Gorringe Park, Tooting, SW17

Inverted L-shaped pub with the bar in the nick of the L. Seating at rear for diners. Three hand pumps, two weak, the other Directors which for once was quite passable. Seating outside which on a sunny day was quite pleasing. Not a bad pub at all.

Retains the two room format as said, the front room being considered the public bar as it has the dartboard but it is still pretty well appointed for a public having comfortable seating and carpet. The rear room was empty when I visited but I went in for a look; it is rather plush with a new looking patterned carpet, well upholstered seating and some attractive dark stained wood panelling. There are those pictures of the Queen Mum and Prince Charles pulling pints in here, no doubt familiar to everyone who frequents Young's pubs. The original layout of the front bar is given away by the two now unused doors which have benching passing in front. The fireplace is attractive with cut logs and an ornate wood carved mantle above. Decor consists mainly of framed prints of London scenes, and the colour scheme generally is a warm feeling red and cream. There doesn't appear to be food available, no menus, give away sauce bottles etc, but the welcome was genuine and the barmaid was chatty and interacting with a few regulars. As said Young's beers, Ordinary and Special with the Bombardier having the clip reversed. I went for the Ordinary but the barmaid commented it was coming out slightly hazy and suggested I might prefer the Special. I agreed and she said she'd charge the Ordinary price for it which I thought was a nice gesture. I thought this was a pleasant and well looked after pub of a type rarely encountered any more, very clean and tidy and the initial impression I got having seen the well tended hanging baskets outside was certainly maintained inside.

This is a Young’s pub and does the usual Young’s range, plus Courage Best. They don’t do food now. There are still two separate bars; the front bar on the main road is the public bar, with the saloon bar at the back. The public bar used to be split into three areas, with the jug and bottle servery on the right where the dartboard is now, and a small snug on the left where the original fireplace still sits. This is a straightforward down to earth pub with no airs or graces. There were a couple of high tables/stools in one corner, but I’m prepared to regard this as a minor negative point (along with the one-armed bandit and games machine) in what seemed to me to be a friendly and welcoming pub. It’s carpeted throughout, and the public bar is a pretty comfortable place to sit, with mainly banquette seating and normal tables and chairs, plus a few stools at the bar. From what I could see of the saloon bar, it seemed equally comfortable. There’s a TV on the wall (of course), the aforementioned dartboard as well as the inevitable flags of St George everywhere to herald the impending FIFA World Cup. This is a clean, decent enough pub with not much special about it apart from the friendly atmosphere, and I would be very happy to visit again.