St Stephen’s Tavern

In the pocket of Big Ben and the houses of parliament sits this pub, obviously a very old and charming venue which must have had politicians of all eras having drinks within its walls at one time or another. The bar sits amidst a small room with some seating around it and behind the bar the stairs takes you up to a perch of an upstairs with more seating and a gallery overlooking the room below. The lower room also seeps into another more lounge-like room where tables are low down and tourists are about as many as other London drinkers from around the area. Drinks are priced as to be expected for this area, at around £3.20 a pint which average variety on the bar. Bar persons are not particularly charismatic and it basically feels like an old pub that grins and bears its tourists for the business but gives little thought to the other elements which make a great pub.

Overall good for proximity to such a legendary landmark and the westminster tube station, but fairly old and stale, could do with something special to bring it out of what feels like a century’s-old coma - 5/10