Playing pool

Here's a list of our favourite pool pubs
The Banker, London
Tucked down a side street under the shadow of Cannon Street station we weren't expecting the Banker to be much of a revelation. We were wrong - it's a spacious pub, well lit, with a cracking conservatory area overlooking the river. And there's reasonable outside seating also with river views....
The Landor, London
Just what you want when wandering the wastelands where Brixton and Clapham merge. Sadly, the much-needed refurb has taken place with the result that the knicknacks have gone, replaced by a more gastro-green interior. It's still got the theatre upstairs with regular comedy nights, there's still a...
F3K (Famous 3 Kings), London
Can't find a pub showing the match? Don't give up and go home until you've tried here. With about 15 different screens and feeds from sports channels across the globe it's a pretty fair bet they'll be showing your game of choice. And on big nights, one of the staff comes around regularly to tell...
Big Red, London
This pub, now resplendent on the outside with flames painted on the walls, is a favourite haunt of students from the nearby university and those seeking a more alternative experience on Holloway Road. The subtly lit interior is dominated by a large rectangular bar, which is surrounded on three...
Westbury (ex-Red Lion), London
The Westbury is a brave attempt to civilise this once notoriously rough pub at the bottom end of Kilburn High Road and, so far, it seems to be working. The pub has been extensively refurbished, creating a much more upmarket atmosphere with impressive chandeliers, expensive wallpaper, old...
Polwarth Tavern, Edinburgh
A popular place, particularly with students, the Polwarth Tavern struck us as being neither fish nor fowl. We went in after searching the streets for somewhere to escape a cold, wet evening Edinburgh evening and have a night-cap (it being a stone's throw from a number of guest houses/B&Bs, it's a...
Earl Ferrers, London
It's been a while since we've been out to this one and we're delighted that it's remained a great boozer. Located round the back of Streatham Go-Karting track, on the corner in a grid of Victorian terrace houses, this place oozes an updated but genuine charm that other revamped gastro pubs can...
The Horseshoe, London
That London term 'village' for often apparently undifferentiated bits of the capital suddenly makes sense when you slip away from the trendies cluttering up Clerkenwell Green and find yourself a hundred yards - and possibly - a hundred years away. The Horseshoe could sit happily in any true...
Cairn Hotel, Carrbridge
A small village like Carrbridge often only has room for one pub - any more and there aren't enough people to keep them economically viable - so it's Hobson's choice as far as where you go to drink. In these cases, more often than not, going to the pub can often be a pretty dismal experience....
The Water Poet, London
If you're looking for a smart boozer, you've come to the wrong place, the Water Poet has thrown its heart and soul into the scruffy Bohemian trendy bar look and pulled it off. It's a huge place with rooms seemingly in all directions and even a large outside space - obviously devoted to smoking...
Falgate Inn, Potter Heigham
In an area of natural beauty, it's sadly commonplace to find pubs content to assume that no matter how badly they run their business, new tourists will come back next year and so the cycle continues. The Falgate Inn definitely doesn't fit into this category. Located about half a mile from the...
King Harold, London
Well, the outside's been smartened up and it looks pretty good - the interior's the same old Harold. This large, lively, friendly local shows how it should be done. OK, the beer won't have CAMRA members creaming their jeans, although the only ale appears to be London Pride (although the pump...
Spread Eagle, London
In the shadow of the (closed) Young's Brewery, the Spread Eagle greets you with a great exterior - and doesn't disappoint inside either. From the exceptionally rare entrance awnings to antique mirrors and etched glass, the décor lends a charming old-fashioned atmosphere to the place. We've seen...