The Tankard, Lambeth, SE11

A single floor-boarded bar with basic wooden furniture, a tiled food counter at one end and a miserable young hag pretending to be a barmaid.  Having said that, a second young barmaid was much more pleasant.  Food was ok, basic bar food but not cheap.  Ales on were Scrumdog Millionaire’s Old Flax Store and London Brewing Company’s Flying the Mags, plus there were a few craft beers which you could buy in thirds on a paddle, and a fruit cider on draft. The beer was in good condition and very cheap for London.   It was quite noisy, the music was much too loud and the seating wasn’t that comfortable.  Probably OK during the day for lunch and a pint or two if visiting The Museum. 

Now part of the Draft House chain.Now painted bright red.Long rectangular bar with a jazzed up interior.Lots of windows so bright interior.Lots to like about this pub.Two cask beers from Sambrookes and Siren( so Rex can come back again).10 kegs including 2 great beers in Wiper and Tue -blossom and Neon Raptor-endangered.Thirds available on keg.

There's no real ale here, nor any bitter of any kind. There are just some standard lagers, the best of which I would assess as the classic Spanish gem "Estrella", or perhaps the Beck's Vier (£2.05 a half). I don't know about food as there were no menus on tables on Wednesday afternoon, although there were "shot" and cocktail lists on them. The furnishings here are fairly elegant, being two or three good quality tall tables/tall stools, a cluster of sofas down one end, and a few normal tables and chairs. The ceiling's painted a muddy brown colour, and most walls are painted khaki with a bit of exposed brickwork. Being nearly Christmas we have here a pink(!) Christmas tree and flashing fairy lights along the bar counter. The tables all have candles on them; there's a display of oriental fans and parasols on one of the pillars; assorted prints and gilt framed mirrors adorn the walls; and the varnished bare-boarded floor has a couple of good quality rugs to break up the space. It's that sort of place – typical of the Grand Union chain. This is more cocktail lounge than pub. But without the pink Christmas tree, flashing fairy lights, and tinsel around the tables, it would be a fairly comfortable room, but in the absence of a decent ale I can't see me coming back.