Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 28 and Version 12 of Imperial, WC2H 7BL

Version 28 Version 12
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Tucked just off [[Locale Leicester Square|Leicester Square]], this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. It is badged as [http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/ Taylor Walker], the slightly upmarket city centre brand of Punch Taverns.
Tucked just off [[Locale Leicester Square|Leicester Square]], this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect; on a Wednesday lunchtime in May 2009 it was practically empty at 1pm.
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect. Even after work on weekdays there's usually been at least one table available on our several visits, and turnover is fairly quick.
There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub.
== Line 4 == == Line 4 ==
The lighting is often kept quite dim (just on the edge of being able to read a book on [[Kake]]'s June 2010 evening visit, though it was somewhat brighter on another visit a month later), and they play background music (on both these visits, not quite too loud to allow conversation).
It has four handpulls with London Pride (£3.20/pint), Bombardier and Abbot Ale appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (and the other usual lagers), on tap. At a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others, though the line-up on our February 2009 visit wasn't particularly inspiring (Greene King IPA was the other on offer). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar.
== Line 6 == == Line 6 ==
There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub. There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers. On our June 2015 visit there was over-aggressive air conditioning, with several customers commenting on how cold they felt in their summer clothes.
The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Spirit Group pubs (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a print-out of daily specials attached. A falafel burger was somewhat unadorned, but served in a tasty ciabatta bun with chips, so not too disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty.
== Line 8 == == Line 8 ==
It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) appearing to be a regular. They also have Peroni and Staropramen (and the other usual lagers), on tap. On a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others. The lineup in September 2013 was London Pride, Black Sheep Bitter, and St Austell Tribute, with the fourth handpump dedicated to Old Rosie cider. A pint of lime and soda was £1.47 in September 2013 and a surprisingly cheaper £1.10 in June 2015 (and in April 2016).
There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers.
== Line 10 == == Line 10 ==
As of September 2013, food is served 11am-10pm daily. The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Punch pubs in this brand (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a small sheet of daily specials as well <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/9854608925/ photo as of September 2013]</small>. Burgers are somewhat unadorned, served with a small numbers of chips, and a little disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty. On a November 2009 visit, [[Ewan]] tried the vegetarian 'fish' and chips (&pound;7.50, recently added to the menu) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4130566726/ photo]</small>, which was fairly unpleasant, three large chunks of halloumi, battered and deep-fried &#8212; the halloumi didn't have much taste and wasn't squeaky, and with the addition of the frying, was just far too much to eat comfortably. The chips and mushy peas on the side weren't much better quality, but offered a little variety.
They show sport, but not too intrusively.
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They have a couple of flatscreens mounted discreetly on the walls, though on all our visits here we've only ever seen these in use once, during the 2010 World Cup.
Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are upstairs, and gents downstairs, with fairly narrow staircases.
== Line 14 ==
As of April 2016 they have free wireless via The Cloud.

[[Kake]]'s verdict: This is my default pub in the area. It's nothing special in a London-wide context, but it has real ale and I know I'm likely to get a seat.

Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are on the first floor, and gents' in the basement, with fairly narrow staircases.

== Line 21 ==
* [http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub330.php Fancyapint review]
* [http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubreviews/22107/ Pubs Galore comments]
== Line 24 == == Line 16 ==
* [http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-imperial-london-2 Yelp comments]
* [http://fancyapint.com/pubs/pub330.html Fancyapint review]
* [http://
www.qype.co.uk/place/96949 Qype comments]
== Line 26 == == Line 19 ==
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], April 2016. Opening hours and food times taken from the Imperial website, September 2013.</div>
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], [[Sarah]], and Lex, 6 May 2009.</div>
== Line 28 == == Line 21 ==
category='Cloud Wifi,Featured Article,Free Wireless,Pub Food,Pubs,Real Ale,Smoking Area'
category='Food Served Evenings,Food Served Lunchtimes,Pubs,Real Ale,Smoking Area,Step-Free Access'
== Line 31 == == Line 24 ==
formatted_website_text='taylor-walker.co.uk/Ta...'
host='94.119.96.96'
hours_text='11am-11:30pm Mon-Sat; noon-11:30pm Sun'
formatted_website_text=''
host='213.165.225.132'
hours_text=''
== Line 35 == == Line 28 ==
locale='Chinatown,Leicester Square,Soho,WC2'
locale='Leicester Square,Soho,WC2'
== Line 39 == == Line 32 ==
node_image='https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1500/24174853739_bc05aa579b_m_d.jpg'
node_image_copyright='Kake'
node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/24174853739/'
opening_hours_text='11am-11:30pm Mon-Sat; noon-11:30pm Sun'
node_image='https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/2353127628_10b6c1232a_m.jpg'
node_image_copyright='Ewan-M'
node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en_GB'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/2353127628/'
opening_hours_text=''
== Line 41 == == Line 41 ==
summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.' summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.'
website='http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/TaylorWalker/pub-food/Imperial-Soho/pid-C0205'
summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.' website='http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/TaylorWalker/pub-food/Imperial-Soho/pid-C0205'

Tucked just off Leicester Square, this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect; on a Wednesday lunchtime in May 2009 it was practically empty at 1pm.

There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub.

It has four handpulls with London Pride (£3.20/pint), Bombardier and Abbot Ale appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (and the other usual lagers), on tap. At a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others, though the line-up on our February 2009 visit wasn't particularly inspiring (Greene King IPA was the other on offer). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar.

The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Spirit Group pubs (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a print-out of daily specials attached. A falafel burger was somewhat unadorned, but served in a tasty ciabatta bun with chips, so not too disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty.

There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers.

They show sport, but not too intrusively.

Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are upstairs, and gents downstairs, with fairly narrow staircases.

See also:

Last visited by Kake, Sarah, and Lex, 6 May 2009.

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