A trip to Soho was planned one Sunday when it was hoped that there would not be too many idiots around. We had planned to meet Richard near Selfridges and so elected to start at the rather obscure venue of the Henry Holland. This was a quiet and unremarkable, yet almost chavvy, pub with not a lot going for it in its single room with awkward high seats. Unremarkable Old Speckled Hen and London Pride was available, but it was so unenjoyable that we drank up and met Richard on exiting, just so that we could go over to Selfridges and find the bar in there. It is called Harry Gordon’s and has no cask beer, and a single lager type product, presumably this is because it is a customer wine/champagne focussed bar. Not bad surroundings though and we stood admiring our surroundings around one of those small circular tables. For some reason we didn't get the paying etiquette that correct, but eventually we did pay (and left a tip) and moved onto somewhere a little more along our usual lines.

This was the splendid Iron Duke at Bond Street, a Fullers establishment with three products on: Front Row, London Pride and ESB. It is quite a cosy pub so we perched on some high stools opposite the bar and studied all the Duke of Wellington paraphernalia around the place. We also enjoyed a splendid, albeit expensive, Scotch Egg. Well worth a repeat visit.

Around the corner is Browns which was not even on our list but which we decided to go to as it was quiet, and we managed to get good seats at the bar. This is a vast, slightly tat filled, conservatory style pub which is more like a pub in America in some ways, i.e. the sort of gigantic place where food is considered important and where one is likely to dine during an extended visit. There's nothing wrong with that and they didn't mind us not dining as it was so quiet, so we consumed our drinks in an unrushed manner. No proper beer though so we had to have Korev.

The Clachan on Carnaby Street is not that far away and this did have a proper choice of beer (Cropton Balmy Mild, Inveralmond Ossian, Nicholson's Pale, Oakham Citra, Ilkley Rye and Dry, Black Maxim, Wold Top Marmalade Porter, Windsor and Eton Knights of the Garter, LP, Brains Solution). Typical Nicholson's offering, but you can never go wrong, even though it is a little safe and stereotypically London, geared to tourists.

Just along the street is Ain’t Nothin But A Blues Bar which is what it says it is and not stereotypical at all. As the name says they have a band on most of the time which plays at the far end of this long thin pub. The bar is just by the door so this is where we sat. Beer range is not bad for such a place: Ghost Ship, Purity Mild Goose, Southwold.

Sudden food urges had caught up with us and so we went to a Mexican Cantina type place for good quality, filling food. Inevitably alcohol was consumed and we had Margaritas and/or Negro Modelo. Served its purpose perfectly well though not one to linger in for food.

Fans of dark scruffy cellar type bars lit with candles will like Garlic and Shots. It is of course the iconic place that serves garlic food and shots. There is no proper beer on so I made do with lager. Despite this description sounding thoroughly unappealing, it still has a strange charm about itself.

The Toucan was yet another not doing proper beer, instead setting itself up as an 'authentic' Irish pub. It's certainly not an oirish O'Neill's type place and looked pretty realistic to me with a scruffy, laid back vibe and scattered Irish tat around the place. Guinness was the obvious option and was in good condition.

Not quite sure how we did it but somehow we found our way to the Green Man on Berwick Street which was Richard's last of the day with us. Pretty busy and unremarkable, I am not even sure whether we finished our drinks off. If we didn't then we didn't miss much for it was only Greene King IPA, London Pride and Abbot. Also 'safe', but unlike the Clachan where beer provides some interest, was too bright and anaemic inside.

There was then time to squeeze in one at the Mirror Bar in the Landmark hotel at Marylebone (mirror behind bar, as per description, but no beer although free nibbles available) and the Allsop Arms. This normally has a good beer selection and I am sure it did on this occasion, but I had had too much and have no idea what was on.