Are ~£200 soundbars actually any good?

[C70R]

So I'm putting a TV on the wall in a small room (~5x4m), and I don't really want to install a proper 5.1 system for a number of reasons (the room has just been decorated at great cost, and it's intended to be quite minimal).

I have a lovely pair of floorstanders that I had planned to use, but putting them in the room just doesn't look right. So I got around to thinking about mounting a soundbar on the wall, and hiding a wireless sub away somewhere. Realistically this is only going to be an occasional viewing room, so I'm not inclined to spend loads on the sound. I can see quite a few soundbars at and below the £200 mark, and plenty of positive reviews on the likes of the RicherSounds site.
Am I going to buy one and be really disappointed that the sound is barely better than TV speakers? Am I going to buy one and find out that the fancy 'virtual' surround effects are largely useless?
Am I missing any other options (I had considered bookshelf speakers either side of the TV)?

[C70R]

Thanks folks - perhaps my fears are unfounded. Time to get along to RicherSounds and listen to a couple.

[C70R]

So, after a trip to JL and RS I think I've found the one for me. The next step is how to go about wall-mounting it immediately below the TV. As far as I can see, there are 3 options:
1. Small L-brackets directly into wall, with soundbar resting on
2. L-brackets attached to back of TV, with soundbar resting on
3. Brackets attached to back of TV, with soundbar bolted to at rear

Any suggestions or experiences?
I'm trying to minimise visible metalwork, and will be running power etc. into the wall/chimney behind the TV.