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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
Prince of Wales, Merton, SW19
SW19
SW19 3BP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Prince of Wales
This pub would seem to date from 1876, a Young’s house, renamed the Princess of Wales in 1997 for obvious reasons, reverting to the original name in 2010.
No longer a Young’s house, this place is in a rather bleak area, surrounded by a huge trading estate, with a big ugly car park to the right and a scruffy-looking vacant sign frame; part of the perimeter is bounded by a red fluorescent strip light. Up a flight of steps, the interior goes back a fair bit, is grey with patterned curtains and brightly lit; off-putting customer activity can be seen on their Facebook page.
Needless to say, I didn’t stay, saving the best pub of my three-hole mini-crawl ‘til last.
On 17th June 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Prince of Wales
Dropped in to check out the beer festival yesterday, and I'm pleased to report that the refurbishment is complete, and that the character of the pub has been retained. Good stuff.
On 4th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Paul Green left this review about Prince of Wales
The refurbishment is 99% complete now - we're just waiting on a couple of fencing panels and a few more plants to be installed out the back, and we're all done.
On 16th June 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 5 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Prince of Wales
I visited this pub on Wednesday, hopeful that the refurb mentioned below would have been completed by now, but unfortunately I found the pub still in a state of transition, which makes reviewing it a little tricky given the missing furniture et al. The friendly barman informed me that they were having a big reopening on Saturday 5th June.
The interior is fairly big, although it may be deceptively so given the open spaces in some parts. The refurb seems to be similar those given to a lot of other Young’s pubs in the last year or so, but it generally looked pretty good and I would imagine the finished article will be very pleasant.
Only Young’s Ordinary (£2.90) and Special on the pumps, although their website suggests that they have a guest ale on normally. Given the sunny weather and lack of indoor seating, I took my pint out to the beer garden where there was a BBQ in full swing. Surreally, the pub had an energetic young piglet running around on its roof terrace, presumably incensed at watching its forefathers being grilled below.
A decent enough Young’s pub and despite the turmoil it did enough to convince me to return and check out the finished product.
On 6th June 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Paul Green left this review about Prince of Wales
Hi to all, I'm the landlord of this pub, and would like to just add that unfortunately, the brewery design gurus are being let loose with the place on Tuesday - hopefully they'll get rid of everything thread bare, and keep a bit of charm....
On 3rd May 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 5 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Princess Of Wales
Pleasant enough, friendly locals pub on the busy A24. A variety of seating in what is now effectively one space but due to the layout still feels distinctly like three rooms. Homely feel, thankfully the brewery design gurus have stayed away so far.
A few pics of Royalty, plus as Rex says the famous Queen Mum picture. The old clock over the fireplace, pub mirrors and food serving hatch reinforce the parlour room feel. Darts, piano, books and Dvds/videos in the small front room. Are these for rental/lending, I don't really know?
A bit of a nostalgia trip for me as I lived nearby about 14-15 years ago, so it was a regular port of call. The Youngs beers were always good but I agree with Rex that the Brains was a little tired.
On 21st February 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Princess Of Wales
This is a Young’s pub with the usual range on, but as a concession to the 6 Nations tournament they were allowed to put on that excellent Welsh beer, Brain’s SA. But the pint I had wasn’t brilliant, but OK to drink. It’s been a Young’s house for a very long time; since they took a lease on it in 1876. It used to be called the Prince of Wales, but was renamed the Princess of Wales following the death of you know who in 1997. The pub itself is larger than it looks from the outside with a large seating area at the back on the left. The front part of the pub looks to be the most traditional, with a piano, dartboard, and a bookshelf with some books that I suppose might have been donated by regulars. The large bar at the back, which almost certainly would have been the result of a later extension, features a couple of things that one rarely, if ever, sees in a pub. Firstly, there was a small (laptop sized) TV monitor that was only showing adverts for forthcoming sporting events, and secondly a children’s area with a small blackboard having pride of place. I’m not sure that I would want to be in there when the latter was in use. The upholstery on the banquettes in this area certainly looked as if it had seen better days – but there again so had the clothes I was wearing so no problem there for me!
The decor on the walls worth mentioning consisted of a number of prints of previous monarchs, plus the large photographs of both HRH The Prince of Wales and the late HM The Queen Mother both pulling pints in a Young’s pub. At one time you couldn’t visit any Young’s pub without seeing these photographs. This is a decent enough quiet little pub. Not my favourite in the area – that accolade goes to the Trafalgar Freehouse – but OK for a pint or two as long as you’re not expecting anything too flash.
On 16th February 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]