The Bell And Compass, Charing Cross

I hired the downstairs function room at the Bell & Compass in April 2010. There was a �350 minimum spend, which my function didn't meet, so I lost my �100 deposit.

The pub itself is a busy, well situated venue. But it's definitely seen better days and is badly in need of a lick of paint. The function room was spacious but neither clean or cosy. We had a dedicated waiter which meant service was much better than upstairs, where people had to wait 10 minutes to get a beer (no ale served downstairs). Food was very bland, hardly warm pub grub -- better off eating elsewhere.

I'd definitely recommend booking your event in a different pub. I found the three different "managers" I spoke to to be unorganised, and one of them was plain rude. The second one told me to call in to get my deposit back, and the third one kept me waiting for 30 minutes then told me that I wouldn't be getting anything back at all.

27 May 2010 16:49