The Eagle Ale House, SW11

I spent a nice hour or two in this pub recently, having made my way past numerous trendy and pretentious bars on my walk from Clapham Junction which served only to make me further appreciate a decent traditional pub like this. The interior has a nice homely feel to it, with plenty of seating in the large open area at the front. There is a nice fireplace with a large mirror above it and bookcases flanking its sides. Some partitioning along one side of the room creates cosy nooks to hide in and the partitions have an impressive collection of champagne bottles on top of them. The bar had a number of tankards hanging from it, perhaps belonging to devoted regulars? Entry to the pub takes you through a small patio area at the front and I noticed that they also have a garden to the rear, although given the late hour of my visit, I didn't go out to investigate it. As befits an Ale House, there was a fine selection of beer available at the bar including Sharp's Doom Bar, Surrey Hills Ranmore, Ringwood Best, Harvey's Best, Purbeck Fossil Fuel (£3.20) and Hepworth Prospect. My pint of Purbeck was in good shape and the barman who served it was quick and friendly. There was a sizable crowd in on a Saturday evening generating a good atmosphere enhanced by a fine 70's music soundtrack. A large TV screen was prominent but it was turned off whilst I was there. A selection of board games were available to keep punters entertained as well. All in all a nice pub with a good selection of beer and a welcoming feel to it. Well worth a return visit.

Randomness Guide to London - Eagle Ale House entry

Randomness Guide to London - Eagle Ale House entry

What a little gem of a pub. Décor consists of numerous prints and the like around the walls, plus a shelf or two of empty Champagne bottles and some books. Also the imaginative choice of prints in the Gents' (the Kylie “Spinning Around” was my favourite) is rather innovative. Comfortable seating, friendly service and excellent real ale make this a definite winner. There were several real ales when I visited on a quiet Saturday afternoon – I had the excellent Loddon Best Bitter at £2.70 a pint. And a big black friendly dog on the floor getting in everyone's way – marvellous; I don't think there are many places like this left in London. Definitely worth the effort of seeking out.

Worth the hike from Clapham Junction (or you can jump on the 319). Large imposing frontage particularly for a pub on a side street, one area inside however semi divided by a brick pier, arch and glass screen, giving the area around the fireplace a feeling of seperation. The pub dog appears to like this area, although he didn't seem to mind me sitting on the opposite sofa. The main bar area has a mix of seating, wooden settles in front of the windows, chair and tables and bar stools. Board games are aplenty, a couple of tellys for sport, book cases, film posters and sporting photos( some boxing stuff includes "Our Enry" blood splattered) adorn the predominantly red walls. A big display of beer, wine and champagne bottles fills a shelving display. A very comfortable and laid back feel, 8 handpumps, but only 4 in use on the day, Hogs Back TEA and Hop, Harveys Sussex and St Austell Tribute. Not sure whether there are normally 4 or sometimes more? An outdoor gazebo/marquee to the rear caters for smokers and outdoor drinkers.

I counted eight hand pumps on the bar, four of which were on, but the governor was in the middle of changing barrels and pulling pints through so I’m sure that there is usually more choice, although four is enough anyway in my opinion. There is not much of a draught choice as this is primarily an ale drinker’s pub, but my Guinness was very good and the governor was polite. The other customers were at least a generation above me, but I did visit on a quiet week night. There are a couple of TVs that were off during my visit and I also spotted a rolled up projector screen above the front window. There is a sign outside stating that sporting events are shown, but I didn’t spot any signs for Sky Sports so I’m not sure if it is present. Looking at the other clientele I would imagine that this is more a rugby pub anyway. It is a comfortable enough place with standard tables and chairs which were not being used as all of the other customers were standing and sitting at the bar. Some sofas are found by a fireplace and there are some board games on the side shelf for people that have got bored of talking. There is a garden out the back that I did not visit as it was cold, but apparently there is a dartboard in it – maybe someone could clarify this. I’m not sure that I’d make a special trip to visit here again (maybe to check the garden out) but I can see why it is a popular destination pub.