The Inn Pub is the hotel bar at The Jury Inn, but unless you’re a guest who really doesn’t want to venture into nearby Upper Street, there’s really no good reason to go here.

The Venue
Situated a two minute walk from Angel tube, there’s absolutely nothing outside The Jury Inn to indicate there’s a pub inside. However, if walk through the doors of the hotel into the corporate-friendly lobby and have a scout around you might stumble upon The Inn Pub.

Inside, the decor is somewhere between a bad Irish-themed bar and a stereotypical, fabricated British country pub. The result is rather lacklustre and gimmicky. There is a lot of wood panelling, carved cornices and dark wood furniture (which isn’t especially comfortable). There’s no thoughtful touches here and it really feels that the hotel have just opened this place to try to get some more money out of their weary guests. There are two TV screens that show sporting events; however, the rest of the time they play a random TV channel of the bartenders’ choosing – and this also provides the soundtrack for the pub.

The Atmosphere
There is little atmosphere at The Inn Pub other than a vaguely depressing ambience. The overall feeling is that of an airport bar. It’s sterile and does the job but there’s no effort to create any sort of warmth. The clientele are mostly hotel guests who have plumped for ease of location over a good pub, but even these are few and far between. These hotel guests seem to be a little awkward themselves – they all have the appearance of being with their colleagues on a business trip. The bar staff provide a fast service but also seem a little depressed to be here and don’t seem to be interested in engaging in conversation.

The Food
There’s traditional pub fare laid on at The Inn Pub – fish and chips, pies, sandwiches. It’s all very predictable and not cheap, either, at around £7-£8 for a main dish. When there are so many decent restaurants and pubs nearby, it’s unfathomable why anyone would choose to eat here.

The Drink
The Inn Pub isn’t the place to come for an exciting range of drinks. There’s a small wine and Champagne menu, and a few beers on draught, including an ale and Guinness. A round of two drinks will set you back about £8 (for a small glass of wine and a mixer), which in other venues in the area might be fair, but here it just adds to the ill feeling.

The Last Word
The Inn Pub is a genuine disappointment, wallowing in the complacency of having hotel guests on tap to line their pockets. Be a little adventurous and seek out one of the much better pubs in Islington.

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