The Cyclist, Balham, SW12

Small Spoons with the bar left central. Space all round. Usual ale selection. One plus point - the toilets are on the ground floor!

This is another typical shop conversion, and on my visit today was quite disappointing. It was surprisingly busy for pre-midday and things seemed to be getting on top of the staff with two unused pumps, food plates that needed dealing with and glasses that needed collecting from the tables. The two unused pumps plus the two usual GK offerings and the boring uninvited guest Doombar left just three possibilities. These were Exmoor Gold along with two Clarence & Frederick's Locale beers. I went for the C&F IPA (£2.60) which is pricey for a Spoons and was only in very average condition. This is not the worst Spoons I've been to but must be in the bottom 10.

This is one of the smaller 'spoons I have visited, a typical shop conversion resulting in a L-shaped room. The pub carries the early Wetherspoon's name, given to a fair few and well noted here with a framed list of the terms and conditions of George Orwell's vision of the perfect pub. The philanthrope may well turn in his grave if he saw some of the places now celebrating his vision. Full on Saturday of all day drinkers, the often down at heel cheap venue feeling being as present here in easily as much as any of the chain I have ventured into. There were however 5 festival beers on and my Robinson's offering was top notch. Lots of wood panelling, local tales in frames such as a mysterious murder of Charles Bravo locally years ago plus once local resident Margaret Rutherford. Doors to the rear lead to a pretty dismal service yard area where smoking is allowed until 10pm.

Anonymous little 'spoons near Balham tube station that you could easily walk by without noticing. No distinguishing features in the 'L'-shaped bar either. Eight handpumps offering the usual suspects plus guests such as Burton Porter (well priced at £2.20).

Long and narrow spit and sawdust Wetherspoon's pub with a good range of real ales. Suits me as it caters for the older generation of which I have been a member for quite a few years!. Can get noisy at times. One minute from Balham Station