The Clapham North, SW9

A Youngs Pubco house opposite Clapham North tube station hence the name.It's been stripped out internally,initially a large space with worn sofas,a mismatch of furniture,a small woodburner in a fireplace and a large flatscreen.A light wood bar to the left,seating booths opposite with another screen before a narrow entrance lined with two banquettes to a rear square snug,another screen and dining style tables.This area is the most convivial and there are stairs to a first floor Saloon Bar,unvisited by me. The pub grub looked unexciting and on my visit the pub was being used to watch footie from Sky.The three handpumps were offering Youngs Original (NBSS 3) and Special and a cider while the keg taps were mulinational tosh. All rather dull and predictable,no reason to revisit.

Situated in Stockwell rather than Clapham, this was originally the Bedford dating from the late 19th century, but I suspect the current structure was rebuilt in the 1920s, now under the stewardship of Young’s. The interior has been completely modernised to the point where it resembles a restaurant. There was thumping dance music and multiple TVs showing the football, though at least some of the ladz were actually watching, bellowing hysterically every time someone touched the ball; otherwise, customers were fizzed-up squealers, none being over the age of 25 as far as I could see, the pub full to capacity. A feeble cask choice yielded just London Original and Gipsy Hill’s Trail, a ‘juicy’ i.e. ‘nasty’ new Young’s addition, seemingly displacing the very decent Proper Job. It takes an awful lot for me not to have a drink in a pub, but my Saturday night experience was so awful that I walked; the imperfect Falcon is across the road.

Nothing special about this one. Bar to left, two hand pumps, one reversed. Various TV screens. Will not be returning.

A large corner pub divided into two bars, the front bar slightly more pubby, but not a lot than the larger more dimly lit rear area that had a couple of Tv screens showing muted football. The furniture is as described by Rex a couple of years ago. Three handpumps on the bar with two operational serving the same duo also mentioned by rex, Doombar and London Gold, the latter being in not particularly good shape.I only came in here due to the early opening,10:00 on a Sunday, I'll catch a later train next time.

This looks to be as much a restaurant as a pub, but there were a couple of ales on - Young's London Gold (£1.85 a half), and Doom Bar of course. I did see clipboard menus on some of the tables, but there wasn't one where I sat so I didn't get to peruse one. But I did see meals delivered to the occupants of the next table, and all the food looked OK. It was obviously served on blocks of wood rather than plates. A lot of the tables were laid for diners. I didn't see any of what I would regard as traditional furnishings. Along the front of the room was a rank of upholstered bench booths; in the middle of the room were loads of tall tables/tall stools, and at the window were some banquettes with pedestal tables and some standard chairs. I sat at the window of course, where my table was overly sticky (but maybe I was just unlucky), and where the banquettes were too low for the tables. The normal chairs had their backs to the room, which feels a bit odd if one is on one’s own. Everything looks uber modern in here, from the copper lightshades on the lamps suspended above the booths, to the exposed brickwork on the back wall and the bar counter front. To add to this, there was a popcorn machine at one end of the bar counter. All the tables had a little vase of flowers on them; there were a couple of TVs (only one on, and muted); and some unnecessary pop music was playing. My feeling was that this bar was more appearance over substance. It seemed a cross between a canteen and an American diner. On the one hand it looked OK (as long as you like these massively madeover places), but I didn’t feel that it was particularly comfortable here. But maybe that’s just me; anyway, I won’t be rushing back.

Light café-style front bar, part of which comprises a raised seating area along the side windows. Much darker back bar. Patio tables under stripey awnings at the front. Rather dull choice of Doom bar and Youngs Ordinary (£3.70) from two of three handpumps. Handy for the eponymous underground station.

Large long pub with the rear bar given over to music.Lots of outside seating to the front.Sad beer selection with two handpumps with Doombar and Youngs-london Gold.