Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 28 and Version 20 of Imperial, WC2H 7BL

Version 28 Version 20
== 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.
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 and even after work on weekdays there have usually been plenty of tables available, and turnover is fairly quick.
== 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.
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.
== 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).
It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) and Bombardier appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (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, though the line-up on our later visits has been more mainstream (Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale in February 2009, Young's London Gold and Doom Bar in June 2010). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar. A pint of lime and soda was £1.63 in June 2010.
== 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.
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 board of daily specials as well. 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 -- 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.
== Line 12 == == Line 12 ==
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.
Although [[Ewan]] noted on a November 2009 visit that they appeared to have removed all their screens and were no longer showing sport, on [[Kake]]'s June 2010 visit the screens had reappeared and they were showing football matches (this may have only been for the duration of the World Cup, though &#8212; in July 2010 the place appeared to be TV-free).
== Line 14 == == Line 14 ==
As of April 2016 they have free wireless via The Cloud.
Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are upstairs, and gents downstairs, with fairly narrow staircases.
== Line 16 ==
[[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 24 == == Line 20 ==
* [http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-imperial-london-2 Yelp comments]
* [http://www.qype.co.uk/place/96949#PlaceReviews Qype comments]
== Line 26 == == Line 22 ==
<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 [[Ewan]] and others, 24 February 2011.</div>
== Line 28 == == Line 24 ==
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 27 ==
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='161.74.11.26'
hours_text=''
== Line 35 == == Line 31 ==
locale='Chinatown,Leicester Square,Soho,WC2'
locale='Leicester Square,Soho,WC2'
== Line 39 == == Line 35 ==
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-sa/2.0/deed.en_GB'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/2353127628/'
opening_hours_text=''
== Line 44 == == Line 44 ==
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. It is badged as Taylor Walker, the slightly upmarket city centre brand of Punch Taverns.

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 and even after work on weekdays there have usually been plenty of tables available, and turnover is fairly quick.

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).

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.

It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) and Bombardier appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (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, though the line-up on our later visits has been more mainstream (Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale in February 2009, Young's London Gold and Doom Bar in June 2010). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar. A pint of lime and soda was £1.63 in June 2010.

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 board of daily specials as well. 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 (£7.50, recently added to the menu) photo, which was fairly unpleasant, three large chunks of halloumi, battered and deep-fried -- 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.

Although Ewan noted on a November 2009 visit that they appeared to have removed all their screens and were no longer showing sport, on Kake's June 2010 visit the screens had reappeared and they were showing football matches (this may have only been for the duration of the World Cup, though — in July 2010 the place appeared to be TV-free).

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

See also:

Last visited by Ewan and others, 24 February 2011.

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