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Detail Pages
The Jack Horner, Bloomsbury, W1
W1
W1T 7QN
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Jack Horner
Smart street corner Fullers pub with a great location in a prime retail area, not too far from Oxford Street. Entering through a corner porch, you emerge into the main bar area, which is dominated by the centrally positioned servery, which the bare boarded room wraps around. The bar has a beautiful counter front, richly embellished with decorative woodwork flourishes beneath a polished stone counter. There’s some mixed seating to the front, under large light features and a display gallery packed full of seemingly unrelated objects. To the left of the bar, nice ethed glass screens have been used to create a cosy snug-like space with a couple of tables squeezed in, whilst to the rear, the room opens out into a dining space of sorts, with two-thirds height panels topped with Fullers themed murals and branding. There’s another gallery back here, packed full of tankards, jugs, earthenware and a million other things. Pop music played a little loudly, although not so loud as to impede conversation, and there are a few benches outside on the pavement to one side of the pub.
Three Fullers beers – London Pride, EBS and Dark Star Hophead – were available on handpull alongside a guest of Tiny Rebel Billabong. I opted for a pint of the latter, which was in decent nick and served to me by a friendly barmaid who had a good laugh with me when another bloke very nearly paid for my beer by mistake with his contactless card!
I thought this was a nice city centre Fullers house, not benefitting from the grandeur of some of their Pie and Alehouse establishments perhaps, but still presenting itself as a smart, comfortable pub that you’d be happy to settle down in for a while. Definitely a good bolt hole away from the surrounding retail madness and well worth a look in passing.
On 20th September 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Jack Horner
I can't really elaborate on the reviews below, especially the most recent. The place is indeed a bank conversion but it's a conversion from a pub which closed in 1941, known as the Bedford Head, just off Bedford Square, an estate owned by the Dukes of Bedford.
Dark Star Hophead was the guest ale on the bar, which spared us from the other Fuller's offerings.
This isn't a great place, but compared to the other Tottenham Court Road pubs...
On 22nd January 2020
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Jack Horner
Fuller's place converted from a bank in 1994, it’s nicely decorated in the dark wood and burgundy trim of the type that's welcoming if perhaps a little contrived (tourists, innit?). Staple shaped interior with some partitioned seating which is surprisingly small, especially as the left staple end is set aside for dining. Irritatingly there were stools all-round the bar blocking service points, mind you the staff weren't exactly exemplars of customer service themselves. Three banks of ale pumps with the central one displaying all the choices, Pride, ESB, Oliver's Island, Rocky Red (NBSS 3) Dark Star Hophead and a guest in the shape of Tiny Rebel. Prices are steep, as is the Fullers norm these days. Overall it’s a decent shout for the area - something that's a known quantity and generally consistent. 6.5
On 20th December 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Jack Horner
I like Fullers pubs and this is another good one Very busy with a good range of Fullers beers but I went for St Austall-cousin jack. Maybe I shouldn't have.Touristy interior but that's what they want.
On 13th April 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Jack Horner
Fuller's Ale and Pie House with a staple shaped bar serving an extensive Fuller's selection. Pretty formulaic but did the job on a crawl.
On 25th October 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Jack Horner
Not been to this Fuller's Ale & Pie house for about eight years, but very little seems to have changed in that time. Apart from the semi-traditional interior still feeling rather artificial, the main problem remains - given its level of trade - a lack of table space around the staple-shaped bar, although a few tables out on the pavement help a bit. Pride, Chiswick, Oliver's Island, ESB and the seasonal Red Fox (£4.55) plus Butcombe and Castle Rock Harvest Pale as guests from a total of 12 handpumps. However, it does now do a much better selection of craft keg and bottled beers from various UK and continental brewers than previously.
On 19th October 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Jack Horner
This is a Fuller’s Ale & Pie house, which had on Seafarer’s, Wild Rover, ESB, and London Pride when I visited the other day. The “Jack Horner Pie” is £12.95 (what’s in the pie varies apparently). Sarnies are around £6 - £7. I didn’t test the quality, but those prices seem to be at the top end of the range to me.
There’s lots of dark wood in here, false marble facings on the pillars, modern replacement bare boards, modern etched glass panels, bric a brac on display on shelves, and a tiled splash area around the bar counter all probably intended to give it an “Olde London Pub” look about it. It works to some extent, and it’s all good quality stuff, but it doesn’t take much of a practiced eye to see that it’s all modern replacements. Furnishings are a mix of normal tables and chairs and tall tables/tall stools.
It’s a comfortable enough pub that has a reasonable ale selection (as long as you’re OK with Fuller’s beers), but it does suffer a bit from the Fuller’s Ale & Pie corporate look. I would visit again though, as I quite like Fuller’s ales.
On 24th September 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Jack Horner
This is a decent sized U-shaped Fullers Ale and Pie house with the usual wooden fixtures and fittings. It looks very welcoming from the outside where there is some café style seating and nicely blooming hanging baskets. This welcome was extended inside during my visit on Saturday afternoon by the friendly barman who poured me a decent pint of Guinness. Unsurprisingly Pride, ESB, Chiswick and Discovery were available from the hand pumps adorning the bar and there was also a range of standard and premium draught products. The food isn’t the cheapest, but this is Central London and this brewer’s food is usually worth the money.
There is a small flat screen TV at either end of the pub and one of these was showing BBC News 24 and the other was showing a rugby match on BBC 1. Both screens were muted and some subdued music was lightly playing in the background.
There is a transient crowd in here due to the location and it does get very busy on weekdays as it is used by local workers and tourists alike. There’s not really much to separate this place from any other Ale and Pie houses in town and I have no problem popping into any of them for a quick pint.
On 1st September 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about Jack Horner
Tourist-heavy Fullers Ale 'n' Pie House on Tottenham Court Road. Chiswick Bitter in satisfactory condition and it provided welcome warmth from the chill outside. Were doing a swift turnaround on the food whilst I was in, but I didn't really feel like staying. Being a Fullers fan I'll always consider it an option but its hardly anything special.
On 10th January 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Boyes left this review about Jack Horner
A short walk from Oxford Street this pub is well worth a visit. A good selection of Fullers ales and the very good value ale and pie menu. Food served until 9pm.
On 24th August 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 55 recommendations about 55 pubs]