Cheap bars and pubs in London

• 

  Hoxton Pony

    104-108 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3AH (020 7613 2844/ www.thehoxtonpony.com). Old St tube/rail

  Sign up for a free membership card ‘for the movers and shakers of the Shoreditch community’ on the bar’s website and get 50 per cent off all drinks during selected hours. The cocktail list is long, but martinis, for example, start at around £3.25 during the offer time, or draught Meantime ale at under £2 a pint. Worth being on a mailing list for.
  
  Happy hour 5-8pm Tue, Wed; 5-10.30pm Thur; 5-8pm Fri, Sat.
• 

  Queen of Hoxton

    1 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3JX (020 7422 0958/ www.thequeenofhoxton.co.uk). Old St tube/rail

  Dark-fronted and imposing, this Curtain Road hipster magnet is known as much for its music scene as it is for the sweet deals on beers and spirits. The folks here are well up-to-date with their social media too, so the current ‘mayor’ of the venue on Foursquare (a location-based app – but you knew that) gets their second round of drinks for free.
  
  Happy hour £3 spirits and beers 5pm-2am Thurs; £3 house drinks, £4 cocktails 2pm-8pm Sat.
• 

  Barrica

    62 Goodge St, W1T 4NE (020 7436 9448). Goodge St tube

  Barrica tapas bar has no tasting events, deals or happy hours, but it’s a great value place with an excellent and affordable wine list – wines by the glass start from £2.50.
• 

  Lost Society

    697 Wandsworth Rd, SW8 3JF (020 7652 6526/ www.lostsociety.co.uk). Clapham Common tube, Wandsworth Rd rail or bus 77, 77A

  This long-established cocktail bar is still one of the best in the area. Rock up on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons for cocktails at £4.50.
  
  Happy hour 5-9pm Fri; noon-4pm Sat.

• La Perla

  28 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7JS (7240 7400/www.cafepacifico-laperla.com); 11 Charlotte St, W1T 1RQ (7436 1744).

  At these Latin-themed cocktail bars, fruity cocktails (from £3.50) and chilled bottles of beer (£2) are centre stage during happy hour at both the Covent Garden and Charlotte Street branches. At the former, 4-7pm is the best time to go, but Mondays also offers £2 Coronas for an extra four hours, until 11pm; likewise, Tuesdays are margarita nights. At the Fitzrovia branch, happy hour is from 5-7pm daily.
  
  Happy hour 4-7pm daily (Covent Garden), 5-7pm Mon-Sat (Fitzrovia); Corona special price 4-11pm Mon; margarita special price 4-11pm Tue (Covent Garden).

Chain pubs

• 

  Princess Louise

    208-209 High Holborn, WC1V 7BW (020 7405 8816). Holborn tube

  The Sam Smith brewery runs one of London’s best-looking pubs, with spectacular decor dating from 1891. Prices vary, but pints are always affordable. Sam Smith also runs the Chandos, handily located right on Trafalgar Square; and Glasshouse Stores in Brewer Street in Soho, among others.
• 

  Browns Bar & Brasserie

  82-84 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4AA (020 7497 5050/ www.browns-restaurants.co.uk). Charing Cross tube/rail

  Signature cocktails such as passionfruit daiquiri or Long Island iced tea priced at £3.95.
  
  Happy hour 4pm-10.30pm Mon-Wed, Sun.
• 

  Grand Union

  102-104 Camden Rd, NW1 9EA (020 7485 4530/ www.gugroup.co.uk). Camden Town tube

  A total of 11 Grand Union pubs are spread all around town – the newest one just opened in Farringdon, and a Paddington branch is due to open in April. All offer their so-called ‘Grand Hours’ – times and days vary depending on the venue, but they all include £5 cocktails and £2.50 for selected beer bottles.
  
  Happy hour Variable from venue to venue. Camden branch: 5-9pm Thur

• The Swan

  46 Hammersmith Broadway, W6 0DZ (020 8748 1043/ www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk). Hammersmith tube

  Nicholson’s pubs, like Wetherspoon’s, are also a place to look for low prices on real ales. This one in Hammersmith is one of the best-looking. A pint of Sharp’s Doom Bar will set you back a mere £2.75, although Timothy Taylor Landlord is a budget-busting £3.45. Fuller’s London Pride costs £3.05.
• 

  Crosse Keys

  9 Gracechurch St, EC3V 0DR (020 7623 4824). Bank tube/DLR

  A cheap pint in the City of London? It’s got to be a Wetherspoon’s pub. In this barn of a building, pints start at around £2.60 for guest ales such as Bombardier. Fullers London Pride is the best-seller – but at £3.05, it just breaks the £3 barrier.