Bars & Pubs

They don't come much grander than the Warrington and though this perfectly restored 19th-century pub is a sight to behold, having a drink here can feel more like visiting a museum than unwinding with a pint. The cavernous ground floor bar, with regal marble columns supporting sculpted concrete arches, is not exactly intimate, and unless the place is full, which during the week it often isn't, this ornate monster tends to overwhelm as much as impress. There's no denying its magnificence though, dripping with lavish art nouveau decoration, interior stained-glass windows, an ornately embossed ceiling, a floral red and gold carpet and a semi-circular bar topped by what looks like the back of an old galleon, complete with cherubs gazing down at the bar staff. The building once operated as a hotel and has now come under the ownership of Gordon Ramsey who has installed a relatively formal restaurant on the first floor where the light colours and clean cut finish are in complete contrast with the grandiloquence downstairs. Well worth a visit but you wouldn't want it as your local.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9