Latchmere, Battersea  

'Smith & Jones' pubs don't rate highly on Fancyapint? and sadly the Latchmere doesn't help redress the balance. A perfect example of how a pub's heritage can be so easily destroyed and replaced with something altogether uninteresting, the remaining original dark-stained Victorian mirrored bar only serves to make you wonder how great it used to be here. Where it could be warm and comfortable, groups of bland, uniform chairs and tables make up the furniture, save for a smattering of couches. It hasn't really changed in the years since its conversion, barring a coat of gastro-green paint on the walls. The pub's saving grace is still the theatre upstairs - a mainstay of the comedy circuit - and the punters who tend to be a mixed crowd, reflecting Battersea's eclectic population. On our last visit we were confronted with the fact that the pub's the home of London Media RFC and the introduction of "Great British Pub Night" - which sounds like a grand idea. Sadly, we still hanker for something more exciting than this.

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)