The Alma, Wandsworth, SW18

The Alma Tavern – truncated to Alma about 2017 – dates from around the mid-19th century, the ground floor swathed in striking green tiles, the name to the fascia also standing out, likewise the unusual second floor corner window, resembling a lookout. The place goes back a fair way, mainly because of a modern dining extension for the hotel above, accessed to the right along Old York Road. The interior is considered worthy of a ** CAMRA ranking, but what aren’t so historic are the unattractive Travis Perkins-style doors and windows. I’ll leave the interior description to CAMRA, not least because it was so gloomy that, aside from an interesting gold and polychromatic Romano-Grecian-style circular mosaic, I couldn’t see it, not helped by the blinding light coming from several TVs showing silent multiple footie matches, all unwatched. For what it’s worth, furniture is traditional, including some oxblood studded peripheral banquettes. Customers seemingly constituted the entirety of Wandsworth’s hipster community and with the level of conversation and admittedly decent sounds on the stereo, acoustics were very poor. A cask selection amounted to London Original, Gipsy Hill’s Trail and Sambrook’s Junction, £3.15 a half and not bad. Given that I couldn’t see the interior I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt, but otherwise this is a poor experience; with such a beautiful – supposedly – interior, why has this place has decided to go down the sports’ bar route? The score is based on the quality of the interior. Apparently.

Attractive looking pub which is very handy for the train station for those of us with a northerly post code to get back across the river. The striking external green tiling has been well referred to below and internally there is some nice features such as the round mosaics and the mirrors back painted with exotic birds. The internal space is however dominated by the central square servery and although there is several hand pumps dotted around this I was disappointed to trek round and only find three ales available. However alongside the usual Ordinary and Special there was Twickenham Bare Naked ladies, which mad a bit of a change from the usual Proper Job supporting cask to be found in Young’s estate pubs nowadays.

An attractive looking pub opposite the train station,large opened out room with a central island bar. Wooden floored with a mix of seating. Ten Handpumps but only four beers between them, as expected Youngs Bitter and Special, along with Trumans Runner and Blindside, there are a few ordinary keg beers along with some craft options, as the cask selection was on the dull side I settled for a half of Beavertown Neck Oil. Handily placed you don't have to go out of your way to find it, which I wouldn't, but is convenient while waiting for a train.

Very nice looking pub from outside or in.Same old Bedfordshire brewed Youngs beers as the previous reviewer found. Bland keg selection as you would expect from this chain.Very busy.

Directly opposite the entrance to Wandsworth station, the Alma is a large pub, restaurant and hotel which immediately catches the eye thanks to its striking green tile façade. Unfortunately the interior has been greatly opened out, creating a large single room bar with a central island servery. There are a number of scrubbed standard and high tables around the edge of the room with a mix of chairs, high stools and padded benches. The walls have been painted a neutral shade of grey but are considerably enlivened with several mirrors depicting images of birds whilst the ceiling has some large circular gold Alma mosaics. The opening out of the room has left the servery devoid of a bar back, which is a shame - an arch with a nice old clock suspended within is all that remains. A fireplace stands over on the right hand wall with another bird mirror above set in a large stone arch. There is a separate restaurant through the door at the rear which appeared to be split into two different rooms with similarly drab décor, tables laid for dining and a plaster frieze running around the top of the walls. It's a Young's pub, so three of their brews were repeated across several banks of hand pumps - Ordinary, Special and London Gold. The keg range was reasonably interesting and included Youngs London Stout and some Meantime beers. The Special, served up by a friendly barmaid, was in pretty good shape, but ultimately, the ale range is nothing you can't find in just about any other Wandsworth pub. I was quite keen to visit this place having been impressed by the external tiling when passing it in the past, but the interior left me cold and for me I think I would only use the pub when waiting for a train, as there are better options not too far away.

The Alma page at the Youngs site - www.youngs.co.uk

The Alma page at the Youngs site - www.youngs.co.uk

The first thing that strikes you about this pub is the startlingly green tiling that covers all sides of the exterior. It would be hard to walk past this pub without noticing it. In fact the exterior is so impressive that one is almost obliged to go in to have a pint, and who am I to fight against such an obligation? Inside it retains some of its original Victorian features, including some superb back painted mirrors at the back. The servery is in the centre of the room now, but of course it would originally have served a number of separate rooms. It’s now a bare-boarded single room pub in the Young’s style, but with some seriously solid wooden tables. It’s a Young’s pub – with Bitter, Special and London Gold on during my visit. I didn’t eat, but noticed the “snack” menu on a chalkboard with items (such as whitebait) for around £3 - £4, for those lacking the luxury of a long enough lunch break, or lacking the inclination, to sample the more expensive, more “gastrofied” stuff on the main menu available in the separate dining room at the back. It’s definitely worth dropping in to have a look at the décor, and perhaps have a pint, if you’re in the area.