The aim of 'Capital Pubcheck' is to share information about the latest happenings on the London pub scene including new pub and bar openings, name changes, acquisitions, closures, notable changes to beer ranges etc. Cross references to CAMRA's various pub guides covering Greater London are also provided to enable easy updating. Information is gathered from a variety of sources including London Drinker readers, individual CAMRA members and branch contacts, breweries, pub operators, landlords etc.

This month we welcome a new Wetherspoon pub (complete with Bateman's Dark Mild) in E7 Forest Gate, a new Regent Inns pub in SE16 Surrey Quays, the reopening of an historic City tavern in EC1 (used as a café for 50 years), a Fullers 'Fine Line' in EC3 City and a Marston's `Pitcher & Piano' in W1 Mayfair. A number of other new openings, or refurbishments in typical café bar style are bereft of real ale including, disappointingly, two from Greene King. Ridley's have acquired their second pub in Greater London, a backstreet local in E13 Plaistow and have confidently installed their real ale. London's newest microbrewery, Haggards, has opened and its beer can be sampled in SW6 Fulham. The new 9th edition of the Essex Beer Guide was published in November last. Updates will from this issue, cross reference to the new guide. A number of changes reported in recent updates however were too late for inclusion in the guide. For completeness these will be listed again in next month's updates.

The numbers in brackets after each entry refer to the page number in the following guides: E - East London & City Beer Guide, 3rd edition; K - 'Real Ale Drinkers Guide to Kent Pubs' , 8th edition; N - North London Beer Guide, 3rd edition; SE - South East London Pub Guide, 4th edition; 3SE -South East London Pub Guide, 3rd edition; SW - South West London Pub Guide, 2nd edition; W -Real Beer in West London; X - Essex Beer Guide, 9th edition.

NEW & REOPENED PUBS & PUBS CONVERTED TO REAL ALE

CENTRAL

EC1, BLEEDING HEART TAVERN, 10 Greville Street. Adnams: Best Bitter, Broadside. New Free House opened December 1998 in premises originally occupied by the tavern of the same name since 1746 but used by a café since 1946. Owned and run by the owner of the Bleeding Heart Restaurant and Bistro in Bleeding Heart Yard nearby. Ground floor bar decorated in rustic style with bare brickwork and flooring, wooden furniture etc. A mirror is engraved with an old map of the area. The bar fittings include etched glass and coat hooks are provided in front. Stairs lead down to a cellar grill eating area. A welcoming bar with a real pub atmosphere. Open 11 - 11 Mon-Fri (food served until I0.30). Closed weekends.

EC3, FINE LINE, 124-127 Minories. Fuller: London Pride. New Fullers café-bar opened January 1999 on ground floor and in basement of former office building being redeveloped for residential use above. The ground floor comprises an eating area overlooking the spacious main basement bar area approached by stairs. Polished pine floor, cream painted and light bare brick walls, modern light fittings, pine wooden chairs and tables, purple comfy sofas etc. Emphasis on food, wine and cocktails. Piped music. Open 11-11 Mon-Fri, closed weekends.

W1(May), PITCHER & PIANO. 10 Pollen St. Marston: Pedigree. Latest addition to the Marston run chain (presumably now inherited by Wolverhampton & Dudley). Opened December 1998 in former commercial premises, large and spacious with pine wood floors, predominantly yellow coloured decor with splashes of red and blue. Plenty of seating/eating areas, available also for private hire, with sofas and 'fireplaces' off the main bar. Emphasis on food and wine. Disabled access and WC. Opens 12-11 Mon-Sat, closed Sun.

EAST

E3, LITTLE DRIVER, 125 Bow Rd. Adnams: Best Bitter. (E90, U69, U72, U79, U117, U121, U134)

E7, HUDSON BAY, 1-5 Upton Lane. Bateman: Dark Mild (£1.20 a pint); Courage: Directors Bitter; Greene King: Abbot Ale; Theakston: Best Bitter; Guest beers. Large new Wetherspoon Free House opened February 1999 in former Co-op shop premises. A wide frontage with french windows and double doors leading into a large blue carpeted bar with wood panelling, pine furniture and tiled bar area and raised seating area complete with fireplace to the left. The rear no-smoking/eating area leads out to a patio/garden area and beyond to a customers car park. The name relates to a late 18th Century/early 19th Century local landowner who became Governor of the Hudson Bay Company which was active in trading furs and skins in North America. History panels and pictures illustrate the theme. Food, disabled WC. Open all permitted hours. (E135)

E13, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, 101 Cumberland Rd. Ridley: IPA, ESX Best. Free House acquired by Ridleys with the welcome installation of real ale. Friendly two room local. Open all permitted hours. (E135, U143)

NORTH

N10, O'NEILL'S, 291/293 Muswell Hill Broadway. No real ale. Another outlet for the Bass owned `Oirish' chain in former restaurant premises not previously reported.

NORTH WEST

NW1, HA! HA! BAR & CANTEEN, 273/5 Camden High St. No real ale. Yate's owned café-bar, formerly CAFE TOTO but not previously reported.

NW3, BAR CIRCA, 02, Centre, 255 Finchley Rd. No real ale. New Greene King owned cafe-bar in brand new shopping and entertainment complex with not a drop of Greene King draught beer on offer. Caffreys being the only 'bitter' available.

NW3, CUBE BAR, 135 Finchley Rd. No real ale. Music orientated Free House/bar complex in former bank premises.

SOUTH EAST

SE16, QUEBEC CURVE, Mast Leisure Park, Quebec Way, Surrey Quays. Greene King: Abbot Ale; Young: Special. Brand new Regent Inns Free House opened in August 1998 adjacent to leisure park. Yellow brick building built on curve of Quebec Way and Redriff Road, entered from front or via patio area at rear from main car park area. Light wood flooring and furniture, yellow painted ceiling, red carpet and green wood panelling. Large mirror and fireplace at one end. Food until 9pm (8pm weekends). TV, music, disabled WC. Open all permitted hours.

SOUTH WEST

SW6, ATLAS, 18 Seagrave Rd. Draught Bass; Theakston: Best Bitter. (SW65, U142)

SW17, RAMBLE INN, 223 Mitcham Rd. No real ale. Now Irish theme Free House opened December 1998 in former club premises.

PUBS CLOSED OR CEASED SELLING REAL ALE

CENTRAL

EC1, BAILEYS BAR. Reopened and renamed PIRANHA but now closed again, future uncertain. Formerly BILBO BAGGINS. (E12, U76, U85, U121)

EC4, BELL, 6 Addle Hill. Bass, demolished. (E46, U48)

EC4, DANDY ROLL. Whitbread, demolished. (E48)

EC4, POPPINJAY, Bass, now demolished. (E52, U79)

EAST

E1, FISH & RING. Free House, closed, future uncertain. (E65)

E2, THREE LOGGERHEADS. Ascot, now converted to flats, formerly TURTLES. (E85, U98, U99, U119)

E3, TWILIGHT ZONE. Ex Grand Met (Watney), closed. Formerly OUTPOST and previously MELODY PARK INN. (E91, U91, U113)

E10, HOLLY BUSH. Free House, now converted to flats. (E125, U120)

E10, PRINCE OF WALES. Renamed SHOE LACES. Now in the same ownership as BOOT LACES and the LORD CLYDE nearby, Free House, ex Bass, H removed. (E125, U110)

E13, MEMORY LANE. Free House closed and converted to flats July 1998. Formerly RAFFLES. (E136, U69)

E15, THEATRE ROYAL BAR. Free House, H removed. (E155, U128)

E16, NOTTINGHAM ARMS. Ex-Grand Met (Watney), closed, future uncertain (E159).

ROMFORD, ASYLUM 66. Free House, converted to restaurant (X100).

NORTH

N8, BIRD IN HAND. Renamed BLUE BAR CAFE, H removed. Now presumably Free, ex Allied (Taylor Walker). (N93)

N10, HEIGHTS. Free House, converted to restaurant. (N103)

NORTH WEST

NW5, DOLLY FOSSETTS. Renamed O'REILLY'S. H removed. (N198, U109)

NW5, JOLLY ANGLERS. Ex Grand Met (Watney), closed, future uncertain. (N199)

SOUTH EAST

SE8, MANSION HOUSE. Free House, closed. (SE81, U102, U125, U132)

SOUTH WEST

SW6, LORD PALMERSTON. Now PALMERSTON (THE). Greene King, H removed. Refurbished and converted to café-bar. Someone at Greene King has obviously deemed real ale might spoil the image. (SW69)

SW8, CAVENDISH ARMS. Discovery Inns, refurbished, now H removed. (SW76, U141)

SW9, BRADY'S OF BRIXTON. Inntreprenneur, closed, future uncertain. (SW81)

SW18, STAR & GARTER. Allied Domecq, H removed. (SW115)

KINGSTON, LYS. Inntreprenneur, closed, future uncertain, (SW143)

KINGSTON, ROYAL BARGE. Renamed RB's, Allied Domecq. H removed. (SW144)

WEST

W11, STAR. Ex Grand Met (Watney), closed. (W90, U74, U126)

OTHER CHANGES TO PUBS & BEER RANGES

EAST

E11, EAGLE HOTEL. Renamed TOBY CARVERY (SNARESBROOK). - Charrington: IPA; +Stones: Bitter. A pub and restaurant renovation (E128)

E12, RABBITS. Renamed PHAROAHS BAR. Still retains BACKSTAGE name for cabaret bar, originally THREE RABBITS and then LT'S BAR. (E133, U100, U117, U131)

E18, WALL STREET. Renamed HERMANS. Formerly BOAR & THISTLE (E171, U113)

NORTH

N8, HUNGRY HORSE (THE MAYNARD). Reverted to MAYNARD'S ARMS. - beers listed; + Draught Bass; + Greene King: Marsha Greene's Brewery Ale, IPA. (N94, U117)

N10, CAFE TOTO. Renamed HA! HA! BAR & CANTEEN. Acquired by Yates's and added to its café-bar chain. (N103).

NORTH WEST

NW3, GEORGE. Renamed RAT & PARROT. - Younger: IPA; + Theakston: XB. The loss of yet another historic local pub name, once part of the Younger's estate, to meet the requirements of S&N's theme freaks. (N185)

SOUTH WEST

SW6, IMPERIAL ARMS. 577 Kings Rd. - beers listed except Guest beer; + Haggards Imperial Best Bitter (4.2%), brewed at the owners new micro brewery at Nine Elms, SW8. (SW67)

SW11, GREYHOUND. Renamed BUZZE BAR, still fizz. (SW89)

SW11, PRINCES PUZZLE. Now just PRINCES and a Free House. - beers listed except Guest beer. + Marston: Pedigree; + Wadworth: 6X. Name and beer range may change under new ownership. (SW89)

SW15, CRICKETER. Reverted to earlier name CYCLISTS REST. - Flowers: Original Bitter; + Fuller: London Pride. Now a Free House, ex Whitbread. (SW100)

SURBITON, SEAN O'GRADYS. Renamed GROVE. (SW163)