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Detail Pages
The Westminster Arms, SW1
SW1
SW1P 3AT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Westminster Arms
A little off the nearby tourist saturated beaten track, and better for it. Fairly quiet on Saturday afternoon, I arrived to find the French barman in a lively football discussion with a small group of Spaniards. Very little seating in the bar, no tables that I noticed, just a few shelves with stools and of course the bar top itself. The rear area has some wood panelling with mirrors, the division bell is above here, and there is some stained glass to the rear window.
The attractive bar back is in the trademark Shepherd Neame style with the pub name marked out in red on a cream background. This is topped by a clock. A high shelf over the front door and windows has a few jugs and bottles, and the previously mentioned large pub mirror sits over the stairs to the side. Two TVs, one showing the Tour de France, the other BBC news.
Five of the Sheps range were on, Canterbury Jack, Spitfire, Master Brew, Late Red (now all year red), and Bishops Finger. There are a few seats at small tables outside to the street, with the red awning lending a rather continental feel to the pub I felt.
On 18th July 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Westminster Arms
Recently acquired by Shepherd Neame, the Westminster Arms probably has one of the best ranges of Shep's beers in central London with pretty much the full range of regulars and seasonals across the 7 pumps. The pub itself is a single room main bar that is simply furnished and geared to vertical drinking with very few seats or tables and just a few stools and ledges to park your pint. The high ceiling and light coloured walls give the bar a spacious, airy feel although it is not actually that big. There are 2 screens usually with Sky News but they do show footy on occasions. There are a couple of wall cabinets with books and musical instruments and a wonderful large Westminster Arms patterned mirror to break up the plainness. Being so close to the Palace of Westminster, it is popular with politicians (a division bell soon gets them scurrying off) and it also gets its share of inquisitive tourists until they realise there is nowhere to sit apart from the 2 or 3 tables outside on the pavement. Downstairs is Storey's Wine Bar (never been in) and upstairs is the Queen Anne Dining Room (also never been in). The staff can be a bit oddball, especially the crazy Frenchman who comes over as someone out of ‘Allo ‘Allo. He may appear to be incredibly rude but behind the façade is a quite a charismatic barman and he has pretty much been part of the fixtures and fittings here for many years. Prices seem to have rocketed since my last visit (a pint of Late Red is currently £3.45) but the fact that they usually give you a receipt without asking for one suggests that many people here seem to drink on their expenses accounts and aren’t concerned about the prices. Did I mention that the pub is popular with politicians? Oh, I did. All in all it’s a pretty decent pub but until Sheps took it over, it was a good source of guest beers so it has to some extent diluted the local ale scene in the same way that Fullers have after taking on the nearby Red Lion.
On 4th March 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Westminster Arms
I think that I counted seven Shepherd Neame ales on during my visit here last Thursday. The usual Neame draught selection of Oranjeboom, Hosten Export, etc. was also available. The pub is your normal smallish London boozer and although I didn't venture upstairs I did spot signs for a 40 seat restaurant.
There are a couple of screens in the bar, but I saw no sports advertised so I would be very surprised if Sky Sports was available. I'm not a big Shepherd Neame fan and my Spitfire wasn't the best I'd ever had. I didn't ask for a different pint as I thought the governor would bite my head off.
On 24th March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]