The Foresters Arms, Forest Hill, SE23

This pub seems to have something of an identity crisis. In big bold lettering high up on the front wall it is proclaimed to be the “All Inn One”, while above the front window is the name “Foresters”. My guess is that Foresters is probably the original “real” name, while the All Inn One is a sort of re-branding name. Anyway, this is clearly another pub that has been made over to such an extent that all its original pub character has been removed. The exterior is a chocolaty brown colour, and the pub sign is a parody of what it must once have looked like. Most of the interior walls have been painted a dirty grey colour. As you enter, the front bar is bare-boarded and mainly furnished with red leather (or possibly fake leather) sofas with small, low tables. At the back on the right is a carpeted room with wooden tables, and chairs with no padding. The two rooms achieve a contrast. There is a cupboard of some sort by the window in the front of the pub, bearing a variety of magazines for visitors to read, but regrettably London Drinker did not feature among them. On the plus side, they did have three real ales on – Deuchars IPA; Adnam’s Yuletide; and Highgate Brewery Stocking Filler. I had a pint of the Stocking Filler, which was absolutely superb. This is not really the sort of pub I like, but they did have three ales on, and the one I had was excellent and at the wallet friendly price of £2.50 a pint. That’s a big plus.