Parson's Green, London
0207 736 2115
After 25 years at the helm of this outstanding pub, licensee Mark Dorber has developed an operating approach as close to textbook style as it's possible to get. Despite being a Mitchells & Butlers outlet, Dorber's personal vision sings through, leading most visitors to conclude it is a freehouse.
The pub's ongoing success is the result of painstaking attention to detail, which one voter said enabled the White Horse to 'continually maintain high standards in food and drink.
Dorber says he tries 'to see the world through the customers' eyes, while also striving to understand the needs of his team.
Bar staff are trained for two hours in the classroom every week, 'by wine merchants, brewers and visiting speakers, no matter how experienced they are. Dorber explains: 'Regular training sessions keep the staff interested and sparky, qualities that can be seen in the way they serve customers.
The pub has also gained an enviable reputation for its efforts behind matching beer and wine with food, and every dish, from the starters through to the desserts, now comes with a suitable recommendation. And the drinks menu is considerable, with an 88-strong bottled beer list forming the backbone. The range includes international beers from George Gale & Co and Thomas Hardy to the rich and fruity Trappist beers of Belgium and Holland via the Rauchbier of Schlenkerla in Bamberg and Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco.
But before it all starts to sound a bit much, Dorber quickly adds: 'We don't take ourselves too seriously. While table service is available in and outside the pub, the most important thing is to 'let people do their own thing, and let them enjoy the space in order to create a relaxed atmosphere.
The clientele is a mixed bag, although its location means it's a natural haven for uppercrust Fulham-types, which has earned the White Horse the nickname the Sloaney Pony.
But, most importantly for Dorber: 'For some reason we still seem to draw in a very attractive crowd of young people, although, of course, I'm too old for all that now, he laughs.
Dorber's success at the White Horse only seems to have fuelled his enthusiasm for the trade and for a fresh challenge, last year he signed a 15-year lease with Adnams on the Anchor Inn, in Walberswick, Suffolk, which has been affectionately labelled 'the White Horse on Sea.