The Wandle, Earlsfield, SW18

From the outside the appearance shouts "Gastro Pub" with its grey signage and minimalist style, but once inside it clearly does, in fairness, welcome drinkers equally. It is stripped out and modernised but probably in an attempt to woo the affluent 30somethings who are prevalent in the area. Bare boarded with mixed seating including long benches, a few high tables and some sofas. There is a single barrel table without seating between the bar and the door suitable for perching pints on, or more likely, glasses of Pinot Grigio. Framed pictures on a side wall, chalkboards advertising everything from Monday movie night to steak night, 6 Nations rugby and on to cheese platters. A back door leads to an outdoor area but also there is a link corridor to another small building to the rear which I didn't investigate but I suppose is some sort of function room. There were no menus on the tables but it was around 4pm, instead there were typed wine lists. Not a bad selection on the bar, Sambrooks Wandle, Belhaven Robert Burns and Sharp's Cornish Coaster plus Weston's Perry on handpump also. So a good pint to be had but the pub is far from traditional and is pretty underwhelming to be honest, but that's my opinion, plenty like this style.

There were three ales on during my visit – Courage Best; Hogsback TEA; and of course Sambrook’s Wandle (at £3.10 a pint). The Wandle was in superb nick, and possibly the best pint of it that I’ve had to date. The weekly menus were a single sheet of paper on the tables. Most main meals were in the £8 – £9 range with the steak and Wandle ale pie coming in at £8.95. They don’t do sandwiches though - possibly too plebeian and downmarket. The original name of the pub – The Sailor Prince – is still clearly visible as it’s set in stone on the outside wall. I couldn’t see any reference inside the pub as to which sailor prince it’s named after. I guess that there are several contenders. Inside it’s now a typically modernised one-room pub. On the right as you enter there is an area at the front of the bar containing tall tables/stools and sofas. This bar area has wallpaper with ship motifs on it, possibly as an acknowledgment of the pub’s former maritime name. There’s more seating round to the left and to the rear of the bar counter, consisting mainly of normal tables and chairs, but with some wooden settles and even a couple of short rows (four seats each) of recycled cinema seats facing each other near the fireplace. At the back on the left is a dark green painted wall hung with numerous gilt framed paintings (or more likely prints thereof) of mainly hunting scenes. But the large pull down screen would pretty much cover this wall when sport is being shown. The back of the menu lists the week’s varied and various sporting events to be shown, as well as advertising the quiz night on Thursday and live music on Friday and Saturday. For a modernised and food led pub/bar this one isn’t bad. The service was friendly and welcoming, and the ale excellent and reasonably priced. But a cosy, homely and traditional pub it isn’t.