The Fountain, New Malden

I paid my first visit to this pub today following its recent refurbishment. The structure and layout is essentially unchanged. They’ve replaced the chairs with mainly tub armchairs, although some of the armless variety remains. A new carpet is an improvement, and the portrait of Thomas Lovibond seems to have been given the boot. But the big plus is the vastly improved ale selection. Previously the best that could be hoped for was Courage Best or Young’s Bitter, but on my visit this afternoon there were six ales on – Timothy Taylor Landlord, London Pride, Adnam’s Broadside, St Austell Tribute, Deuchars IPA and Purity Mad Goose (£3.20 a pint). The atmosphere in the place is much the same, although there seems to be more TV screens now, including a large projection job behind the pool table. It was doing a decent trade. I hope that it can maintain that if/when the proposed ‘spoons opens over the road. It’s made a good start by upping its game on the ale front.

A very large L-shaped single room with a couple of pool tables and a dartboard down one end, carpeted and with mostly standard seating but also with the odd high table and stools. There is some good quality wood panelling and a large circular rooflight of note as well as a couple of framed portraits on the walls. A few screens dotted about, fruit and quiz machines plus some kind of grab a prize game more at home on a seaside pier. Unfortunately the overall impression I get here whenever I've been in is of quiet despair. There are always seemingly a number of solitary all day drinkers nursing pints and I generally find the whole ambience totally dispiriting. Lots of cheap offers advertised, eg two meals for £7, GK IPA at £1.99 and Fosters at £2.35. There is a large outdoor area to the rear with standard wooden bench tables. The beer choice today was GK IPA or Courage Best, two pumps being unclipped.

This is a John Barras pub, thus it is a Punch Group Pubco pub. And that is exactly what it looks like – a high street chain pub, like thousands of others. There were four handpumps on the bar, but only one was in use, dispensing Young’s Bitter. To be fair, it was a decent pint - as long as you like Young’s ales. I do, and it wasn’t too expensive (for London) at £2.90 a pint. Everything else is pretty much like most of the other Punch pubs you’ve been in. There’s a pool table, one-armed bandits of course, a few prints on the wall – above the armchairs there’s one of someone called Thomas Lovibond, apparently at one time a Head Brewer somewhere (Courage possibly bearing in mind the past affiliation of this pub) glowering down at punters enjoying a pint of Young's! There is a very large garden that is good for the summer. It’s in a good location right by the fountain roundabout; it’s certainly not worth going out of your way to find, but it’s OK for a pint if for some strange reason you find yourself down that end of new Malden High St.

Large and lively local landmark at end of High St. A lot of screens for live football scattered round the place, so not somewhere for a quite evening. They actually declined to sell me the Youngs, as it was "on the way out" which is at least commendable.