The Players Lounge, Charing Cross - pub details
Address: Under The Arches, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NL [map] [gmap]
Charing Cross (0 miles), Embankment (0.1 miles), Leicester Square (0.3 miles)
London Charing Cross (0 miles), London Waterloo (0.6 miles), London Waterloo East (0.7 miles)
Pub facilities/features:
- Food served
Pub suggested by Paul Cleaver on 18 Jul 2005
NB: Information may be incomplete or out of date as this pub is not currently registered.
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> Current user rating: 6.8/10 (rated by 5 users)
> Local guides: London pub guide, Central London pub guide
other pubs nearby:
Villiers Bar, Charing Cross (0.0 miles), Ha Ha Bar & Canteen, Embankment (0.0 miles), Champagne Charlie's, Embankment (0.0 miles), Princess of Wales, Strand (0.0 miles), Gordon's Wine Bar, Embankment (0.0 miles) - see more nearby pubs
user reviews of the Players Lounge, Charing Cross
please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
| Actually I`ve probably been a bit unfair on the below pub, should really deserve a 6/10, not a 5/10. pgazz - 24 Dec 2006 16:09 |
| Stepping into the Players provides those of us born at the “doff capping” end of the social scale to catch a glimpse of what public school life must have been like. There is, as one would expect from an establishment that is basically an annex of the local theatre, an extremely high toff count and substantial representation from the local branch of the luvvies union (“oh Tarquin, do recite those lines from Hamlet you were quoting over the marinated poor person we simply devoured at our last supper!”). But more strikingly is the strange mix of the institutional and the stinking rich. There is undoubtedly an undercurrent of the basic, signalled by thin carpets, bare white walls and those lightweight tables that you only find in common rooms and canteens. Yet, whereas as my old school – Bog Standard Comprehensive – would have supplied deck chairs, chipped tables and walls with the word “cock” sporadically chiselled at various angles, this upper class “relaxing room” has big leather chairs, a white piano mellowing in the corner and significant lashings of polish on every surface. At one stage I actually started to worry a butler would turn up and berate me for not starting the washing up. Whether or not you enjoy this place will therefore depend on how thick your aristocratic repellent is, although I doubt many people would find it particularly comfortable, as everything from the slightly too hard chairs to the slightly too gleaming paintwork has a harsh and artificial feel indicative of the Players’ “add on nature” (also reflected in the structure – three separate areas that weave in different sizes around the interior: the Players is designed to fit the building rather than the other way round). Moreover the drinks, served from a gleaming long bar, are in the expensive bracket (£6.80 for a small white wine and a Guinness). Yep, that little voice that cries “ouch” everytime I open my wallet had a belter of a night. Still, the Players does have a few redeeming qualities, thanks primarily to a few nifty side steps of the area’s competition. It opens considerably later than all the surrounding pubs (2.30am most days), serves a decent pub menu at all hours, has a reasonable drink selection (Guinness, Tetleys, usual lagers) and is perhaps the only drinking hole in the area where you stand a fair chance of getting a seat after 7pm. And, while my grandfather will no doubt be gnawing angrily at his copy of Das Kaptial in his grave, I have to admit the piano and general quiet (admittedly smug) surroundings can at times create a nice ambiance. Besides, the clientele represents a mine of piss taking potential. In the end, with these caveats included, the Players deserves a solid if deeply average 5/10 pgazz - 20 Dec 2006 16:51 |
| Not somewhere I would normally consider drinking in - this area is full of great pubs so you can afford to be picky! However, should you wish to continue drinking after 11, the choice diminishes rapidly, and that is when this place comes into its own. If you do want to carry on drinking and don't fancy a club, you could do a lot worse than this place. It's open late on Friday and Saturday (not sure about work nights), with no loud music, just a piano player. Crow_Valley - 19 Nov 2006 20:22 |
| cool venue,laid back,no loud music just a guy sitting in the corner playing a piano.Tends to fill up with luvvies and local theatre staff,refreshing change from the usual loud clubs in the area. nickragingthirst - 10 Nov 2006 15:07 |
| A comfortable lounge bar, excellent food, great service... And the best thing is you can sit and chat to friends without being drowned out by the music and shoved around by other people.... Even on a Saturday night.... Paul Cleaver - 18 Jul 2005 17:33 |
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