Duke's Head, Wallington

Situated on Wallington Green and looks pretty nice from the outside. Reading reviews elsewhere it sounds like I missed out by visiting here after the Youngs wrecking crew turned up. So anyway, enter to what I assume is the last surviving part of the old interior, a loveliness of floor-to-ceiling wood panelling and impressive curved bar with three pumps for show. Mid-section holds the dispense, six pumps with Youngs Bitter doubled and two off (no clip turned or sign) so a measly selection of Bombardier, Youngs Bitter and Youngs Gold on offer. My half of the latter was warm, pump tired and quite possibly aspiratored. Further on is a light, airy and bland dining section. A disappointment, perhaps worth a quick look at the old wood panelling but that’s about it. 5.5

This large Young's pub and hotel has a pleasant location in front of Wallington Green and presents a large multiple roomed interior which has been much altered over the years. Entering through the door to the left of the pub, you find yourself in a rather bland lounge area with a lot of comfy seating options and a few run of the mill black and white photos on the walls. The room gives way into the main bar - a lovely dark panelled room with an attractive curved servery, split in two by a pillar. A nice fireplace stands in a front alcove and some interesting old paintings line the walls, with a smattering of seating and plenty of standing room at the bar. One particularly interesting feature here is the strange looking clock that dates back to the pub's 1930's refitting. This is undoubtedly the nicest part of the pub, although I hadn't visited prior to Young's 2012 refurbishment works, so sadly I can't compare it to its former state. The room turns 90 degrees here, into a second bar with a long stretch of bar down the left side and some huge beams above, painted white. A seating area opposite the bar offers bucket chairs in front of a brick fireplace and a TV showing Sky Sports News. Further on, into a newer extension, there is a restaurant with modern décor, a neutral colour scheme and some enlarged images of old train tickets to Wallington station on the walls. Doors open out onto a sizeable rear garden although the view out the front over the Green is far more preferable. The bar has several banks of handpulls but they were all offering the same three beers - Young's Ordinary, Special and Hummingbird. I tried the latter, having never encountered it previously, and was let down by a poor flat pint that I struggled to get through. The keg options included Young's London Stout and Aspalls Cider. There are a few glimpses of the wonderful pub this clearly once was, but too much of it has a bland, corporate feel and I found it difficult to settle down anywhere. It's a shame and I wonder if it will drop off CAMRA's inventory of historic interiors as a result. I'm glad I've finally visited but I just wish I'd got there a couple of years earlier.