...re-opened but divided...
	PUNCH TAVERN	LONDON EC4Y 1DE	99 Fleet Street
	After a lengthy closure for refurbishment the Punch is now open. The entrance in Fleet Street( St Paul's end) is marked by a gilded Mr. Punch. There is a lobby with ornate tiles, large mirrors and the grinning portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Punch. Inside is much brighter than before. The arched roof- lights have been cleaned and repainted, revealing some beautiful etched glass and fine plaster detail, with more Punch portraits. Original bevelled mirrors cover most of the walls, and behind the bar are intricately etched mirrors, typical of the late 19th century. There are some attractive art-deco lights too. Artefacts on the Punch theme are everywhere but the most interesting are the pages and cartoons from Punch the satirical magazine. It was here the founders of	Punch met to discuss their new publication. Punch survived for 150 years but closed in 1992. However, it has recently been relaunched. The relaunch of the Punch Tavern has meant some changes. Generally it's a lot cleaner and brighter with new fabrics and carpets. Air conditioning has been installed. Sadly, the fine mahoganny bar has been replaced with a smaller marble-topped version. However one bizarre change has been the appearance of a wall between the saloon and public bars. Apparently the pub is part-owned by the Mucky Duck Pub Company and Samuel Smiths Brewery. An unhappy marriage has turned into a messy divorce and has left the Punch divided. Mucky Duck has revamped its half, but as for the rest... we'll keep you posted.
			OPEN Mon-Fri 11.30-23.00 Sat 11.30-18.00 Sun 12.00-15.00 & 19.00-22.30 TEL 020 7353 6658 Major credit cards TUBE Blackfriars
			FOOD
			BEERS Greene King, Bass London Pride, Everards Tiger