A grey but dry day in late February provided the canvass for the latest pub crawl undertaken with Richard Bradshaw. The pleasingly civilised surroundings of Fitzrovia and Goodge street provided just the right balance of liveliness without being surrounded by the thronging twats in the centre of town.

The Draft House on Charlotte Street is one of this chain of pubs, but very small on the inside and although a magnet for hipsters, at least they are not the trendy checked shirt and manicured beard brigade, more the folky sorts. Very good place to drink even though we didn't have a seat, and a good range of beers: Sambrook Scrumdown, Happy Hooker, Undercurrent and three others, the rugby theme being the only note of concern.

The Fitzrovia was a pleasant enough Greene King pub which only seemed to have high stools and tables, so not that conducive to spending a long session in, so it was just as well that we didn't plan to. Four beers on, Grubber, Swift, IPA and one other, so not bad. Just along the road is the Hope, potentially very similar, but not run by Greene King and indeed appears independent. They had lower tables which were much more suited for staying a while. Presents itself as some sort of pie and beer place, and they had some beer in the shape of St Austell Tribute and Proper Job. A cut above the previous one if not outstanding.

I wouldn’t normally go to a place like Percy and Founders but it intrigued me, and it broke up the albeit brief walk that he had to the next pub. Not really the kind of place for a grey Saturday afternoon, it looks very much like an All Bar One, perhaps a bit more plush, huge and in a new building, continental lagers only. One for the varied after work crowd, not for people like us, but harmless enough.

This punishment made the salt of the earth boozer the King and Queen on Goodge Street all the more appreciated. Full complement of drinks, Ghost Ship, Watney, Ringwood Best, Tribute, Brakespear Jerusalem on tap. Traditional single room with stools and peripheral red moquette bench seat in a fine old building. If you get a bench seat, stay all day - we stood at the bar and left after one, things to do.

A curious pub, almost like one on an estate, manifested itself in the shape of the Stag's Head. This occupies the ground floor of a mid century office building with a curved frontage. Sounds dire but quite cosy inside with a single room, yet moderately interesting near the entrance. Not that much beer, but those present were well kept and interesting - two from Tring and something else off the wall. You could settle here for a while and have a cheap meal.

The Horse and Groom in Fitzrovia is a decent Sam Smith's pub of traditional and interesting interior including etched glass fixtures and fittings that I have been to before. Decent and cheap beer too, not full of arseholes. Can't really complain and good for a session. From the same stable, if you pardon the pun, was the Yorkshire Grey, which I actually thought was a touch nicer as it had a more 'localsy' feel. Same decor, but with some nice hanging baskets too, and a nice fireplace. Narrow pub, parallel to an alleyway. Fully recommended again for well priced beer.

For some reason I remember nothing about the Crown and Sceptre, but my notes tell me that the service was slow but that it had a decent and plentiful selection of beer. Trying to refresh my memory using the internet does not help apart from confirm the latter point. A bit more trendy, though hardly a gastropub, but does have pictures of burgers stacked ridiculously high. Also lots of craft beer - probably hipsters about.

The King's Arms just up the road had sadly just stopped serving by the time we arrived but fortunately the Green Man was close by, and we ended the evening on a high note. This place seems to be run by the same crowd as the Crown and Sceptre, but the interior is a little more quirky and the service better. Decent ales again, and some focus on ciders too, but we kept with the ales: Ubu, Doom Bar, Ghost Ship. A satisfying day all in all, and some good new options visited.