The Manor Arms, Streatham, SW16

This is a large pub at the top of Streatham Green, occupying a wedge of land where two roads converge. You enter via a beautiful curved wood panelled porch with the pub’s name printed on perhaps the largest doormat I’ve ever seen. Inside, you find yourself in a large, opened out room with a few notionally separate areas, but ultimately, the pub has been opened out as much as is structurally feasible. The servery is on the back wall, slightly to the right on entering, and has a traditional dark wood counter and plain mirrored bar back, with an open kitchen to the left. The whole left-hand side of the pub has been given over to dining, with the space next to the kitchen furnished with button backed banquettes and simple table and chair arrangements ideal for those wanting to eat. At the far end, double doors open into the ‘Kite Room’ - a small space in the thin end of the wedge which has similar seating in a smart carpeted space. Opposite the bar, comfier options such as armchairs, tub hairs and padded mid-height stools, combine to create a lounge-like feel, the highlight of which has to be the high backed throne-like seat built into one of the walls. The room extends to the right, into a compact space behind the ‘throne’, and doors here lead out to a decent looking garden. The pub has a mix of smart wall panels, modern glazed tiles, exposed brickwork and painted plastered walls, all decorated with arty prints, whilst each table has its own vase of flowers and large TV screens showed live football with the sound on, despite a soft rock soundtrack also playing in the background. Three handpulls on the bar were all badged with Youngs Ordinary, which the barman gave me a taster of, as one of his regulars was complaining that it was pouring a little hazy. It tasted as reliably shite as it usually does, but with a lack of other options I ordered a full pint for £5.10. There were only a few locals in on this weekday evening visit, mostly watching the match in silence. This is quite a nice pub that has sadly been knocked about pretty badly by Youngs, leaving only glimpses of its once, no doubt impressive interior. A lack of decent beer is also a problem, but I can’t fault the attentive service and there were still some comfy spots to settle down in. I’m glad I checked this place out, but can’t see any reason to return under its current ownership.

The three ales on in here were Doom Bar, Young's Bitter, and Ringwood Best (£3.70 a pint). A variety of food is available - "small plates" e.g. taramasalata with flatbread (£4.50), whitebait (£4.95); sarnies around £6 - £7; a pizza menu with all around the £10 mark; and main courses also around the £10 mark - e.g. the pie of the day is £9.95. A little card on the tables advertises a pizza and a pint for £10, but doesn't specify a pint of what. I usually find these sort of deals only allow a pint of something I wouldn't want to drink. It would be great if the advertising specified a pint of any draught beer! There is an open to view kitchen behind one end of the bar counter, meaning that everyone is treated to the overbearing smell of food cooking. But perhaps some people think these odours add to the appeal. Although menus are on all the tables, there is a separate room at the "wedge" end of the pub with all tables laid for diners. In the main bar area we still have the tall tables/tall stools, sofas off to the right in a small enclosed area. A door on the right leads to an outside drinking/smoking area. There was some music playing, but thankfully only piped to the speakers on the right near the sofas, so obviously I sat at the far end of the room near the dining area. They have some features that you typically find in the "hotel lounge" style of pub, such as dividing shelves bearing bottles of wine, jugs, vases and the like, and a gantry in front of the kitchen area had on it plates, jars of what looked like pickled lemons (!), jars of coffee beans, etc. There's not a great deal of decor, and consists mainly of small framed prints of butterflies. Everywhere is bare-boarded of course, and the bar counter and some pillars are painted indigo. The beer choice is OK, without being anything very exciting. But my pint of Ringwood Best Bitter was in good nick, and at a fairly reasonable price of £3.70 a pint. This pub has clearly lost much of the pub character it once had, having gone down the gastro route, but it is clean and bright and reasonably comfortable. My main gripe is the smell of cooking food, and although it's not really my favourite kind of place, it's an "OK" pub nonetheless.

Large pub just off the main road through Streatham. Small garden at the back. Real ale on sale, though can't remember which ones. looked closed when viewed from the main road, but entrance is round the other side. Bar area is divided in two, on the right, the bar and on the left, food preparation area.

This pub has now been opened out into one huge long space, it has expensive looking wooden floors, mainly light coloured walls, sofas, chaise longues and elaborate court style chairs as well as a few of the normal variety. The long curved bar has a metal top, I doubt it is pewter but it could be, and adjacent and competing in area is a big open food servery. The circular end area has thankfully retained some decent looking tiling to the circular columns and piers, and the ceiling looks original. The opposite end has a partly covered attractive garden area. There are hard bound drinks menus on the tables and printed daily food specials menus, with examples being Chicken and Morel Pie with greens(£13), Bacon Chop, Crushed Jerseys and Broad beans(£16). The discretely located TV was off despite the FA Cup final being in progress, so this clearly isn't a pub geared up for sports watchers. It is clear that the target clientele are the neo-yuppie incomers to Streatham, and they were there in droves, their loud voices amplified by the hard surfaces and extensive space. In fairness the beer range was good, quality excellent and the service efficient. Four handpumps served Sambrooks Wandle, Adnams Broadside, Doom Bar and the excellent Purity Pure Gold (£3.50, 3.8%). Reading the drinks menu, it suggests all four are regulars. I enjoyed my pint but these sort of places are not really my type of pub and increasingly irritated by groups of 30somethings kiss-greeting each other ostentatiously in the continental style I needed a culture change and headed off in search of a Wetherspoons.

Official site of the Manor Arms - www.themanorarms.com

Official site of the Manor Arms - www.themanorarms.com