The Stonhouse, Clapham, SW4

This is a mid-19th century backstreet pub, originally the Wirtemberg Arms, on what was originally Wirtemberg Street, both renamed due to Germanophobia resulting from The Great War, the pub patriotically and ironically renamed the Windsor Arms, after the oh-so un-German Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha family (later Windsors), at which time it was a Hoare’s house, becoming the Stonhouse in 2009. The current interior is the result of a 2022 acquisition by the Three Cheers Pub Co: it’s bare boarded, white bare brick then white walls with dark grey wainscoting and white ceiling. Furniture is conventional and mixed in style, with assorted banquettes and peach velvet swag curtains. Décor amounted to trendy prints which appeared African influenced, the pub having a charitable association with Kenya. Customers were young, trendy types but what was inescapable was the noise of the background music. Two cask beers: Sussex Best and Landlord, £2.90 a half and in great shape. This isn’t a bad place and I’m glad I visited on a Saturday night when their obsession with children had abated. This is one of the better offerings in SW4, preferable to the neighbouring Clapham Tap, but it’s all relative; turning down the volume would help, because at this level I couldn’t have stayed for more than a pint.

Official site of The Stonhouse - www.thestonhouse.co.uk

Official site of The Stonhouse - www.thestonhouse.co.uk

Standard pub with the bar to the middle. Two weakish real ales. Eating area to the rear. Not worth a return.

The Stonhouse was busy with a Morris dancing group and their entourage when I visited on a recent Saturday afternoon. Thankfully most of them were banging their sticks and ringing their bells outside the front of the pub so I was left in peace to have a good nose around. To the left of the entrance is a seating area where access can be gained to a staircase that climbs to the toilets. The bar faces seating that runs down the right hand windowed wall and there is more seating around to the left at the rear where there is also a disabled toilet. Many of the tables were reserved for dining and the gastro mains started at £11.50 for burger and fries. Available from the bar alongside a keg range were Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Belleville Brewing’s Battersea Brownstone. I didn’t spot a television, but there was some background music playing. Out the back is a paved beer garden with some covered seating. I found the service to be offhand and, although pleasant enough, I saw nothing that would have me rushing back to this pub.

Nice pub that is very food orientated.Very busy with diners.Two decent beers on Landlord and Sussex best.Another good back street gastro.

This pub has definitely tried to move upmarket, but based on my short Wednesday afternoon visit I’m not sure that it has worked, although of course it could be a very different place in the evenings. Unfortunately when I was in so was the mummies’ club, with a blockade of buggies at the choke point, although as it was quiet it didn’t really matter. Although most of the little treasures were well behaved, one of them let out an occasional shriek just to keep you on your toes. The pub has been completely made over (some might say trashed), with peacock themed wallpaper, black fake leather armchairs and sofas, and battleship grey painted girders. There are no tall tables/tall stools however, and although there are enough normal tables and chairs for drinkers, the area at the back and to the right of the bar counter contains tables all laid for diners. The only real ale on was Sambrook Wandle (£1.95 a half), although there was a Timothy Taylor Landlord clip reversed on another pump. The pub is owned by renaissance, and as they had recently celebrated their tenth anniversary, they had had on a special Sambrook brewed ale called Ten Ale. Unfortunately it was all gone by the time I visited. The upmarket aspiration is demonstrated by the chalkboard cocktail menu being displayed. They obviously do food, but I didn’t get to scrutinise a menu. This pub just about gets in the “alright” category. I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again.

This is a back street pub that has gone upmarket and probably spoilt it.The pub seemed to be a bit to foody for my likeing there were two real ales on the bar i tried Taylor Landlord and it was ok the other beer was Deuchars iPA,not my type of pub.