The Whispering Moon (JD Wetherspoon), Wallington

The Whispering Moon is a large L shaped Wetherspoons pub opposite Wallington Railway Station that was very busy during my visit on a recent Saturday afternoon. The bar is located on the far wall and opposite is a raised ‘family area’ where children are permitted until 21:00. I counted ten hand pumps on the bar with a varied mix of JDW stalwarts and some more imaginative brews. This chain is in the middle of a beer festival so I would have expected a wider range of beers than usual. The prices are very reasonable and cheap pub food is available. The décor follows the Spoons formula, even down to the plasma showing muted rolling news and I found the staff to be friendly enough. This pub is handily placed for a quick beer after the daily commute, but I wouldn’t make it my final destination.

This is a Wetherspoon’s pub on the main road, opposite Wallington Station. Feral the Runt and Rooster’s Angry Yank were the only two non mainstream ales on. I went for the Angry Yank, which the barmaid worryingly pulled from a handpump bearing a Ruddle’s Bitter clip. But it seems she knew what she was doing as it turned out to be an excellent, well hopped as you would expect, ale. Nothing like Ruddle’s Bitter fortunately. The pub itself looks like a store conversion, and the interior is unremarkable, being very much in the standard ‘spoon’s mould. There were some Union Flags in evidence, presumably related to this Friday’s forthcoming nuptials. The big plus with this pub is that they had a large pile of the latest London Drinkers available. Also, at the back, they had a display featuring back issues of London Drinker, which is something I hadn’t seen before, and makes a welcome change from the usual adverts and the like. As Wetherspoons go this one is OK, even if the ale selection is very limited by ‘spoons standards.

Randomness Guide to London - Whispering Moon entry