The Britannia, Kensington  

Jumping somewhat belatedly on the gastro bandwagon, the Britannia is an early attempt from Young's to cash in on the beer and expensive grub trade. In our opinion there was nothing much wrong with old place, it might have needed a lick of paint here and there, but it was warm, inviting place - the atmosphere helped enormously by the three real fires. However, whether it was a response to competition or an attempt to increase margins, the pub's recently been modernised. Thankfully, the fires are still there, but the decor of the place has been considerably brightened up. Young's excellent beers have been supplemented by continental invaders (eg Leffe) and then there's the appearance of extensive drinks lists - starting with champagne, naturally - on the tables. Brewing appears to have been marginalised in favour of dining and it all sits together rather uncomfortably for us. In the past, the glow of the fires fostered the illusion of giving out much more heat than they actually did - that's part of the charm, but now they're mostly cosmetic detail; the regulars are still there, but you feel they should be a much younger crowd; and small details such as not having a water spray for the Leffe (meaning you get it in a dishwasher-warm glass) start to attract your attention. We're not against modernisation in the slightest, but we really expect a little more finesse from the owners of our top pub of 2005.

reviewed:
14/1/2006

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