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Betjeman Arms, St Pancras International Station

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user reviews of the Betjeman Arms, St Pancras International Station

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

The convenience aspect of the place is the only thing going for it. Four staff behind the bar three 'doing stuff' behind the bar and one serving who was dealing with someone who had 'card issues' in trying to settle their bill. Once that was completed they then decided to have a natter to the other staff 'doing stuff'. Once eventually served then £5.20 for an iffy pint of Trumans. Okay for sitting out and watching the Eurostar arrive but if you have time and want a decent (and more reasonably priced) pint it's best avoided.
Snarling_Mallard - 13 Jun 2019 11:38
Refurb seems to have been something behind the scenes as it hasn't changed in the main bar area. Quality of ale is still not great. One thing that has changed is the ever upward spiral of the price of a pint - now £5.25 for a mediocre pint of Mad Goose.
Snarling_Mallard - 19 Mar 2019 12:50
The main bar is being refrubed at the moment and there is only a limited range of keg (lagers) available on the concourse area.
Snarling_Mallard - 29 Mar 2018 16:13
Had an absolutely disgusting pint of overly hopped ale (forgot the name) and at £4.90 I felt like I had been abused. Lacks atmosphere. Only saving grace is that St Pancras is full of poncy French places so at least you get some semblance that you are in Britain. Best go so one of the other pubs nearby outside the station if you can.
Richard_ReadingFC - 9 Aug 2017 15:55
Nice pint of Hammerton N7, however the overall feel is of an overpriced food led operation. OK for a swift pint en route to elsewhere, but wouldn't want to stay longer.
Aztecgoat - 24 Sep 2016 20:38
This place has upped its game. Solicitous but not overbearing staff - mainly an army of attractive young types but all of them constantly looking for work. You don't get that everywhere. Beer range is not amazing but it's better than it was and the food looked good. For a train station not bad at all
dryriserinlet - 22 Jun 2016 15:18
The bar has been moved and the ale selection seems wider. The Sambrooks Junction was decent enough on this visit.
anonymous - 5 Jul 2015 01:45
First visit in a few years to the Betjeman Arms yesterday. It was much as I remembered it, with a light and airy interior. Only 2 ales were on - Youngs Ordinary and Stodfold Gold. Sambrooks Junction was added later. Aspalls is the keg cider option. The place opens up early for breakfast. So it is useful if you're waiting for a train. But otherwise, I doubt this would be a destination of choice.
blue_scrumpy - 14 Jun 2015 09:44
Expensive beer and it tasted awful.The Youngs Ordinary had being around too long and the Junction ale was revolting as well.At the prices this place charges they should get it right.Think 4 ales are too many for the volume of trade this place has.Only good thing was the staff were friendly and efficient.
boundsgreenboy - 20 Sep 2014 00:24
We ate in their restaurant part which is lovely. They are trying with their guest beers (two on I think) but the cost, ouch! Great location. So much more British than the champagne bar.
Steamer1 - 26 Jun 2014 21:44
Dropped in here for the first time the other evening about 9pm. Friendly staff and very tasty, well-kept Betjeman Ale but it cost £3.90 for two halves which is frankly too expensive. Still, we would have stayed for another one but for the very loud and unpleasant music being played everywhere so you couldn't get away from it. Why can't pubs put a bit of thought into this and just have speakers in some areas and leave other areas quiet?
Moderate_Nige - 18 Dec 2012 17:36
Pretty good stopping off point while waiting for the train. Miles better than the old Shires Bar!!
LuckyEric - 19 Jul 2012 11:25
While waiting for my Eurostar voyage, drank a pint of Atlantic from Sharp's. Beer was topped up, without asking, but at 3.75�, I think that's normal... Place was full, even outside and in station hall. Toilets are still well hidden.
Hommel - 24 Jun 2012 20:42
Visited here recently. The place was very busy but there were plenty of places to sit outside close to the statue. It can get a little drafty out there but wasn't too bad on my visit. There was only 1 ale available- the Betjeman- which tasted ok. The Wasabi peas were hot though a little expensive.
Overall it's a decent place for a drink and compares favourably with other station pubs.
outtamehead - 18 Mar 2012 09:47
The pub is part of Geronimo Inns which was bought by the London pub chain Young & Co in December 2010. There are three cask beers, including the house beer, Betjeman Ale, which is Sharps Cornish Coaster. Serves food and snacks such as Wasabi Peas and a strange sounding black pudding scotch eggs. I was charged a reasonable �1.50 for a half pint of the Betjeman Ale in a jug. The barman topped it up without being asked, though it was still a short measure due to the head. Shrug. I'd rather be charged �1.50 for a short measure, than �2.00 for right to the top and the head slopping down the glass.

The bar is OK. Don't look at the ceiling and the place feels quite reasonable. Decent enough place that I'd be comfortable to visit again.
SilkTork - 12 Mar 2012 22:49
Prices have shot up, guest beers are more often off than on. Takes advantage of thirsty travellers who are early for their trains.
rob372 - 7 Mar 2012 20:38
off to france for the weekend so popped here for a bite and a bt of wine with the wife,had one of the best meals since i started to live in london ,it was top notch also had a pint youngs which i am never really keen on and sure enough it was bland and warm isnt it always? well done the manager here 1st class service a great start to a great weekend.
beerman44 - 28 Feb 2012 08:03
Popped in upon our arrival at St Pancras. Nice pint of Youngs at �3.70 which ain't too high in price considering a big station. The layoutof the place could have been better.
ng10 - 5 Dec 2011 20:28
Had a couple of good pints there yesterday whilst waiting for a train. Sharps Doombar (what a rarity!). Bombadier and the house beer brewed by Sharps. �3.30 a pint not unreasonable for London. Service was very good - but it was only 1100 and there were about 15 staff wandering around! Background music in the bar rather too loud but adequate seating outside. Worth popping into if in the area but not worth travelling there specially for.
cheshirecat - 3 Sep 2011 07:52
I had a decent pint of Waggledance here a week or so ago. For a station bar the place is pretty good. Certainly a lot better than the Boadicea @ Charing Cross!
Having said that I do agree with mcroyal's comments regarding the "sourced market" at the other end of the terminal. However they seem to close about 9pm. Too early for my liking.
The service can be a little indifferent at the Betjeman. I guess it depends on who is behind the bar.
Overall it's worth a look if you've got half an hour or so to kill.
outtamehead - 17 Jul 2011 01:23
I think this is now a Wells & Young's bar after a recent take-over of Geronimo Inns hence the Young's beers suddenly appearing on the bar. The "house beer" by Sharps was still available and the pub is still handy for the station (we used it before going on Eurostar) but it is getting pricey and service can be a bit off-hand (we are so busy sir we don't really need your one pint of bitter) kind of attitude.
Try the "Sourced Market" stall bar at the other end of the terminal (by the National Rail ticket office) This now sells cask beers as well as a great range of food stuffs.
mcroyal - 7 Jul 2011 20:54
My third visit last weekend and my third disappointment. This time the Young's Special was served really warm. The gruff (they are always gruff and surly here) bloke behind the bar said all their beers are kept at that temperature. No apology for pouring a ghastly (�3.65!) pint, but I did get my money back. There are plenty of great pubs near the station, so, if you like real ale, properly kept and served, I suggest you go to one of them.
angstgoblin - 24 May 2011 16:56
Still as poor as it has been the Betlemam ale ( now from Sharps ) was insipid. ...but if you have 12 minutes wait on a train it is handy.
anonymous - 16 May 2011 00:21
Great food, very cheerful young barmaid and the ale even came in glass tankards. Seating to the front, near Euston Road, within the main station building... or the best of all: to the rear, in the wonderful Victorian trainshed itself! 10/10
dpaajones - 1 May 2011 13:50
I just missed one train and with 20 minutes before the next and fancying a pint I thought I would give the place another go..... and at the third time of asking at last a decent pint (Wandle Junction) and at �3.60 for a pint pretty much what you expect to pay in Central London these days (and certain outer parts of it as well). I actually wandered round where the other two rooms where and they are much better than the poorly designed main bar area. It still isn't really somewhere I'd want to spend much time but I will now keep it in mind as an option when I have a short wait on the train that precludes me form nipping to the King Charles.
anonymous - 9 Mar 2011 17:52
Had a few late ones in here and some early evening ones and have no complaints. Ok some staff are not so chatty but there is a really lovely young girl who works in here (Charlie??) and she is a lovely, nice belgian lagers, great food and some top deep house tunes one Friday around a year ago - Happy days
rimmer69 - 20 Nov 2010 22:56
A dash of relativity needed here I think. Yes its not cheap and yes it is targetted at customers who are, or who think they are, well off. Yet compared to many station bars and pubs this is paradise-I know I'd rather drink in here than The 'Crewe Hero' at Crewe or the Shakespeare at Brirmingham New Street. Then on price on wednesday I paid �5.40 for half a litre of eurofizz in the Avignon station bar, which was a truly horrible fake 'Irish' bar (for some reason Avignon has 3 of them to be sure). Service was OK in the Betjeman the times I've been in. Some people on here have impossibly unreal expectations...........
Corkypunt - 8 Oct 2010 08:57
Sorry the same old moan. Can the owners please arrange some training for their staff. The main issues are that a pint should contain a pint, and a drink or a round should be the same price second time around. Recently when I was there with a small group the ladies had wine and each glass was filled to a different level. And please also serve customers in the order they arrive and not because you fancy them. Grrr!
MikeTheMechanic - 2 Sep 2010 19:23
Being on a station with plenty of passing trade you dont have to try very hard, though being at opposite end of the station to the platforms means you wouldnt walk out of your way to go there unless it was worth the effort. This pub doesnt seem to try very hard but uses its "gastro" credentials to charge even more and still not try very hard. I've visited maybe half a dozen since it opened and generally been quite diappointed. Surely the most annoying feature is the open plan kitchen which means no matter where you sit there is a strong whiff of whatever's cooking permeating the entire pub - ie fish.... Drinks wise the choice is rather poor, ales incude house beer by Sharps, Adnams and Fullers, very rarely anything interesting or over 4% The guest beer was Greene King on my last visit, how unusual (not) The pub holds occasional beer festivals which i have to say are quite good - but they dont publicise them other than at St Pancras Station - they dont bother putting anything on their web site to help spread the word. Food - i've only tried a bowl of chips and they were no great shakes and not cheap - would recommend Smithy's winebar close by to enjoy proper chips. This pub is nearly always busy - making most of its trade in its dining room from monied commuters and trapping unwary tourists. So just about worth a quick half if your gasping and passing but there are plenty of places close by that do the things this pub tries to do an awful lot better - i shouldnt name drop but the nearby Compass in Penton Street is a good example.
moclips2002 - 29 Aug 2010 12:58
I'm not usually a fan of station pubs - they don't have to try and are often pretty dire places. I came to this pub because I was meeting people and expected to move on.

But what a pleasant surprise. A good range of ales. I had a very respectable Sambrooks Wandle. I didn't have any food, but what I saw on other tables looked appetising.

I ended up staying for the evening and the party I was meeting enjoyed the atmosphere under the beer garden style awnings in the courtyard near the Eurostar platforms. The "outside" bar is a useful idea.

This is my number one station bar - but the competition is pretty weak.
alexw123 - 13 Aug 2010 14:18
Always try to call in after a day out before the train home. Interesting to see recently opened "Revolution" beer on.
Leicesterbeer - 14 May 2010 11:50
My second visit in the past two weeks and again no beer !
Sort out the stock control or scrub the real ale signs . Nice looking restaurant though.
rob372 - 26 Apr 2010 12:12
This place just gets worse. �5.40 for a pint of Adnam's Stout and a cup of tea. The Stout was pretty dire and the missus even took the tea back. The ale choice was just the Betjeman and the stout. Compared to the rest of the station the layout and design of this place is just pure garbage - surely a Victorian edifice such as this deserves a proper Victorian style pub ? Doubt they care as there will always be sufficient passing trade regardless of how poor the quality of what is on offer or high the prices may be.
anonymous - 3 Apr 2010 23:19
Very acceptable railway pub. Always has at least three ales on pump, including a novelty, Sharp's Betjeman, which is rather good. Always worth sitting out on the upper concourse to watch the Eurostar, though the heaters are not sufficiently effective. It is business-like. I agree with some of the comments already posted, and recall having to ask for a pint I had paid for after it hadn't appeared for ten minutes, but this is hardly uncommon in a pub without apparent long-term staff, is it? I can not think of a better station pub in London, and only the King Charles I is clearly superior in the Kings Cross area.
BitterShurn - 22 Mar 2010 19:46
Worth seeking out if you have time before a train. Adnams was well served and the staff were quick and served people in order which is a welcome change.

nickthefish - 15 Feb 2010 08:23
Yay! I got a full pint!

Still got the door you can't open with beer in your hands, which seems like a really silly idea, but I'm not an architect...

Barmen fighting over the handpumps to pour ale fast enough is a first in my experience for a station pub.


london_drunker - 11 Feb 2010 21:09
Had a very insipid pint of Hardy & Hanson (Greene King) Rocking Rudolph at an eye watering �3.40 here the other day. The Sharps Betjeman was of a better quality and price at �3.00.
Service is hit and miss, but generally ok. Staff are mostly Eastern European from what I could gather.
Clientelle vary from lads tanking up on lager prior to taking the Eurostar to families having a snack.
Only worth visiting if you've time to kill waiting for a train in my opinion.
Steve45 - 1 Jan 2010 15:29
Its an okay pub, very smart inside but even when the building is full of character, the actual pub itself lacks much.

Probably due to clientele wanting a bar more than anything.

Half of it is now given over to dining which is a shame, BUT, I had the best pint of Adnams Bitter here that I have ever tasted.

And thats worth the score on its own.
Benslow - 20 Nov 2009 15:03
It's about a year since I reviewed this pub. At that time I commented on the variable prices. Since then I have popped in about every six weeks or so mainly because it is convenient. As many people have commented the prices are all over the place. I have payed anything betwen �2-75 and �3-20 for a pint of Betjemans. And to this the short measures and it can be quite frustrating. When I travel from London Bridge the Oast House is just a station bar but the prices are stable and the measures full! A friend ahas commented that the wine prices do the same. One evening there was a beer festival. My pint was off and they did replace it with something else, but despite other people saying it was off they insisted it was OK! Someone needs to sort this place out. A destination NO just an average station bar!
MikeTheMechanic - 7 Nov 2009 15:34
Really very reasonable new station bar, with a nice back courtyard arrangement backing onto the St Pancras terminus. Not a great selection if I'm honest - Holt's Mild (average), Sharp's Betjeman Ale (reasonable) and Adnams Bitter (off) but if I was waiting for a train I would certainly come here for a cheeky couple.
ChrisP87 - 24 Oct 2009 00:20
I spotted Meantime Pale on draught - something I hadn't seen before... but was soon dismayed by the pint of murk being proffered towards me. They valiantly tried again but to no avail... there was no clear side to the Meantime - it was all murk. Had the Doom Bar stuff instead, which was drinkable. There does seem to be a sliding scale of prices as it seems to be different whenver I have been here. Although it appears pleasant enough there is no pub ambience and it isn't somewhere you would want to stay longer than the wait for your train (which is what most people are doing in the place).
anonymous - 11 Oct 2009 13:24
I was charged �3.00 for a Sharps Betjeman on Saturday! How ugly must I be , if steve2905's premise is followed!
oftenscore6 - 10 Aug 2009 12:18

Very interesting. The staff seem to charge different prices. Maybe it is the time of day or maybe it is beacause I am better looking guy than trainman !!!

We called in the Betjeman Arms for a pint last evening whilst waiting for the train home after watching my son-in-law performing on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square and I was only charged �2.90 a pint for the Sharp�s Betjeman. It was not a bad pint either. It was a pleasant ending to a pleasant day.

Certainly a definite improvement on the old Shires. My wife wouldn�t be seen dead in the Shires but she really enjoyed sitting outside on the concourse under the magnificent roof.

I cannot comment about the food or the toilets as we bought some sandwiches from M&S and used the toilets on the EMT train ...


steve2905 - 14 Jul 2009 16:34
Idiot manager/supervisor person did his best, yesterday, to prove himself completely unsuited to a job in a service industry.
My pal bought me a pint of something badged as Sharps Betjeman & mentioned to me, as an aside, that the price had changed in the 5 mins since he got his - �2.95 from �2.98. So, when I went back for two more, I knew that the requested �7.40(!) couldn't be correct. Turned out that the barman had given me a Pride & a Betjeman, this was corrected & the idiot supervisor took the correct money (now 2 @ �2.95) saying never mind it's sorted now. When he was light-heartedly asked how much that made the Pride (s/be �3.25 apparently), & that the charge would still have been way wrong, he took a very aggressive stance, snapping 'Well everyone makes mistakes!' Yes, IDIOT, I know that, but they should be rectified with some contrition, not confrontation, arsehole.
trainman - 14 Jul 2009 14:11
What would you expect from a pub at a station. Well I think it suits the revamp of St pancras , its trying to offer something a better than the average. The Sunday roast looked great. Didn't try the ale this time, went for the Aspells ciders which was great, sat outside and admired the architecture. Remember this sites former incarnation, urrgh, enjoy the new style.
rob372 - 29 Jun 2009 08:37
The only thing going for this pub is the outside seating where you can admire the magnificent soaring arches and watch the trains coming and going to Europe. The interior of the pub is very oddly laid out indeed. To the left, as you enter, is the kitchen, chefs in full view. The bar is set further back. There are two large rooms for dining to the left of the bar. The gents toilets are a joke - two urinals and one cubicle in a pub that could potentially cater for a few hundred people is ridiculous!
London Pride and Betjeman Ale on tap. The dreaded sparkler was applied to my Pride, instantly killing it.
I will continue to pay the occasional visit, if only for the aforementioned outside seating.
holbornboy - 2 Jun 2009 11:11
They've done a good job on this place when you consider its predecessor The Shires. Good real ale choice. They even have beer and cider festivals in the outside bar at times. Take a look at the Victorian dining room on your way to the toilets.
nobbythesheep - 10 May 2009 21:32
Still unimpressive. Costly and the service is distinctly variable.
meurglys_iv - 25 Apr 2009 12:08
Reviewer mally rightly acknowledges the tendency here to serve "short measure".
This has been my experience upon every visit.
Having said that, the staff will top-up your pint if you ask, and ask you should. I was told the other day to wait untit the barman had served somebody else, which actually worked in my favour, as my beer had settled a littIe more by then!
79Thatcherite - 19 Apr 2009 23:34
Generally moving in the right direction despite slightly haughty staff having a tendency to serve short measured 'pints'. But effort to promote decent ale via their beer festivals is most welcome.
mally - 31 Mar 2009 22:02
Pub with several different faces, on the inside that is. Good place for one drink and a meal in between trains, as it's not cheap. Food is OK, but nothing special; and 9 knockers for a proper fish and chips with a little bowl of mushy peas (like an icecream) is too much. But then that is what we travellers are supposed to pay for the comfort of arriving in the heart of London, isn't it. Ah, Hole in the Wall next to Waterloo Station with your great London characters, hearty food, live football and six or seven ales - sometimes I long back to you...
Marco_Daane - 22 Mar 2009 11:51
A good pub as a station boozer. Ale is kept reasonably well.
KTh - 13 Mar 2009 11:56
I expressed my disappointment in my first review of this place, but it seems to be getting better with time. With things like a weekly quiz night, it is trying for more of a proper pub feel rather than just being an anonymous gastro-pub. Currently holding their second beer festival 'outside' under the awning on the upper concourse - an excellent selection of about 30 beers and 6 ciders. 30p per pint discount for CAMRA members too, making it a pretty reasonable �2.70 during the 4-day event. With a jazz band providing some entertainment, it had a nice relaxed atmosphere (not something you can normally say abount a mainline station bar).
rpadam - 7 Mar 2009 16:29
A smart and modern gastro-style pub in appearance. An area for drinking out in the station and then some bar style drinking areas and then various other rooms further back (lounges and dining areas). Did not try the food but it looked quite good. Three different ales were on offer and those tried were very good. All ale was served in handles.
Rod_Hariga - 5 Dec 2008 19:37
Visited with pleasure for the first time on 5th November. Keeping an open mind and setting aside any previous experiences of "station bars" at London main line terminals, proved to be a good idea.

I discovered a spacious interior with modern furnishing and bare floorboards apart from quarry tiling around the bar.

Two or three real ales were on, of which I enjoyed Sharp's "Betjeman", which was quaffable and quenching despite being 4.2%, �3/pint. The venue held its first festival earlier this month.

I did not eat here on account of a prior meal but saw excellent, good-sized portions on people's plates. There were very fresh and appetising cooking smells from the kitchen to the left as you walk in.

Live music is staged on Tuesday and Friday evenings.

This is a very convenient and attractive place to eat and drink, and the atmosphere, although more of a gastro pub than a traditional, is businesslike but not overwhelming.

Give it a go.
lad_newton - 24 Nov 2008 18:28
Excellent for a Station bar, decent selection of drinks and a handsome set-up. Waited an age to get served at the first bar, staff even took our order and then disappeared never to return. Was much better with the casks of ale at the beer festival, good selection of beers and excelletn staff.
Hope they have another one of those soon!
dyyony - 14 Nov 2008 15:35
I called in here on Saturday night to see what was left of the beer festival but ended up sticking with the enjoyable Betjeman Ale.
The pub was relatively quiet, but will probably be very busy with home going commuters, especially on a Friday night.
The seats in the "Smoking Area" were cordoned off due to the foul weather, but the area is a good size.
There is also a seating area outside the pub underneath the overall roof with one of the better views in London i.e. the Barlow roof and, for those who apprecaite such things, Eurostars.
The only downside to my visit was the smell of cooking in the pub, something which puts me off.
Overall, a welcome addition to the area and one that I will return to.
ajsqs - 12 Nov 2008 20:01
As station bars go this place is ok. The bar area on entry is rather dominated by the canteen style servery, and the service pipes and ducts in the ceiling would be better hidden. The dining rooms beyond however have a rather elegant feel befitting the building in which the pub is located. Good to see toilet facilities too not requiring a charge or code for access. Good real ale policy with the bar's own beer brewed by Sharps. Pleased to catch the Aleway Festival yesterday, a good venture, and a couple of decent halves were quaffed as we waited for the train.
Maldenman - 9 Nov 2008 11:32
The beers at yesterdays festival were just about ok. Some beers were flat and there was confusion over which beers were ready but I guess it was their first attempt at running a festival.. It turned chilly outside later in the day despite the overhead heaters blasting out - we moved inside. The doors to the terrace were closed with a notice saying the doors would remain locked due to the cold Winter weather. For no reason the notices were removed and the door propped open. We complained to the chap who opened them but he wasn't interested that many customers had to put coats on and were shivering. Perhaps he wanted to clear the bar. He succeeded with us and we left early. This is probably more of a pub for Summer when you can sit outside and admire the station - unless you like sitting in a wind tunnel.
chick - 7 Nov 2008 09:29
I have been very impressed with the way the company, manager and staff have addressed the detail issues since they opened. The opening of a gents made the biggest difference, but simple good manners have smoothed most of the irritating corners and this is now, probably, the best station bar in London. I can find cheaper close by, but I am tight and have had reasons to wander about near by. �3.05 for Sharps' Doom Bar is high for me, but below average for this kind of place; and the stuff are still good; probably better than Geronimo Inns realise.
bradwan - 27 Oct 2008 19:05


Following my first visit this pub about a month ago I was going to write a review but reading through the other comments something did not add up so I decided to wait until I visited again. Last time I was by myself but this time I was in a small group waiting for a connection on a Sunday evening.

The pub seems to have something of an identity crisis being a combination of a pub, a caf� and a restaurant. This leads to a quite unusual layout and I suspect the pub area could be quite cramped at busy times. Finding the loos takes a little while the first time! Onto the drinks. The house ale, named after Betjeman, is a pleasant pint although the staff seem to serve a short measure although they topped it up willingly enough. The wine drinker amongst us said that although it was slightly expensive it made up for this by being of better quality than the usual �by the glass�.

Onto my hesitation about writing a review. On my first visit I thought the pint I brought was horrendously expensive. The reviews suggested otherwise and, indeed, this was the case this weekend. I can only think that I was charged a Euro price in �s!

Overall not unpleasant for a station pub and better than many. I suspect, though, that the man himself would not have been that impressed!

MikeTheMechanic - 20 Oct 2008 18:35
A reasonable meeting place, and better than its opposite number as you fall off the Eurostar in Paris!
The beer was good, if a little too cold, and I too was served seriously short measure
79Thatcherite - 10 Oct 2008 12:41
Cafe style bar, pleasant enough if it's quiet but irritating when busy as it's an odd shaped bar and you are always in someones way. It's better to sit outside and watch the Eurostar passengers coming and going. The beer is good but I had to ask twice for a top up as it was well under measure. The food is adequate but nothing to rave about - not too expensive for saying it's in a tourist area. I preferred the old comfy, beat up Shires bar that used to be on this site. Still, times move on and we must be fashionable or die.
chick - 1 Oct 2008 11:07
Popped in whilst waiting for the Eurostar to Belgium 3 real ales on and rather cheap as well �3 a pint will be coming back here for sure
superseagulls - 9 Sep 2008 16:06
Popped by on a weekend afternoon and I thought it was very nice although fairly empty. The platform-area seating area is much nicer than your average stationside pub, and the house ale by Sharps was very tasty especially considering its session strength (3.6 I think).
Confusing layout at present, worth wandering around because some seating areas are not at all nice (e.g. just by the front entrance which has a few tables with a view of construction hoardings).
dpv - 8 Jul 2008 13:39
Came in here to kill time and have to say I was disappointed as I thought it was supposed to be a proper real ale pub. Only Pride, a couple of clips were turned around. Bottles of Duvel and a couple of Meantime beers. Modern and functional, you have to walk through a couple of dining rooms to get to the toilets. I almost ended up in a storage cupboard before finding the door. Currently the Gents/Disabled are shared with the ladies. Quite fun to watch the girls preening in front of the mirror while I gave my hands a quick rinse.

GuideDogSaint - 25 Jun 2008 14:23
A likeable pub and for a railway station pub it would be very difficult to beat, the real ale I drank was interesting (Sharp's) and good quality, not too pricey by London standards and served in traditional jugs, a nice touch. I can't quite understand the 'joke' with the toilets, a 60 second walk through a dining room to get to them, hardly a problem!
Abteilung - 19 Jun 2008 23:09
Not a bad pub at all-referencing some of the previous posts. There were 3 handpumps of which Sharps was the most interesting - it was �3/pint which isn't a rip-off price any more. If you want something expensive try the Champagne bar 100ft away - �7.50 for the cheapest 125cl glass!
Booze_Allen - 9 Jun 2008 23:43
We went to The Betjeman Arms for drinks last Friday evening and it was great. Fantastic venue, great service. Would be good venue for functions, with range of rooms to suit. Very pleased, will be making it a regular meeting place for drinks and dinner.
saq - 5 Jun 2008 15:29
Major disappointment - no wonder the statue of the man himself further up the station is looking the other way! Very poor location, cramped, back-to-front (with the half-open kitchen near the door and the bar tucked away at the back). Never did find the toilets, and there may also be some dining rooms hidden away further inside somewhere. Nice pint of the own-brand beer from Sharps Brewery, though.
rpadam - 14 May 2008 22:22
I guess that it is where it is because it is the site of the old Shires Bar.

I loved the temporary Baby Betjeman and the way it was run, and liked the staff. I do not know about this one though. The beer is very good, but expensive. The toilets are a joke, and I do not believe planning permission restricted them. Some of the details, like the bar and bar stool height seemed to be to discourage casual drinking (the price does that).

On the other hand the staff are still good and it is quiet because it is a little out of the way. I strongly recommend that you try it yourself.
bradwan - 14 May 2008 11:05
Dreadful. They couldn't have made it worse if they tried. Getting it up like a trendy gastropub is a bad start. Sticking it in a remote corner of the station doesn't help. Neither does the fact that it stinks of chips. And that horrid loud music. And why are the loos half a mile down a gloomy corridor? What on earth must those who experience this place as their introduction to British pubs think?

The rebuilt St Pancras is much overrated, as anyone who has to cart heavy cases from from the tube to the trains will tell you, all style over substance, so this pub fits in perfectly.

Give it to Wetherspoons, at least they do shite station and airport bars well.


nickdavies - 14 May 2008 10:26

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