Princess Louise, 208 High Holborn

This must be one of the finest examples of a Victorian Gin Palace in London. The walls are covered in wooden panelling which has been inlaid with etched glass and highly decorative tiles. The ceiling, propped up by ornate cast iron columns, is a riot of red and gold. On our visit the place was packed full of people all thronging around the large horseshoe-shaped bar. It was absurdly packed for a Tuesday evening, although the weather outside was particularly nasty. Getting a drink was quite a challenge. All available space at the bar was taken and I was confined to a position behind the main crush of bodies. Fortunately the eagle eyed bar staff spotted me and I was soon asked what I'd like to drink. I spied the familiar names of Brewery Bitter and Ayingerbrau Lager and gladly parted with £1.60 of my hard earned cash in exchange for a pint of their finest bitter. The price was excellent for a pub with such a central location, although not altogether unexpected for a Sam Smiths establishment. There is a room upstairs, which on our visit had been hired out for a book launch. It's good to see a pub doing so well, especially one which is such an enduring example of Victoriana.

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