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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Windsor Castle
Dating from 1890, this mock Tudor fronted pub has more of an inter-war feel to it than any great Victorian spndour. Situated a few carriage lengths from Clapham Junction station, the pub has an air of nostalgia for me from the days when the Grand Theatre opposite was a regular music venue and this was a common pre-gig watering hole. With the Grand having a refreshed interest in live music, I have recently found myself reacquainting myself with the pub.
Part of the local CAMRA Inventory (although not the National register) the interior is still divided into its 2 original bars. Unusually there is no access between them without going outside and round the corner. The small, paneled public bar at the front contains a dartboard and is quite simply laid out. The larger rear bar has more architectural merits dominated by the eyecatching vaulted roof.
Currently owned by the Original Pub Company, the ale selection is improved on how I remember with Pride and Hook Norton Hooky Bitter available for my latest visit and a third pump with a reversed Doom Bar clip. From my experience, availability and quality is very much in lucky dip territory and service can also be quite frustrating. The basic pub grub menu will cater for anyone who is unfussy and at prices that are so ridiculously low you would hardly complain if the food was so bad that you left half of it.
The customer base is generally the type that stagger in to the pub to start their daily sessions although I have not encountered much in the way of hassle or ropey behaviour and everyone seems to stick within their own little world without pestering strangers or each other.
Given that it is one of the few real pubs in the area, its (temporary?) escape from the wrecking ball as the wrangles over the station’s extention continue means that the place is with us longer than it had been anticipated. It is worth a look if only to get the feel of an unspoilt pub although its mostagia value will perhaps always endear it a bit more to me personally than it may to others.
On 19th April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1227 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Windsor Castle
I cant add to the description of the building below. Beers from fuller's hook norton and sharp's. Food served and handy for the station.
On 12th October 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 707 recommendations about 702 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Windsor Castle
Situated on St Johns Hill, close to Clapham Junction station, is The Windsor Castle, a splendid example of what is known as a Brewers Tudor pub.
Several years ago, the pub was under threat of being demolished, due to a proposed redevelopment of the station surrounds, but I gather that this has been put on hold.
It’s a two bar pub with a small locals bar at the front retaining old wall panelling and a dartboard. With a separate entrance on the side street is the much larger saloon bar. Here there’s two distinct parts, including a baronial style hall at the back with a sloping roof and heavy duty black beams in the eaves. There’s extensive wood panelling throughout and leaded frosted windows. This bar is largely carpeted with an original bar counter and gantry and brass foot rail. The pub features in the CAMRA book of London Heritage Pubs.
The pub is part of the Original Pub Co arm of Punch Taverns and, despite the attractive interior, it has something of that chain pub feel with the normal laminated large menus on each table and standard tables and chairs dominating the interior.
On my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, apart from several Antipodeans watching an Aussie Rulers soccer game on a TV on the bar gantry, the pub was virtually deserted, in marked contrast to The Falcon, a few doors further down.
There’s 3 pumps and Pride and Doom Bar were on. Youngs Ordinary is often on as well. Unfortunately, I have to report that, based on several visits over the last few months, beer quality is unreliable. There appears to be little, if any, real ale trade.
As a pub, I quite like its rather earthy unpretentious “proper pub” feel, but it’s a very poor second to The Falcon on the beer front.
On 14th June 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 454 recommendations about 454 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Windsor Castle
One of the few real pubs left in the area, the Windsor Castle is under threat from local development. It's close to Clapham Junction station so is convenient for travellers. There is nothing pretentious about it - it's expensive (though cheaper by 50p a pint than this time last year), smelly and noisy, but you do feel welcome and it makes a nice break. The front bar is mainly occupied by groups of commuters, but the back bit remains a bit more homely, if tatty. London Pride was the only ale on, not that well kept but still drinkable. Worth a quick pint when passing through but I will probably try the Falcon next time.
On 16th August 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 698 recommendations about 694 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Windsor Castle
I popped in here as it seems like the closest pub to where I live that possesses sky, and I wanted to catch some footy midweek. Ale was off due to 'a technical fault' so I plumped for pints of Kronenburg. It was busy with a mixed crowd of moody youngsters and older gentlemen. Put it this way - as soon as the football finished, I was out the door and straight down the road to the far more enjoyable (but telly-less) Falcon.
On 16th September 2009
- rating: 2
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Windsor Castle
The real ales on were Pride and Bombardier. It had the Spirit Group look about it, but I'm not certain it was this pubco. It retains its original structure of two bars, with the ex-public bar at the front, with the saloon bar at the rear. The saloon bar has two distinct parts to it – the front is a traditional bar, but at the back is what can best be described as a mock Tudor hall, with a high ceiling, false beams and brick surrounded fireplace. But it's attractive enough for all that. The walls are all wood panelled, some possibly original.
The Pride I had was OK, the service was friendly enough and the pop music was not being played too loudly. It's not a bad pub; it's just that there isn't anything about which makes it stand out. Good enough for a pint if you're passing, but with the Falcon just down the road there is at least one better pub in the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again. Having said that, I’m glad that Roger’s intel to the effect that it is to be demolished seems to have been premature.
On 18th March 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1292 recommendations about 1266 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Windsor Castle
Out of the three ales only Bombardier was on during my visit. There was also a selection of standard lagers, but I opted for a coke as the smell of Christ knows what food had turned me off the beer. The pub has a separate public bar at the front which I found unwelcoming and another bar behind with a plasma screen which shows Sky and Setanta. There is a grand back room that is worth a look, but now that I have seen it there is no reason for me to drink here again.
On 10th February 2009
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2581 recommendations about 2568 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Windsor Castle
Nice looking pub, head for the back bar, it's larger and looks good. Sells real ale. On a visit on a Saturday, a few of the people in the front bar seemed drunk and it was only 3.30.
On 18th February 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 682 recommendations about 672 pubs]