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.

New openings reported this month include the latest Wetherspoons in Bromley, a Yates's Wine Lodge in SW11 Battersea and an ex-Marstons fizz Pitcher & Piano in SW17 Tooting. The Freedom Brewing Co of SW6 has bought the Soho Brewing Company American style brewpub in WC2 Covent Garden. A Dublin micro-brewery has bought a pub in SW9 Brixton but so far it dispenses no real ale. A new Kent pub guide (10th edition) has recently been published but, unlike the previous (8th) edition which, in addition to Kent proper, also covered all the districts within Greater London with Kent postal addresses, this one only includes pubs within the London Borough of Bexley (including, confusingly, three pubs in London postal districts). It is not entirely clear what happened to the 9th edition! Any additions, deletions or significant changes to pubs in LB Bexley not already reported in the Updates are included in the listings below. Next month the Updates will begin cross-referring to the new guide for pubs in LB Bexley but will continue to cross-refer to the 8th edition for all other pubs with Kent postal addresses in Greater London (mainly in LB Bromley).

In addition, cross-referencing will continue, as now, to the 3rd edition of the SE London guide which was the last guide to cover comprehensively all outer SE districts including those in the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley and Croydon. 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, BARONG, Units 1&2, 104-122 City Rd. Free House. No real ale. A bar & restaurant in former commercial premises.

NORTH WEST

NW6, CARLTON TAVERN, 33A Carlton Vale. Draught Bass. (N204)

SOUTH EAST

SE26, FOX & HOUNDS, 150 Kirkdale. Courage: Best Bitter. (SE222)

SE26, TALMA, 109, Wells Park Rd. Boddington: Bitter (SE224)

BEXLEY, CAFE LORCA, 61 Bexley High St. No real ale. A bar/cafe in former commercial premises.

BROMLEY, PARISA, 3/5 High St. No real ale. Second London outlet opened in converted shop for Warrington based café-bar chain with at least one brewpub in SW15 Putney which supplies this pub with its two beers kept under gas pressure - Silver Ale (4.2%) and Pilsner lager (5.0%). Open from 8am for breakfast and all permitted hours.

BROMLEY, WETHERSPOONS, 23 Westmoreland Place. Boddington: Bitter (guest); Courage: Directors Bitter; Fuller: London Pride; Hop Back: Summer Lightning (guest); Shepherd Neame: Spitfire; Theakston: Best Bitter, +2 Guest beers from micro-breweries. Large Wetherspoon free house opened late August in former bed shop, originally a supermarket, under office block, opposite Bromley South station. Entered by double doors either at the front or from a side courtyard, the L-shaped unit has been subdivided by raised seating areas at front and rear and features a rather garish orange lit bar and some copper clad decorations. Dark wood panelled and cream painted walls are topped by a dark blue ceiling. 'Dusty books' are liberally sprinkled around the walls with a bank of electronic games in an alcove. No smoking area at rear. Some nicely presented local history panels featuring former local bigwigs are the only redeeming decorative feature. Not one of Wetherspoons' better efforts and perhaps the unimaginative choice of name reflects the lack of any real effort to create an identity in what remains a rather anonymous concrete box. Food, disabled WC. Open all permitted hours.

SOUTH WEST

SW9, COACH & HORSES, 443 Coldharbour Lane. Reopened and renamed ISO BAR. No real ale. Run by the Dublin Brewing Company and sells four bottled beers from Irish micros. Draught beer may follow. (SW82, U141)

SW11, YATES'S WINE LODGE, 278-288 Lavender Hill. Boddington: Bitter; Courage: Directors Bitter. Latest Yates's free house, opened July 1999 in former furniture shop premises. Typical decor with polished wood and carpeted areas. Mainly tables and chairs with some bar stools around high tables. Food and no smoking area to 7pm only. Live music at times. Wheelchair access by lift next to main entrance. Open all permitted hours.

SW17, PITCHER & PIANO, 11 Bellevue Rd. No real ale. Former brasserie converted in 1998 by Marstons but not previously reported. Now inherited by Wolverhampton & Dudley.

WEST

W12 VESBAR, 15-19 Goldhawk Rd. No real ale. A café bar in former shop premises. Sells Belgian keg beers. Apparently a Fullers pub, although there is no indication of this fact either externally or internally.

PUBS CLOSED OR CEASED SELLING REAL ALE

NORTH

N1, DUKE OF YORK, 24 Wenlock St. Free House, converted to flats in 1997 but not previously reported. (N42)

NORTH WEST

NW6, BRONDESBURY ARMS. ex-Grand Met (Watney), closed and boarded up, future uncertain. (N204)

NW6, PRINCE OF WALES, 101 Willesden Lane. S&N. No real ale. (N205)

NW6, RED LION. ex-Grand Met (Watney). No real ale (N206)

WEALDSTONE, RAILWAY HOTEL. ex-Grand Met (Watney), closed and boarded up, future uncertain. (W156, U68, U86)

SOUTH EAST

SE2, HARROW INN. ex-Grand Met (Courage). No real ale. (SE43)

SE26, DUKE OF EDINBURGH. Whitbread. No real ale. (SE222)

BELVEDERE, GREAT HARRY. Free House. No real ale. (3SE207. U86, U98)

BEXLEY, BLACK PRINCE. Bass. H unused. (3SE208, U43, U86)

BEXLEY, OLD MILL. S&N. H unused. (3SE210, U59, K40, U107)

BEXLEYHEATH, DUKE OF EDINBURGH. ex-Grand Met (Courage), demolished for new retail development (3SE212, U46, K40)

BEXLEYHEATH, WILLIAM CAMDEN. Whitbread. No real ale. (3SE214. K41)

CRAYFORD, DUKE OF WELLINGTON. ex-Grand Met (Watney). No real ale. (3SE231, K67)

CRAYFORD, WHITE SWAN_ Free House, demolished for new retail park. (3SE232, K205, U86)

CROYDON, WISEGUYS. Club. closed and boarded up. (U140)

ERITH, BOUNDARY. ex-Grand Met (Courage). No real ale. (3SE 254, U47, K202, U86)

ERITH, CORNER PIN. Free House. No real ale. (3SE254, U60, U85, K81, U86)

ERITH, PHEASANT. Free House (Labatts). No real ale. (3SE255, U47. K82, U98)

ERITH, ROYAL ALFRED, ex-Grand Met (Courage). No real ale. (3SE256, U42, K82, U86)

SIDCUP, IRON HORSE. Inntrepreneur (ex-Courage). No real ale. (3SE273, U64, K203, U86)

SIDCUP, RED LION. Whitbread. No real ale. (3SE273, U60, K154)

SLADE GREEN (ERITH), LORD RAGLAN. ex-Grand Met (Courage). No real ale. (3SE255, K204, U86)

WELLING, LORD KITCHENER. Bass. No real ale. (3SE287, K178)

WELLING, MOON & SIXPENCE. Whitbread, H removed. Formerly STATION. (3SE287, U74, K178)

WELLING, OLD NAGS HEAD. Whitbread. No real ale. (3SE287, U47, K178)

SOUTH WEST

SW16, BRASS FARTHING. Reverted to SUSSEX (not SUSSEX TAVERN). Whitbread. No real ale. (SW105)

SW18, FRENCH'S WINE BAR. Free House, closed, future uncertain. (SW111)

SW18, ROUNDHOUSE. H removed. Renamed CAFE MED, a 'bar & grill' ; now a free house run by Cafe Med group, ex-Inntrepreneur (SW114)

SW19, HAYDONS. Allied, closed and boarded up, future uncertain. (SW117)

WEST

W4, FEATHERS TAVERN. ex-Grand Met (Watney), closed and boarded up, future uncertain. (W68, U94)

W12, SHEPHERD & FLOCK. Free House. No real ale. (W92, U83))

OTHER CHANGES TO PUBS & BEER RANGES

CENTRAL

WC2, SOHO BREWING CO. Renamed FREEDOM. Brewpub acquired by the Freedom Brewing Co. of Fulham, SW6. The beers brewed on site remain as previously listed, with the addition of Freedom Pilsner lager. All still served under gas. (U135)

WC2, THEODORE BULLFROG. -Wadworth: 6X; +Adnams: Broadside; +Brakspear: seasonal beer (£2.40). (W56, U139)

NORTH

N1, DUKE OF WELLINGTON, 71 Nile St. -beers listed; +Ushers: Best Bitter. Now a Free House, ex-Grand Met (Courage). (N41, U109)

N1, VICTORY. Renamed JACK BEARD'S, now owned by growing chain, ex-Phoenix, still fizz, H unused despite pump clips to the contrary. (N61, U112)

NORTH WEST

NW6, McGARVEYS. Renamed DUKE O'ROURKE'S. (N205)

NW6, SHAMROCK. Renamed SHENANIGAN'S. (N207)

SOUTH EAST

SE2, BARGE POLE -beers listed; +Whitbread: Best Bitter. (SE43)

SE26, FERRET & TROUSER LEG. Reverted to DOLPHIN. (SE222, U107)

BELVEDERE, OLD LEATHER BOTTLE. Now simply LEATHER BOTTLE. (3SE207, K38)

BEXLEY, MILLERS ARMS. -beers listed; +Courage: Best Bitter. Acquired by Inn Business from Man Taverns. (3SE210, U103, K40)

BEXLEYHEATH, ROYAL OAK. -beers listed except Courage: Best Bitter; +Guest beer. (3SE213, U59, K41)

CROYDON, COOL ROOM. Reverted to CARTOON. (3SE237, U52, U55, U114, U131)

WELLING, WE ANCHOR IN HOPE. -Courage: Directors Bitter. (3SE287, K178, U107)

SOUTH WEST

SW1(W), BARLEY MOW. -beers listed; +Courage: Best Bitter, Directors Bitter; +Harveys: Best Bitter; +Shepherd Neame: Spitfire; +Young: Bitter. (SW47)

SW12, CLOUSEAUS. Renamed BALHAM TUP. -beer listed; +Adnams: Bitter. Latest addition to the Tup chain, ex-Bass. (SW91)

SW16, MITCHAM MINT. -beers listed; +Marston: Pedigree. (SW108)

SW18, LE GOTHIQUE. +Young: Special. (SW113)

SW18, ROSE & CROWN. +Weston: Old Rosie Scrumpy (G). Formerly GLEESON & SONS CORNER HOUSE. (SW112, U141)

SW19, HAND & RACKET, renamed HOGSHEAD. -Castle Eden Ale: -Gales: HSB; -Greene King: Abbot; -Bulmer: Old Hazy Cider; +Morland: Old Speckled Hen; +Wadworth:6X; +Inch’s: Stonehouse Cider. Always a Hogshead pub, now given the corporate image. Loss of an original name and associated artefacts is regrettable, although the refurbishment itself makes the pub brighter and more welcoming. One guest beer on handpump and up to four on stillage behind bar (only one available on inspector’s visit). (SW117)

MITCHAM, BURN BULLOCK. +Marston: Pedigree; guest beers. Now branded a ‘Festival Inn & Tavern’. Two or three guest beers, including family and micro-breweries. (Pilgrim: Crusader and Shepherd Neame: Spitfire available on inspector’s visit). (SW145)

MITCHAM, CROWN INN. -Courage: Directors. (SW145)

MITCHAM, GOAT. +Guest beer (Hickey 3KB on visit). Open 11-11 (12-4; 7-10.30 Sun). (SW145)

MITCHAM, HOP PICKERS. Now operated by Enterprise Inns, ex-Chapmans. -beers listed; +Courage: Best Bitter. Now open all permitted hours. (SW146, U146)

MITCHAM, MILL HOUSE. -Morland: Old Speckled Hen; -Whitbread: Best Bitter; +Wadworth: 6X. Beer range may vary. Open 11.30-11 (12-10.30 Sun). (SW147)

MITCHAM, QUEENS HEAD, 70 Cricket Green. Now a Shepherd Neame pub, exGreene King. -beers listed; +Shepherd Neame: Bitter, Best Bitter. (SW147)

MITCHAM, RAVENSBURY ARMS. Now open all permitted hours. (SW147, U146)

MITCHAM, SURREY ARMS. -Greene King: Abbot. (SW147)