Cannick Tapps

Opening an underground pub in the summer may not be the brightest of moves. That, and trying to get a foothold in a commuter-rich area where everyone has their favourite after-work watering holes, meant a sparse crowd on our visit. The bar is pleasing to the eye: distressed decor, vintage lighting, split-level with a smattering of neon, and intimate to a point. Beer on tap was disappointing for a ‘craft house’ with around half of the list ‘coming soon’. The bottled range is not extensive but has a few favourites, with the likes of BrewDog and Goose Island represented plus a couple of surprises (an Icelandic pale ale, for example). In truth, it’s not really ‘craft’ but when you’re next to an All Bar One you have to differentiate somehow – closing times of 1am on Thursdays and Fridays will help, but this is likely a slow burner.