The aim of 'Capital Pubcheck' is to share information about the latest happenings on I 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.

A fairly quiet month with only two pubs of note reported. A new bar in EC3 City features Adnams beers and the latest Wetherspoon extravagant conversion of a bank has opened in WC2 Chancery Lane (just around the corner from Fuller's ex "Bank of England" pub). Perhaps to finance the latter, eight more Wetherspoon London pubs have been sold to Ambishus, mostly located in N and NW London.

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, CICADA, 132-136 St. John Street. No real ale. Free House/bar in former commercial premises.

EC1, DUST, 27 Clerkenwell Road. No real ale, H unused. Free House/bar in former commercial premises. Some keg Belgian beers available.

EC1, MATCH, 45/47 Clerkenwell Road. No real ale. Free House/bar in former commercial premises.

EC2, MOORGATE ORIENTAL, 45 London Wall. No real ale. Free House/bar and oriental restaurant in former wine bar.

EC3, POET, 20 Creechurch Lane. Adnams: Bitter, Broadside. Courage: Directors Bitter. New Free House featuring Adnams beers opened December 1998 in former club premises. Large ground floor bar, light and airy with pine flooring, light wood furniture, potted plants, yellow and blue painted walls hung with abstract paintings. Food available 12-2.30 includes freshly cooked lunches in basement brasserie. Opens 11-11 Mon-Fri.

WC2, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, 95 Chancery Lane. Courage: Directors Bitter. Fuller: London Pride. Shepherd Neame: Spitfire. Theakston: Best Bitter. 5 Guest beers from micros or regional breweries.. Splendid imposing conversion of a former Nat-West bank into the latest Wetherspoon Free House in London, opened on the last day of March at a cost of £1.3 million. The scroll of the original "Union Bank of London" is retained above the entrance which leads into a grand high ceilinged bar with many decorative features retained and enhanced. A long curved wooden bar counter with brass footrests runs almost the length of one side with a metal sculpture of a knight as its centrepiece. Large long windows with long mirrors hung from the cream painted walls. A variety of seating areas, and tiled and carpeted flooring. Stairs at the rear, topped by a prominent clock, lead to three interconnected non-smoking mezzanine level rooms for quiet and discreet liaisons. There is a disappointing lack of any local history panels or any explanation of the relevance of the 'Knights' theme which the bar staff were also unable to throw any light on. The Templars were a military order of knights founded in the 12th Century who rendered service to the Crown as bankers until dissolved by the Pope in 1312; is this the connection? Food. all permitted hours including weekends -welcome for the area.

NORTH

N7, GEORGE, 9 Eden Grove. Webster: Yorkshire Bitter. (N87)

N12, WISHING WELL, 686 High Road. Ushers: Best Bitter. Is predominantly an Irish bar. (U 144)

NORTH WEST

NW10, BALL & CUE, 120 High Street, Harlesden. No real ale. Free House/bar attached to pool hall, formerly a snooker club.

NW10, CHAMBERS, 64 Chamberlayne Road. No real ale. Irish Free House/bar in former shop premises.

NW10, JAMES JOYCE, 135 High Street, Harlesden. No real ale. Irish Free House/bar in former club premises.

NW10, T. TAVERNA, 97 High Street, Harlesden. No real ale. Free House/bar in former Greek restaurant premises.

SOUTH EAST

SE6, DARTMOUTH, 77 Laleham Road. No real ale, H unused. Contrary to appearances and previous report, it seems the pub has never been closed. (SE67, U120)

SOUTH WEST

SW2, FRIDGE BAR, 1 Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill. Free House. No real ale. Gay bar next to night club of same name.

SURBITON, BUN SHOP, 22 Berrylands Road. Reopened and renamed BRAVE NEW WORLD. Young: Bitter, Special. Guest Beer. Refurbished in café-bar style with emphasis on food. Note that there were no pump clips displayed at time of visit. (SW161)

SURBITON, RISING SUN, 1 Villiers Avenue. Hancock: HB. Reopened and refurbished. (SW162, U140)

PUBS CLOSED OR CEASED SELLING REAL ALE

CENTRAL

EC1, LADY OWEN ARMS. Allied (ex Taylor Walker), now demolished. (E19, U96) EAST El, JOLLY SAILOR. Wells, now demolished and replaced by flats. (E68, U65, U117)

NORTH

N7, BENWELL ARMS. Free House, closed, to let. Formerly MONTAGUE ARMS. (N88, U142)

SOUTH WEST

SW4, ALEXANDRA. Inntrepreneur, H removed. (SW59) SW4, SUN. Bass, H removed. (SW61)

SW9, CHEEKIE CHAPPIE. Bass, closed, signage removed, future uncertain. (SW81)

SW11, PRINCES HEAD. Whitbread, H removed. (SW89)

MORDEN, DR. FEELGOODS. Free House, closed again, boarded up, to let. (SW150, U132, U134)

SURBITON, ROYAL CHARTER.. Inntrepreneur, closed, future uncertain. (SW 162)

OTHER CHANGES TO PUBS & BEER RANGES

CENTRAL

EC1, GATE. +Wadworth: 6X. Adnams Bitter now on H. Formerly LONGROOM. (U116, U144)

EC1, KINGS OF CLERKENWELL. Reverted back to THREE KINGS. -Beers listed. +Boddington: Bitter. +Fuller: London Pride. +Morland: Old Speckled Hen. Now a Free House, ex Grand Met. (Watney). (E26, U72)

EC1, OAKLEY ARMS. Renamed JACK BEARD'S. -Beers listed. +Courage: Best Bitter. (E21)

W1(Mar), VICTORY. +Caledonian: Murrayfield. (W36, U87, U135)

NORTH

N1, MOON UNDER WATER. -Beers listed except Fuller: London Pride. +Courage: Best Bitter (99p), Directors Bitter (labelled as guest beer). +Everard: Tiger. +Smiles: Best Bitter. Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. Recorded music now imposed. Formerly 179 UPPER STREET. (N37, U137)

N7, ALBION, 412 Liverpool Road. Renamed GALLAGHERS. (N85)

N9, LAMB. -Theakston: XB. -Younger: Scotch Bitter. +Courage: Best Bitter (99p). +Guest beer (Bateman: Jolly's Flyer). Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. (N 100)

N11, BANKERS DRAFT. -Beers listed except Courage: Directors Bitter. +Courage: Best Bitter (99p) +Greene King: IPA, Abbot Ale. +Hook Norton: Old Hookey., +Guest beer (Bateman: Jolly's Flyer). Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. (N107, U110)

N21, HALF MOON. Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. Beer range likely to have changed. (N151)

NORTH WEST

NW3, RAILWAY TAVERN. Renamed GARDEN GATE. (N189)

NW10, 2 M'S FREEHOUSE & WINE BAR. Renamed IRENE'S WINE BAR. (N221)

NW10, RAT & CARROT (CROWN), 34 High Street. Reverted to CROWN. (N224, U117)

HARROW, J J MOONS, 20 Broadwalk, Pinner Road, North Harrow. Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. Beer range likely to have changed. (U79)

HARROW, J J MOONS, 3 Shaftesbury Parade, Shaftesbury Avenue, South Harrow. Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. Beer range likely to have changed. (U56, U86)

SOUTH EAST

SE1, BLUE EYED MAID. -Beers listed except Boddington: Bitter. +Marston: Pedigree. +Wadworth: 6X. Renovated in typical con-temporary style with pine flooring and furniture, cream painted walls, ceiling fans and clock. (SE10)

SE18, SHIP. Renamed COMMONER'S REST, still fizz. (SE174)

SE26, PUKKABAR. Renamed TWO HALF'S, still part bar, part curry hall. (U138)

SOUTH WEST

SW4, GOOSE & GRANITE. -House beer. +Draught Bass. (SW60)

SW4, MISTRESS P'S. -Beers listed except Fuller: London Pride. +Wadworth 6X. (SW60)

SW4, PRINCE OF WALES. -Beers listed. +Adnams: Bitter. +Fuller: London Pride. (SW60)

SW4, TIM BOBBIN. -Beers listed except Adnams: Extra, Broadside. +Wadworth: 6X. +3 Guest beers. (SW61)

SW11, PRINCES. Renamed CHURCHILLS. Formerly PRINCES PUZZLE. (SW89, U143)

KINGSTON, LAMB. -Beers listed. +Shepherd Neame: Best Bitter. (SW 143)

NEW MALDEN, DUKE OF WELLINGTON. -Beers listed except Courage: Best Bitter. +Courage: Directors Bitter. (SW151)

WEST

HAYES, MOON UNDER WATER. Acquired by Ambishus from Wetherspoon. Beer range likely to have changed. (U72, U86)