Rudolph.
On 3rd December 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Plough
Nice touristy traditional looking pub.Now Greene King so GK -IPA,london Glory and Trumans -Runner.
On 21st October 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Plough
Yet another venue that constitutes the virtual monopoly in Bloomsbury held by Taylor Walker/Greene King. I'm no fan of these pubs but was determined to take one for the team.
Unusually, this is actually a genuine old TW outlet, displaying a sign with arched top and some old TW motifs to the windows (some might be modern) with the Cannon motif adopted following TW's acquisition of the old Cannon Brewery.
Naturally this is a typical TW pub with the likes of TVs (here, news with the sound off) and a games machine. The place is part boarded and naturally, is carpeted. Dogs are invited which is a deterrent for me and there's upstairs dining from the typical printed pictorial menus.
Ales on: Taylor Walker's 1730 Special Ale, Greene King's London Glory IPA and Abbot and St. Austell's Tribute at a rather steep £2.20 a half.
I doubt I'll return, not least because the far superior Museum Tavern is just around the corner.
On 30th April 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Plough
Housed in a solidly attractive building, this Taylor Walker pub retains a twin-bar layout supplemented by an upstairs lounge. As you would expect from the brand and location near the British Museum, it features the sort of traditional-looking furniture and decor likely to appeal to tourists. Some patio seating on the semi-pedestrianised street out front. One bank of four handpumps in each bar, each offering the same three beers (including Portobello Star at £3.84) and a cider.
On 5th May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Plough
Yet another Taylor Walker branded pub that could probably be so much better in different hands.
There is nothing intrinsicly wrong with the pub and the potential is certainly there. The interior divided into 2, the right hand side having a more basic approach with bare floors and leather banquette seating. The carpeted left hand side is larger with high tables, paneled walls and a flat screen (Sky & ESPN shown). Some old patterned windows remain although the Taylor Walker name on some of them look a bit cheap. There is additional seating upstairs in a separate room (doesn’t have it’s own bar) that is available for private functions and is an escape for the irritating piped nusic that ranged from Phil Collins to current chart fodder.
Where the place really fell flat on my visit was the beers. There are 9 hand pumps (5 in one bar, 4 in the other) but despite all the pumps being clipped (albeit some doubled up), of the 6 different ales advertised (Youngs London Gold, Brains Rev James, Lees The Governer, Old Golden Hen, Abbott and London Pride), only 2 (Pride & the Governer) were actually available. Rattling off a load of requests for beers a la Monty Python’s Cheese Shop sketch doesn’t give me much confidence in the cellar management. Food wise, it’s the usual PubCo menu with main courses around £8-£14.
With the Museum Tavern 30 yards away (another Taylor Walker pub) I would have thought that the Plough would need to be more on top of things in order to compete. Maybe it was a one off situation and I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
On 10th November 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Plough
Still has a good range of ales, staff very friendly. It's another early doors one for me here, as when the lagers flying, you'll be left at the bar. Pity really as this was a lot better pub a year ago. Hail to the ale.
On 30th July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about The Plough
A below average pub, usually packed with tourists. Service leaves a lot to be desired and food is pretty poor. Beers are OK but nothing special. Overall - go elsewhere as you'll undoubtedly do better.
On 16th July 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Plough
The Plough is well described by Rex below. A very welcoming Victorian exterior with lots of Taylor Walker branding and hanging flower baskets in summer, but the regulation interior doesn’t live up to exterior promise.
However, it’s still a decent place for a pint if the Museum Tavern up the road is banged out with Tourists as it does benefit from outside seating and a moderately decent ale choice.
There are five hand pumps which included Spitfire, Pride, Abbot and Youngs London Gold.
But as Rex reported , the saving grace is the Brain’s Reverend James which although expensive, is a very decent pint and not often found in the Capital.
On 27th June 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Plough
This is an unremarkable pub just down the road from the British Museum, although it does look good from the outside. As you would expect, the majority of customers seemed to be tourists. There were five real ales on – Brain’s Rev James; Young’s London Gold; GK Abbot; Pride and Broadside. I had the superb Rev James, but it was at the top end of what I’m prepared to pay for a pint – i.e. £3.40. I didn’t eat there today, but the food being dished up looked better than it did the last time I ate there. Furnishings comprise normal tables, with stools and banquette seating, plus a handful of high stools at the bar counter. It has a good location, but it seems to be a bit of a tourist trap. Not a great pub, but it is comfortable enough, it does have a reasonable ale choice, and the barmaids were friendly and helpful.
On 4th February 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]