The Brewery Tap, Wimbledon Village, SW19

A little clinical in appearance and not a style I would ordinarily look for, but this place does seem keen on serving a decent selection of ales. As I was passing yesterday I peered through the open window at the four hand-pumps and the barmaid cheerily popped out to ask whether I could be tempted by anything. Nice to get a friendly greeting, and the choice included a 5%-er from Joseph Holt as well as a Mild and Adnams & Pride. I'll be back to sample another time

now a cafe

This is still the smallest pub in Wimbledon, so it is difficult to believe that it has been extended a couple of times in its past, most recently in 1995. I recall when it was a truly tiny two-room pub. It’s called The brewery Tap because it was once the tap room for Wimbledon Brewery next door. The brewery burnt down in 1889, largely as a result of the length of time it took the horse-drawn fire engine to get up the hill from Wimbledon. In a supreme irony the Fire Brigade purchased the burnt out brewery site for the new fire station. I think the current bar is fairly plain and characterless, but albeit functional, inside. The walls and ceiling are painted light grey, and the front of the bar counter painted battleship grey. The floor’s bare-boarded; the furniture’s mainly solid wooden tables with normal chairs, plus a couple of tall tables/stools, and some banquette seating at the back. The main wall contains some adverts for forthcoming sporting events, presumably to be shown on the large flatscreen TV also on this wall. The said TV was switched off during my Saturday afternoon visit, although a punter that wanted to watch a bit of horse racing was able to see it on the small TV at the back. There’s also a fireplace on the left, with a (coal effect gas I suspect) fire on the go. The bar counter still has the copper top. As usual in here there were five ales available. On this occasion they were Pride, Deuchars IPA, Everard’s Beacon, and Slater’s Premium and Arctic. In my experience they usually have at least one Slater’s ale on. Sandwiches cost £5 a throw; “Bargain Bites” such as homemade burger, fries, salad and BBQ sauce are £7.50. They might be good quality, but don’t seem much of a bargain to me. The menu also contains “Old Favourites” at £9 each, for such pub staples as Scotch steak pie with mash, veg and gravy. This looks like a pub that has been madeover from the traditional boozer that I remember to give it an upmarket appearance, but which risks going downmarket (if such a thing is possible in this well-heeled area) by the inclusion of a fruit machine, jukebox, and promotion of sport on the TV. The rock music and reggae being played didn’t help much either. I’m still a bit undecided about this bar. Although it doesn’t have the atmosphere of a traditional pub, as a bar it fills a niche in this area, and the regular availability of five ales on handpump is a big plus point.

Expensive cafe-bar type place in the posh confines of Wimbledon Village - a pint of Slater's Original (a Staffordshire brewery according to the pump clip) and a packet of crisps cost me the jaw-dropping sum of £4.05 and the state of the beer did little to improve my mood, although the staff were very friendly. Touts itself as a place to watch live sport (and has an Italian Sky package, for some reason - perhaps so it can broadcast premiership 3PM kick offs) yet turned away two groups of people who asked if the international rugby union was being shown which struck me as rather odd. I'd probably not return as the comparably priced Youngs pubs in the area are a decent bet for serving a better quality of pint.

Randomness Guide to London - Brewery Tap entry

Randomness Guide to London - Brewery Tap entry

Funny place this one. It's an old fashioned style boozer that's been done up to give it the appearance of a fancy bar and thus fit in with the Wimbledon Village aesthetic. It didn't really work for me, but I can see why they've done it. Good selection of ales, including a decent pint of Bateman's Hooker, which I sampled. Large, open windows at the front of the pub give you a chance to watch the preening locals flounce by, which can be quite entertaining. The governor seemed to be a friendly and enthusiastic chap, and I'd be happy to pop back here again, even though the prices are somewhat off putting.