The Mad Hatter, a former hat factory, is now a no-frills pub catering for local office workers. Not exactly somewhere people go out of their way for, but it fills a hole.

The Venue
This old fashioned pub is situated on Stamford Street, close to Waterloo Station. Impressive from the outside, it unfortunately does not live up to expectations inside. The Mad Hatter has a large seating area and plenty of room at the bar. The back room has a large screen showing various programmes on Sky; however, it’s not clear who chooses the programmes – or why exactly they’re showing them without the sound on. There is a slight nod to the Alice in Wonderland reference - with the bar’s namesake painted on a mural on the ceiling - but the decor is generally tired and in desperate need of a make over.

The Atmosphere
The Mad Hatter is dark inside, with a few booths that are perfect for getting away from the crowds. It’s very relaxed during the day, getting busy after office hours – especially on a Friday. The clientele are mostly workers from the area having escaped the office for a sly pint at lunchtime or post-work beverage. The atmosphere is slightly depressing and the ill feeling is extended to the bar staff, which is where this pub really falls down. They can be very slow, sometimes rude and food occasionally never appears (nor does the apology).

The Food
The Mad Hatter serves up traditional pub food, which lacks inspiration. It offers standard pub grub like sandwiches, sausage and mash, and fish and chips. It’s not exactly healthy or exciting, and one suspects that the chef does little actual cooking – more heating food up in the oven.

The Drink
Drinks are what you’d expect with typical beers and wines being served. The prices are reasonable for the area. If you want delicious cocktails then this isn’t the place for you. House wines and standard draught beer is the order of the day.

The Last Word
The Mad Hatter is an old fashioned pub offering exactly what you’d expect. It has a large seating area that is good for large gatherings but lacks anything that makes it stand out above the rest.

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