The Lansdowne, Primrose Hill  

It may not be a surprise to find another stripped-out gastropub in trendy northwest London, but you'd be hard-pushed to find one more unappealing. Everyone we speak to has been disparaging of the Lansdowne, accusing it of being pretentious, overpriced, full of poseurs and wannabes. However, it's constantly packed, both inside and out, so maybe we're mixing in the wrong circles? Alas, no. This place has totally wrong idea about what a 'pub' should be. For starters, the interior is reminiscent of a small school canteen; certainly not a place for uninhibited relaxation, especially when many of the clientele are overloud media types, out to impress. Of course, it never helps when the staff seem to be perpetually exasperated either. On a positive note, the original exterior tiling is intact, although we're not sure if it was to save on the renovation costs, or a postmodern critique of the traditional pub. However, this makes it even sadder to experience the interior. Expensive, conceited and soulless. There are better in the area; in our opinion, they're all better.

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