The Half Moon, Putney, SW15

This is a legendary music venue but a decent enough pub as well. The pub section has had a bit of the designer treatment with lots of grey and greenish paint, sadly covering the wood panelling, boarded flooring, all kinds of mixed seating. Very nice leaded windows included one which is arched, wall mounted shields and antlers, loads of music memorabilia on the walls as you'd expect in here, a large display case contains odds and sods. Large urns and vases on the window cills, cacti and succulents on the tables. A double doorway leads through to the auditorium with a cinema style name board above so it seems pub and music venue remain separated. An outdoor garden to the side has its own bar and barbeque. It is quite a large room with the bar being central, wrapping around each end, not quite forming an island, the handpumps are in two sets, the middle ones are rather dull containing Young's Bitter x2 and Doom Bar, down the end the choice improved, Redemption Pale Ale (£4.05), Sharp's Atlantic, Mad Goose Purity and Hammerton Pentonville Stout. A TV was showing women's football on silent while a very decent and eclectic soundtrack played. The young foreign barman was friendly and seemingly enthused about the ales, entering into discussion unprompted, especially on the virtues of the Pentonville Stout versus Draught Guinness! I liked it in here, I can't actually see why this was my virgin visit after 29 years living in London but there you go.