The Albion (ex O'Neill's), Fleet Street  

This pub was, until recently, an identikit O'Neill's just by Ludgate Circus. Young's certainly don't hang about - the place was closed down and refurbished (minus live sport) to within an inch of its life, all in the blink of an eye. The beer is standard - Deuchar's IPA and Bombardier as well as Young's bitter, with various continental bottled lagers for good measure. What stands out is the six or seven brands of champagne advertised on a pillar by the bar. This, together with the (admittedly pleasant) decor and leather settees, smacks unmistakably of "wannabe gastropub". However, this pub is caught between two stools. It is certainly less pretentious than some recently tarted-up places, and does retain something of the air of a boozer (only around half the clientele were eating on our visit). We suspect the format will prove either a roaring success or a total turkey, but the cynical view persists that the somewhat contrived sophistication exists merely as an excuse to charge seven quid for fish cakes, long thin fries and a bit of salad on a square plate.

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