A quality affair that avoids being tacky thanks to its great drinks, stylish decor and friendly crowd, the Fire Station looks set to become a popular Hammersmith party venue.

The Venue
The Fire Station inhabits, yup you guessed it, a disused fire station and uses the old fixtures and fittings to good effect. Consequently, you can expect to see the obligatory fireman’s pole, a water tower out the back, smatterings of reds and yellows and a sumptuous glass facade that you half expect fire engines to come bursting through. The whole theme is well done, with the bar dictating the design and not the fire station. The result means that, although there’s a nod to the past, this isn’t somewhere that feels too contrived, even if the fire bucket urinals are a little cheesy. It’s a modern, sleek and well finished bar that just about manages to avoid the feeling that it’s a member of an upmarket chain (which it is); it hasn’t lost the identity and character that made it a popular hotspot before its makeover.

As far as the layout goes, this is a huge place with an expansive, open plan main bar area leading through to a smaller section with big leather sofas (red, of course), which in turn leads into a dining area with a small smoking area at the rear. This means that even when it’s busy there’s plenty of room, except for the smokers where things can get a little cosy, but who’s to say that’s a bad thing when the winter months start biting?

The Atmosphere
Located just around the corner from Hammersmith tube, the Fire Station is a good choice for those seeing a show at the Apollo or one of the independent theatres, but thanks to a popular past incarnation it will no doubt have little trouble in keeping its regulars.

You can expect the crowd to be a stylish bunch with a surprising number of workers from nearby PR agencies and media companies being regular visitors. You get the feeling it doesn’t attract a huge number of Hammersmith locals but that doesn’t seem to deter its popularity, given that most evenings see it bursting at the seams, especially after work. There’s a friendly vibe from a crowd that’s looking to have fun, and the very occasional curtness of the staff is probably more down to efficiency and a busy bar rather than anything more sinister.

The Food
Despite prices you might not expect from somewhere that appears to be more of a drinking den, they offer a food menu that is, on the whole, pretty good.

The Cornish mackerel starter features slightly overcooked fish, although there is a deliciously crispy skin turned upwards and garnished with a healthy dollop of mayonnaise. It's well presented, lying on a tangy bed of horseradish that soon gives way to a crunchy slice of toast. The diced beetroot offers a sweet complement to the salty fish in what's a flawed yet tasty starter. A corn-fed chicken terrine dish is also nicely constructed and superbly aided by fatty prosciutto ham and some immaculately seasoned savoy cabbage.

Mains are excellent, with the lamb rump being the highlight. A good cut of meat is well arranged on the plate, cut to show a succulent pink colour and sat snuggly between Jerusalem artichokes and perfectly al dente purple-stemmed broccoli. The meat is very good, superbly cooked, soft and juicy, and drizzled in a well balanced lemon and mint sauce. Capers combine with the artichoke to bring a nice bit of zing, but you might be tempted to ignore it all and tuck straight into the lamb. Locally sourced Farmer Sharpe’s sirloin steak on the bone is equally well cooked, although you’d do well to leave it to stand. It's served with boxy potatoes that keep up the local theme, a new watercress salad that peppers things up, and a bearnaise sauce that's well balanced.

Puddings are equally good, with a light and perfectly manageable blueberry cheesecake being a great option if you're nearly full. However, if you can manage it, go for the sticky toffee pudding. It's a solid version of the classic with a drenched, sweet, almost sickly sponge that’s deliciously moreish and served with a scoop of softened vanilla ice cream.

The Drink
There’s an impeccable selection of drinks on offer, with well kept draught options including Heineken, Suffolk Cider, an immaculate Guinness and a phenomenally gluggable Batemans Bitter.

You can expect to find some well made cocktails that don’t offend your pocket too much, with a delicious passion fruit and mint martini coming in at a pretty reasonable £6.70. A lively Prosecco Passion is another highlight, with the sparkling wine being mixed with papaya, cranberry juice and passion fruit. Again, it’s good value at £6.50. Also worth trying are the Batidas - blended Brazilian smoothies that are filling yet very tasty. The Morango version is particularly good, mixing authentic cachaca with sugar, strawberries and milk.

The Last Word
Certainly worth trying if you happen to be in Hammersmith, the Fire Station is a corking addition the West London drinking scene. And if you happen to work nearby, you’re very lucky indeed.

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