Not so long ago, there used to be dozens of little pubs like The Ship around the City - pleasant drinking holes where local workers meet for a spot of for lunch or gather after work for a quick pint or two before the weary, dreary commute home.

Nowadays, there aren't very many of them left. Space is at a premium in the Square Mile, so turnover has to be high just to break even. As a result of this most of them have either disappeared completely, or been replaced by much larger bar-type experiences such as Fine Line and All Bar One.

Thankfully though, The Ship is still here, recently refurbished and still offering the traditional pub experience; good beer (Butcombe Bitter and Sharp's Doom Bar for instance), unfussy pub grub - a range of burgers, including Thai fish - and polite, friendly service. It's a real haven and a reminder of a less frenetic way of doing business. We need more, not fewer, pubs like the Ship and it's our duty as pub fans to patronise them to keep them in business.

NEAREST STATION: Fenchurch Street station
FEATURES: Thai food