The Junction, SW11

The Junction If you're sitting in The Junction You will not get a train You may have come in through the doors To get out of the rain Though the railway runs nearby The trains do not stop here But you can get off at the station And drop in for a beer The Junction is a refurbished pub With lots of comfy seats Plenty of space for you and your friends To have your drinks and eats The food menu is extensive The wine list has lots of choice It's a friendly place and not too loud So you don't have to raise your voice If you have a train to catch At the station that's nearby Arrive there extra early And give The Junction a try.

Opened out into a single space, the impressive vaulted beamed ceiling remains to the rear however all has been painted in pale shades predominantly greys and greens. The wood panelling has also been in my view vandalised by painting light green. Part carpeted in the front with a boarded "path" to the bar, parquet wood flooring to the rear. The bar is in the front area with the pub name in lettering on the gantry between a few railway related photos. There is a fair bit of railway nostalgia around providing interest, rather cryptically continued by the set of suitcases in small wire cages. Mixed seating with a number of high tables and some armchairs with a postage stamp design on the upholstery. The library style wallpaper seemed in my view to clash with the other décor. Six handpumps, three from Adnam's although one was reversed the other being Explorer and Xmas cheer. Also on were Sambrooks Wandle, ELB Nightwatchman and Portabello Star, the last two being in great shape. Food is served, menus were on the tables as well as a chalkboard which listed lunch specials for £4.95. There was a quiz on the go but thankfully this didn't overly dominate to the point that conversation was threatened. Our group had intended to spend the evening in the nearby Falcon but had to decamp as the usually excellent venue fell considerably short of it's expected standards on this occasion. Beer wise it proved a good alternative even if a fair bit of previous character has now gone with the refurb.

Quite a bold example of Brewer's Tudor, looking somewhat out of place on St John's Hill, but certainly more attractive that the intimidating brick façade of the Grand music venue / night club opposite. Small front bar plus a much larger extended room to the rear (unusually with no direct connection between the two - not even a shortcut through the intermediate gents toilet that one sometimes finds). Wood panelling throughout, giving a slightly gloomy appearance, not helped by the plain furniture and decor. Plenty of offers on the Original Pub Company menus. Black Sheep, Old Peculier and Wainwright (£3.24, right glass) from a total of seven handpumps (with just two of these at the front). Overall, nothing special, but a bit of a surprise that such a traditional pub still exists in the Clapham Junction area.