THE CLARENCE

OK, so the mismatched furniture thing’s been done, but the Clarence works junk shop chic to perfection, hovering nicely between traditional boozer and trendy style bar. Three large rooms are decked out with all kinds of weathered pieces; you can pull up a tractor seat, set your drink down on an old woodwork bench or settle into a pre-requisite battered leather sofa. Deeply coloured lamp- shades cast an opium den glow, and the multitude of mirrors and clocks seem to be channelling Salvador Dali.

Hip twenty- and thirty-something locals flock to soak up the laid-back atmosphere, without the distraction of pub quizzes, big screen TVs or other pub accoutrements. In good weather, people spill out into a beer garden overlooking the High Road; fairy lights twinkle in an open-air atrium towards the back of the bar, where people can suck in carcinogens to their hearts’ content whilst still feeling part of the crowd indoors.

This isn’t the place to rock up for a pint of Stella or fiddly cocktails – these people are serious about their beer, and Budvar is as mainstream as it gets. The fridge holds an impressive selection of bottled beers from around the world – think Brooklyn Lager and Belgian fruit lovelies – and there are interesting beers and ciders on tap, complete with handy tasting notes of the kind you find slung over bottles of wine in your local offie. Wines are carefully selected through regular staff tasting sessions, and even the spirit shelf has a sprinkling of rare breeds. An excellent, solid menu of English pub favourites backs up the down to earth vibe.