Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Pubco. mergers. with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by anonymous user
Submitted on Wednesday, 21st July 2004
View all this pub's pictures (6 more images)
Detail Pages
The Bedford, Balham, SW12
SW12
SW12 9HD
Served areas
Reviews of The Bedford (Average Rating: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bedford
A substantial brick building from the 30's and recently cleaned up,it's a landmark when travelling down the railway next to it.It's Grade II listed and retains features internally but may have been opened out at some stage.The main taproom has an impressive stone fireplace to the right with a nod to Watney's previuos ownership with two mounted stag antlers,parquet flooring throughout,a drinking shelf along the front and fitted long green leather benches along most of the other walls,with traditional furniture.The hotel reception is to the right through an arch marked Upstairs with a door to a small external yard,while there is a door to the Club Room in one corner near the bar,locked on my visit.
On the otherside is an arch to the Saloon,a long room with a "no service" marble topped servery to the right still sporting keg taps,more leather bounds benches,a smaller fireplace and the loos.
There is a short pub grub menu and some value specials on a chalk board ,while the muzak was gentle.The friendly barmaid was operasting behind three handpumps ,one reversed the others drawing Sambrook's Brown Dog Riot and TT Landlord (NBSS 3.5).
The area is slowly gentrifying,and the cleaned up building is now worthy of inspection and was much better than I feared or expected compared with prior reviews but I was in on a quiet lunchtime.
On 4th May 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2737 recommendations about 2737 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Bedford
Originally dating from the 1870s as the Bedford Hotel, this grade II-listed pub was rebuilt for Watney’s in 1931 by their inhouse architect, A. W. Blomfield, also responsible for Soho’s French House.
The interior is huge and rambling, like exploring a stately home; just when you think you’ve been in every room, another chamber magically appears. The interior is very gloomy, revealing little if anything of the original features, save for the pretty cornice to a black coffered ceiling, leaded lights and herringbone floor. There’s some exposed concrete to the upper walls and ceiling, a couple of sets of antlers and eclectic décor with plenty of music flyers, attesting to the pub’s music and comedy club credentials; think Ed Sheeran and Joe Lycett. Or perhaps don’t. Furniture is diverse and conventional, customers young and trendy; what was new to me were the lavs, with rusty cubicles.
Beverages amounted to Sambrook’s Drop Kick, Sussex Best and Landlord, £2.90 a half, served in a plastic cup and too cold but drinkable.
This place may have more appeal when the gloom isn’t pierced by cinema-sized screens showing deafening sport to a near hysterical crowd, but otherwise it’s just about average.
On 27th March 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1995 recommendations about 1961 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Bedford
A large lump of a pub but nothing to write home about, just Landlord and Wandle on.
On 13th June 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1879 recommendations about 1852 pubs]
View more reviews of The Bedford (9)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Bedford - thebedford.com
- Facebook - The Bedford
- Twitter - The Bedford, Balham
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Bedford - whatpub.com
Wandsworth Common, 0.77 miles, 14 min walk (show)
Streatham Hill, 1.11 miles, 21 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : Yes - 15 rooms. - last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 21 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 21 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Child Friendly : Yes - Baby changing. - last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Darts : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Function Room : Yes - From review - last updated 16 September 2010 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 21 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Jukebox : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes last updated 16 September 2010 by Moby Duck
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 21 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 21 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 16 September 2010 by Moby Duck
- Real Cider : No last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 17 March 2024 by Tris C
