The Rose & Crown, Wallington

This is a modernised, two bar pub just off the main Croydon to Sutton road. You enter into the front bar area which has a decorative tiled floor, tables and chairs around the perimeter and neutral shaded walls with a few old photos on display. The servery is on the rear wall and has a nice panelled counter front and a plain, modern bar back with an inlaid TV screen and a Carshalton Athletic football scarf draped across it. Passing to the right of the bar, you can move through to the bare boarded rear dining room which has a long banquette down the right-hand wall and lots of tables and chairs in support. A nice tiled fireplace stands on the rear wall with a large plain mirror above and lots of random photos and pictures on the walls, including, apropos of nothing, an optician's chart. There's a similar bar counter back here, with a glazed, white tile bar back. An opening to the rear leads through to a small overspill seating area with more upholstered banquette seating and views out to a tidy looking beer garden. Lots of TV screens throughout the pub were showing a mix of cricket and football, although the screens in the rear room were all switched off. Eclectic tunes ranging from punk to motown to smooth soul soundtracked my stay at a sensible volume. Sadly there was no cask offering on this visit, so I tried the ubiquitous Beavertown Neck Oil instead, at a hefty £6.55 a pint. The barman was very friendly and welcoming to all comers, but the beer was the usual, uninspiring, mega-keg dross. I quite liked the feel of this place on entering - they've created a smart, contemporary pub that will appeal to a range of customers, but with no cask ale and no particularly interesting keg alternatives, it lets itself down, which is a fatal move with the fine pubs of Carshalton just a short walk away. I'm glad I finally got around to checking this place out, but can't see me rushing back in a hurry. Date of visit - 6th May 2024

Official site of The Rose & Crown - www.roseandcrownwallington.co.uk

Official site of The Rose & Crown - www.roseandcrownwallington.co.uk

Situated just over from a very nice pond and green, this is a pub that won't have changed much in the last 20 years. Molested interior with a pesudo wood floored public bar as you enter and a pub carpeted rear lounge section. The three ale pumps are hidden right round the far end here but only GK OSH was on and it was an appley tasting thing (I guess nobody drinks it). Two upticks were the friendly welcome and impressive grassed rear garden with rabbits and birds. As I ventured out with my half, I was informed that only plastic glasses were allowed out here; “blame the council” quoth the landlady. Feels like it’s underperforming, but it’s a fair place if you drink fizz I guess.