Drink and be merry NOW with boozers at least you

24th September 1976, Page 191

24th September 1976

Page 191

Page 192

Page 191, 24th September 1976 — Drink and be merry NOW with boozers at least you

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might think that Earls Court would be pretty much run of the mill. Sorry, wrong again.

For there is just as big a ,choice of pubs as there is of places to eat — and often the two overlap.

Kicking off with houses for the hardened drinkers, who are more interested in the ale than the food.. there are two "real beer" pubs within eight minutes walk (all carefully timed, but it seemed quicker on the way back) of the Show.

If you come from up north and think that southern beer is a bit on the weak side then the Warwick Arms, Warwick Road, could be an eye opener. • Ifs a Fullers pub and has hand-pulled ESB on tap. For the uninitiated Fullers is a London brewery and its Extra Special Bitter is the strongest draught bitter in Britain!

The ESB costs 32 pence a pint and the Warwick also has London Pride bitter at 27 pence and for the faint hearted ordinary bitter at 25 pence. Food (what sacrilege) is of the ham rolls and meat pies variety.

There is some old-fashioned atmosphere about the Warwick Arms and just a few doors along is another honest London pub, the Britannia Tap.

This is a Youngs house, another London brewery, and again a good pint can be had. Its a one-bar boozer with friendly service and good bar snacks. Ordinary bitter is 28p a pint.

Both these pubs are well frequented by the locals and are far enough from the exhibition hall to be almost free of crowds and those familiar Show faces. Turn left coming out of the Warwick Road entrance to Earls. Court arid keep going, over Cromwell Road and past the car park. The walk should give you a thirst.

The Duke of Richmond in Earls Court Road (opposite II Palio Di Siena, see the map) has topless go-go dancers performing right through lunch time.

Get there early if you want a seat up by the stage! And you might as well make the most of it with lager at 40p a pint.

It's a comfortable pub and food is also served. Cottage pie sets you back 45p and when I called (what a hard life) there was also liver and onions and beef chasseur on the menu.

Surprisingly enough there is also a garden bar in the Richmond where you can take the kids.

Come out of the exhibition's West Brompton doors and you .soon find yourself in Lillie Road, which boasts a number of pubs including the Lillie Arms, the

Prince of Wales (which has a restaurant) and the Imperial.

At the point where Lillie Road becomes Old Brompton Road, opposite the West Brompton tube station, is The Tournament. This Whitbread house is well known and used by Show regulars.

It has a military theme with a Great War decor and has an upstairs dining room with a wide ranging menu at reasonable prices.

Other boozers in the area include the Prince of Teck (Earls Court Road, corner of Kenway Road) which has a dining room on the first floor with daily "specials"; the Lord Ranelagh, in Old Brompton Road, which is a disco pub that also serves pub food; the Earls Court Tavern, Earls Court Road, which has a restaurant open for lunch and dinner.

Cheers.