In the last ten years there has been no Central London venue suggestion that made the heart sink more than ‘Let’s meet at the Moon Under The Water‘. Even if you disregard that they are Wetherspoon’s pubs, one needed to consider the very venues themselves. Two pubs, both vile in their own special ways, near Leicester Square tube with the same name. Both large (the Charing Cross Road one was huge), and rammed, it was enough to ditch a friendship.
Well the name confusion part is no longer an issue. The Charing Cross Road one, which I first knew as the Marquee (which in itself was the second venue for that rock club) is no more. Instead in its place, with minimal rebranding, sits The Montague Pike. It is unclear what Montague or Pike is being referred to, but also proprietors seem to have changed to Lloyd’s Bar. Seemed is the apposite word here, Lloyd’s is a mini brand of Wetherspoon’s, noting that some people like bars more than pubs. And the Moon under Water was far too cavernous to ever convince as a pub. It is of course too cavernous to convince as a bar either, but it means that they do not need to worry about serving real ales in there any more. Just take this as a warning. The Pike is still Under Water, and the pub is still crap.