The Crane, Wandsworth, SW18

Refurbished, but sparsely decorated, Youngs pub close to the late lamemted Ram Brewery site. The 'L'-shaped bar has a mix of furniture and has been repainted in dark colours. There is some patio furniture out front, with more to the rear. Rather subdued, and not especially welcoming, atmosphere. Just two handpumps, offering Ordinary plus Wandle (£3.30) as a guest.

This pub recently made the front cover of London Drinker as part of a story about Young's pubs now providing guest ales, so seeing as it was on the route of a crawl I had planned, I decided to pop in for a quick drink. They seem to have recently undergone a significant refurbishment which has given the place a gastro-pub feel. There are lots of big, long tables around the room and a large suite of leather sofas near the front door. The walls have a few old pictures here and there, but otherwise I felt it was a bit bland and lacking in character. I only spotted two ales available - Young's Ordinary and Sambrook's Junction (£3.20) - but I may have missed some pumps further along the bar. My pint of Junction was in good condition and I enjoyed it from the comfort of one of the sofas, from which I was able to watch 'Final Score' on the large TV on the adjacent wall. The pub doesn't exactly have a great location, which may have prompted the image change, but the staff were friendly and the beer well kept, so it served its purpose as a brief pit-stop.

Just a short note to advise on passing today there is a sign stating that the pub is under new management but more importantly that it does not open at all on Mondays and Tuesdays.

This pub has clearly changed somewhat since Philip Carter’s visit a couple of years ago. The pool table has gone, and there was no mention anywhere of karaoke, DJs or live music when I visited. This is a Young’s pub, but there was only one Young’s ale on – Young’s Bitter. But they did have St Austell Tribute on, as well an unexpected bonus in having both Sambrook ales – Wandle and Junction – on offer. The Wandle (3.8%) at £2.50 a pint is an excellent bet, and Junction (4.5%) at £3 a pint is still good value for such an excellent ale. The pub itself looks pretty basic from the outside, but inside it looks to have had a complete makeover. It’s one bare-boarded room, with some chunky and solid high tables and stools, and sofas next to the fireplace. I was told that the fire was lit in the evenings during cooler weather. Apparently they don’t do food at the moment, but this is planned for introduction shortly. The pub sign featuring both the mechanical lifting device and the bird of the same name is absent at present, but is to be restored when the exterior gets a facelift. I have to say that although the interior is clean and bright, and has a cared for look about it, it lacks that essential pub character that defines an excellent pub, as it seems to be now aiming for a more upmarket clientele. But it does do decent ale at decent prices, so I for one would be happy to drop in for another pint sometime.