London pubs: The Betjeman Arms
London station pubs are generally rather disappointing. Their prices are often high, the beer offering lacklustre (fizzy keg for the most part), and the premises depressing.
The Betjeman Arms might mark an interesting new departure. It has real ale – Adnams, Meantime, and Sharp’s (‘Betjeman Bitter’) as well as Belgian beer. That’s a very interesting list for a London pub, with three ales usually on handpump.
At £3 a pint, prices are not extortionate for London. And while I’m not a lover of the faux-traditional style, at least it’s not a fluorescent strip-lit waste of seventies decor, like so many other station pubs. Still, I’d rather sit outside (there’s a little roped off area with tables as you can see in the picture) and admire the Victorian glass roof of the station, and watch people passing by.
The only downside, I think, is the food prices. The menu looks interesting, but the prices are steep.
Oh yes. One warning, which I have from North London CAMRA (I didn’t use the facility myself when I was there) – the toilets are really, truly, unisex! You have been warned!
Photo credit – Ewan Munro on flickr
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