meatballs. Fortunately, we were under no illusions of what fare was on offer as we nestled into our cosy oak bench and table (traditional fittings that are bolted to the floor of this Grade II listing building, which add historic authenticity, but also made

felt I'd got the short straw by facing the restaurant rather than St James’s Park, until I realised that actually I could still enjoy the magnificent greenery of the ancient trees above the duck pond, the pods of the London Eye and Charles’ Union Jack