The George, Borough High Street, is the last remaining galleried coaching inn in London. There were once many such inns in the area, catering for travellers on their way south from the City, or heading north and pausing before crossing London Bridge.  They included the famous Tabard, where Chaucer's pilgrims met, which used to stand just south of the George.  By Dickens' times, the number of such inns had been reduced to half a dozen.  The current George Inn building dates from the 17th century, but there has apparently been an inn on the site since medieval times. And it serves a good pint. The property is owned by the National Trust, leased to a tenant.

Sky Garden is a bar and restaurant complex on the top 3 floors of the 'Walkie-Talkie' - 20 Fenchurch Street in the City of London. This controversial 38-storey office block was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Vinoly - the footplate actually increases in size as you ascend the building. It cost £200million and was constructed between January 2009 and May 2014. Sky Garden, which has restricted, but free, public access, was opened in 2015. Here you can enjoy an expensive drink or a meal with some fabulous views over Britain's capital city. You need to book in advance via the website (see below).

The Still & West is an iconic early 19th century pub (greatly restored) in Old Portsmouth, right on the harbourside where you can sit and watch the ships go by while enjoying a drink and fish 'n' chips. At time of writing (2017) it is a Fuller's pub serving their version of HSB, the Horndean Special Bitter once brewed by the defunct Gales brewery.

The Turf Tavern is one of Oxford’s favourite pubs, located down an alley near the ‘Bridge of Sighs’.  Its website says, “The Turf Tavern has opened its doors to serve ales and appetisers to England’s literary elite, politicians, presidents and movie stars since 1831. The only one who never left is our Rosie, the resident ghost who still waits for her lover to return.”  The foundations of the Turf are actually said to be medieval and it is claimed that it was established outside the city walls in order to be beyond the jurisdiction of the colleges.

The pub is also where future Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke set a Guinness World Record for knocking back a yard of ale in 11 seconds in 1963.  Other celebrity drinkers have included (in no particular order) Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Emma Watson, Ernest Hemmingway, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Tony Blair, CS Lewis, Stephen Hawking, David Cameron and Mike Biles (the author of A Bit About Britain’s History).

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is generally accepted to be Britain’s oldest pub, dating from 793AD although the current half-timbered structure dates from 11th C and was once a dovecote located close to St Albans Cathedral, moving to its present site after the abbey was dissolved in 1539.  It’s said that its foundations incorporate part of the Palace of Offa, King of the Mercians – hence the 8th C date – and that tunnels stretch from the beer cellar to the abbey, allegedly once used by the monks.  At one time known as ‘The Round House’, the story goes that some kind of cock pit, measuring about 8 x 10 feet, was brought down from the abbey site – hence the pub’s name, though this was apparently changed to ‘The Fisherman’ when cock fighting was banned in 1849.  However, it has been known as 'Ye Olde Fighting Cocks' since 1872.  To cap it all, it is said that Oliver Cromwell spent a night at the inn during the Civil War of 1642-1651.

All of the above information was gleaned from the pub’s website.  The image is from Wikipedia.