Westminster's Political Pubs

The pubs around Whitehall and Westminster have been the unofficial Parliament for centuries. The Red Lion is rumoured to have a division bell that rings when MPs need to vote. Wear something smart and listen carefully.

🍺 5 stops🚶 1km⏱ ~3 hours📍 Meet at Westminster or Charing Cross

PoliticosHeritageSuitsWood-panelledInsider gossip

The route

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Stops

1
The Red Lion
★ 4.2
48, Parliament Square, London, SW1A 2NH
Parliament Street — division bell rings here
2
Westminster Arms
★ 4.1
9, Storey's Gate, London, SW1P 3AT
MPs' favourite when the Red Lion is rammed
3
Two Chairmen
★ 4.4
39, Dartmouth Street, London, SW1H 9BP
Dark wood, narrow snug, oldest in Westminster
4
The Sherlock Holmes
★ 4.2
10-11, Northumberland Street, London, WC2N 5DB
Pure tourist trap but the upstairs is OK
5
The Old Shades
★ 4.7
37, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2BX
Tucked behind Trafalgar Square — quiet by 7pm