Clapham Tap, Clapham, SW4

A mid-19th century backstreet pub, this was originally the Manor Arms until conversion to CBC format in 2013, the current reinvention and name dating from 2017, a description hampered by it not having a website. You enter via an astroturf front patio (there’s a rear garden), the place small and quite dark with bare brick, lacquered floor, carpeted to the rear with wood panelling, some eclectic bric-a-brac, tabletop Space Invaders machine, bored games, quite loud Queen and pointless, silent TV showing The Jonathan Woss show for no purpose. Customers were quite mixed but some laddish, then a gaggle of fizzed-up squealers, the whole making for an unrestful experience in quite gloomy surrounds. With CBC having upped sticks, there are now just two cask beers on: Brixton Life on Mars mild and Purity Jimbo, £5.90 a pint (my request for a half ignored) and good. This isn’t the worst place by SW4 standards, but the Stonhouse next door is a better bet, not least because of more civilised customers and no TV. And why is it called a ‘tap’? Rated 3.5.

At last, a decent pub. Bar in the centre as you enter. Various hand pumps, including Jaipur which I naturally had. Beer garden to the rear, seating out front. I would return to this place

A couple of picnic tables sit under a jumbrella on some fake grass outside the front of Craft Beer Co. Some steps lead up to the entrance of the J shaped bar with basic décor. The major draw is the ten hand pumps, most of which I had never heard of. There are no distractions such as background music or televisions, just beer and conversation. Out the back is a large decked area that was also covered in fake grass. Here there are lots of picnic tables and another two jumbrellas. I found the service to be polite and would return.

Called in late Saturday afternoon,there was a decent crowd in attendance,very much a pub in the traditional category, along with an excellent range of beer,my pint of Tiny Rebel IPA was in good form ,a must visit pub if you find yourself in the locality.