The Carpenter’s Arms

Parked in the back streets of Fitzrovia, the Carpenters arms is a multi-storey gastro-pub. It is a tight squeeze inside, where the groudn floor is a handful of tables, the peopel sqeezed in elbow to elbow at the bar, waiting patiently for drinks. The service is not very fast but the drink selection is good. I head up to the well hidden first floor via the back stairs and after shimmying between a few tiny tables and drinks I come to a few larger tables and french doors onto a small roof terrace. This feature comes as a sign of fresh air for smokers who do not have to disappear downstairs to enjoy themselves. For this reason the carpenters over-populates most evenings of the week.

Overall the carpenters arms is a little out the way but enjoyable, the atmosphere is lively, if a little crowded and the the roof terrace is a nice play to go for a smoke despite the fact that oddments hanging and swinging from parts of the terrace distract from sensible conversation as you wonder if these hanging mobiles are garden impliments or wind-chimes, 6/10