Hero of Switzerland, Loughborough Junction, SW9

Planning granted for demolition and replacement with a 13 storey development (plus basement) comprising a new pub and 35 flats.

There's no real ale here, notwithstanding two unused handpumps in both the saloon and public bars. There was no sign of any food on Saturday afternoon. I had a half of keg Yardbird Pale, at £2.20. This pub is now on CAMRA's Regional Inventory of pubs with (largely) unspoilt interiors. This is a rare example of a post-war pub that still has its original two bars in place. The two rooms are joined by a short corridor that also accesses the door to the gents. The room on the right is the saloon bar, which is better appointed than the public bar on the left. It's carpeted, and has cushion padding on the bar counter front that I guess was the height of pub sophistication in the 60s. There's a terrazzo style splash area surrounding the counter, and there was a TV on showing some horse racing. Seating throughout the pub is normal tables and chairs, and both the saloon and public bars have dartboards, whereas only the public bar has a pool table. The public bar is bare-boarded, and wood panelled bar counter front is unadorned, and all the better for it. This is a very basic locals' pub. I really appreciate this sort of pub that retains all its orginal pine woodwork, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea. A real ale would help (after all they do have four handpumps) but I doubt whether a basic estate pub like this one could sell enough of it to make it pay.