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Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
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The Grove, Balham, SW12
SW12
SW12 8PN
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Grove
Dating from the 1870s, this is a huge grand pub in an increasingly gentrified and attractive Balham backstreet, its size belying its remote location.
The interior is voluminous with a fabulously ornate ceiling and grand lantern over where once there may have been a billiard table or two. However, this is yet another example of one of Young’s awful Groundhog Day, identikit mega-makeovers, with modern floor, smoky blue walls, brown/ochre-coloured punctuations and bare brick, particularly to the bar back with its tubular steel racking; zoned styles and colour schemes rule the roost here. The rugby was on, terrible acoustics amplifying the sound of the shrieking, young professional crowd.
It's increasing clear that sarf of the Thames, Young’s has no interest in stocking the Proper Job option, making do with just London Original and Special, a pint of Oil resulting in me being robbed of £7.30.
This is now a rather tiresome place, with better – e.g. Balham Bowls Club – a shorter walk from the station.
On 31st March 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Grove
Still looks like a Young's pub. Room to the right, then the bar with four hand pumps, nothing above 4.5% ABV. Walk past the bar and there is a far longer room to the left, which was hosting a private party on my visit.
On 2nd September 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Grove
Whereas the previous pub I visited on my Balham wander, the Nightingale, has been allowed to remain a traditional pub by Wells/Youngs, this one hasn't, I doubt that I have encountered such a messed up poncified pub as this ever. The proper Victorian exterior with the pomp and grandeur it once would have contained has been destroyed inside. Two booths confront you as you enter, they were bedecked with white roses so much that I thought I'd entered a wedding party, sofas, throws, cushions and pouffes, murals of venetion blinds, beyond, in what would once have been the billiards room under the skylight is now a set restaurant, I was pounced upon on arrival to check if I wanted to "scan the menu", I didn't. The bar is central in an elongated U-shaped space, every manner of seating possible apart from a standard banquette or bench with stools opposite. Parts of the ceiling are highly decorative and possibly original but everything has been painted in battleship grey or light green, the scheme of choice for gastro/yuppy pubs. A nice original fire surround has been retained to the front of the bar, stained in mid-brown, nearby is a long thick wood butcher's block style table with empty birdcages and fake berry clad branches on top.
Youngs beers, just Ordinary Bitter, Special and Bombardier, two large copper tanks at the end of the bar contained offerings from Meantime. The pub is foody as alluded too and to be fair, all smelled very good, chicken pot pie, mash and seasonal veg £10.50, The Balham Burger, £12.50. Monday is "Movie Night" with free admission and popcorn.
The front has a decked area with large white brollies heavily populated on Saturday afternoon by flip-flop wearing folk with sunglasses. Pimms £15 a jug.
On 21st April 2013
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Grove
This is a backstreet Young’s pub, with the usual Young’s range plus Sambrook’s Wandle of course. They are about to commence a “beer festival” whereby two guest ales are introduced for a couple of weeks. The ales chosen by The Grove are Young’s Ramrod and Black Sheep Bitter. This is yet another largely madeover Young’s pub that would have been a traditional boozer used by locals at some stage. I suppose it may still be used as a local by some (there were no customers in there at 1400 on a Wednesday) but it doesn’t really feel like one. There’s the usual mix of seating in the main bar area – tall tables/stools; normal tables and solid wood tables; but prominence seems to be given over to sofas, including some lodged in “alcoves” around to the left of the pub. At the back on the left is a largish area that looks as if it is intended as a dining area. The music being played was something of a mixed bag, including some soft jazz piano, to some Motown classics played a bit too loudly to be regarded as background music.
The menu indicates clearly the importance of food to this place, with some fairly basic items being fairly expensive by pub standards – e.g. Steak & Ale Pie & Mash at £11.00, and Bangers and Mash at £9.95. A ham sarny was £5. By contrast, a blackboard behind the bar advertised snacks such as pasties, pork pies, and sausage rolls all at £2.65 a throw. This might be good value, but rather depends on the size of the snack. An old CAMRA booklet that I saw said that this pub has a convivial public bar where the game of dominoes is played – not the case now I’m afraid, and the public bar is long gone. It’s by no means now a cosy backstreet boozer, but its upmarket aspirations have not ruined it as a pub, and despite its more modern makeover it’s still a reasonably comfortable place to stop off for a pint.
On 18th September 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Grove
A splendid-looking Youngs pub from the outside. The interior looks to have been remodeled at various times over the years and struck me as being a bit bare and rattly, despite the comfy sofas. The latest incarnation seems to be aimed squarely at the recently-arrived neuvau riche of Balham, with the emphasis very much on food (peppered squid, dahling?) with a colour scheme consisting of various shades of brown. Which wouldn’t be so bad but the beer was terrible and stupidly overpriced – it takes really poor management to make Winter Warmer taste as terrible as what I was served. Service behind the bar was sloppy as well.
Won’t be heading back anytime soon.
On 30th December 2009
- rating: 4
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Grove
A very comfortable Youngs pub. Food served all day. Youngs ale only. Seating outside, though I'd wait for summer.
On 11th January 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]