Shut up about Barclay Perkins: Impressions of London

Tuesday, 7 July 2026

Impressions of London

I'm just back from a brief weekend trip to London with my son Andrew. The reason: the 70th birthday of Pete, one of my university friends.

But I'm not going to tell you anything about that because it's private. And it's not really beer-related. There was one beery activity: meeting up with Tweedy Pubs for a few pints. I really like his pub videos as they're so well researched. He's also a very amiable chap.

We met in the Queen's Larder. A new pub to me. It's odd I've never been in, as it's close to where I usually stay in London. A rather nice pub, too. With decent cask beer. I really enjoyed the Tim Taylor's Landlord. A beer which sometimes isn't looked after that well in London.

The Queen's Larder. A corner pub in an 18th-century brick building. People are standing or sitting at picnic tables outside. In the background is the garden of a square.

I had planned to take Andrew to the Blind Beggar. But we got stuck in 'Spoons. As you do. Andrew has a very soft spot for 'Spoons. Probably because I took him and his brother Alexei into them so often when they were younger.

The UK is still a nightmare if you have kids. You've no idea from the outside whether they're allowed in a pub. That's why Wetherspoon's pubs are a godsend. They always let children in. I also knew that I can afford to buy all three of us meals and get a pint for me. And a couple of double whiskies. I needed to calm my nerves when out and about with the kids.

Shakespeare's Head is a pretty typical Spoons.Other than that the toilets are easily accessible. Not hidden away in some far corner, up a couple of flights of stairs and along a 50-metre corridor. I sweat it took me 10 minutes to walk to the bogs in the one in Dublin city centre.

A pub table with three glasses on it. In the foreground a pint of Greene King Abbot and a tumbler of whisky, in the middle ground is a pint of Stowford Press. In the background part of an HP Sauce bottle is visible.

We ate in "Spoons a couple of times. Because it was cheap and easy. The fish and chips I had were pretty decent. And very well-priced for the centre of London. The mnushy peas were way better than some I've had in chip shops recently. Like the otherwise wonderful A 1 Fish Bar back home.

Though it was much more expensive than the branches outside London. My pints of Abbot were a bit over a fiver. Last autumn in Folkestone 'Spoons it was about three quid cheaper.

Wetherspoon's small fish and chips. A small piece of battered fish, chips and a small tub of mushy peas.

It was a bit hot in London. Not too bad though. Other than in our hotel room. Oh well. I had some whisky to cool me down.

Our flight back was pretty late. Landing around 23:30. Later than I like, really. It was a little after midnight when we tumbled through our front door. No Dolores. She was already in bed. No tea, either.

Almost forgot. I had a fried breakfast both mornings. Bacon, egg, tomato. The perfect start to the day. I thought you'd like to know that. Here's a photo: