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Spread Eagle, Wandsworth, SW18
SW18
SW18 2PT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Spread Eagle
This is a mid-18th century pub, rebuilt in 1898 with a CAMRA inventory interior of Exceptional National Historic Importance and grade II-listed.
The place is unchanged since BF’s excellent review and I agree about the corporate ghost of Young’s lurking in the background, but it’s a must-visit for the interior alone, not improved with rugby commentary to multiple screens, though blessedly without any awful United Nations sports' bunting. The lavs are very swanky and there’s a rather plush hotel upstairs and customers were on the older side and few in number, the area’s youth wing being attracted to the neighbouring Ram and King’s Arms.
For the record, the ale front amounted to London Original, Special and Drop Gold at £2.90 a half and fine, served by a smiley barmaid.
Heritage interior aside, I found this place better than the awful noisy sweatboxes next door that are the Ram and King’s Arms, neither of which could furnish me with a cask beer on a Saturday evening, but the cask choice here isn’t something that would hold my attention for an extended session.
On 8th October 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Spread Eagle
On the CAMRA Historic Pub of National Importance list,and you can see why.The exterior is impressive but so too are the etched glass set in the room dividers,the bar back mirrors in the smaller Public Bar to the left,the fine staircase to the loos and the hotel rooms and the wood panelling throughout.You enter into the lounge with the longer serving bar and three ale options in Youngs Original and Special and the usual guest in Young's house of St Austell Proper Job (A bit tired,NBSS 2.5,ludicrous £6.05).
The wall mounted prints and pictures throughout create interest and the fine hanging lighting globes about the lounge servery are another heritage feature.There is a substantial laid dining room around the back with a skylight but strangely the food menu on my Thursday lunchtime visit was de minimis with just bar snacks,toaties and smothered chips.
Fortunately Youngs pubco have not ruined the interior but their corporate image is never far away and the furniture doesn't reflect the splendour of the internal fittings.The use of wood floor boards throughout detracts from the seperate rooms which meld into one .Worth inspecting but lacking a compelling reason to base yourself here for a session.
On 7th April 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Spread Eagle
This splendid, Grade II listed late Victorian pub close to the Ram Brewery redevelopment has undergone an internal make over since the last reviews and although I cannot comment on the changes as this was my first visit to this pub, I can say that I thought the end result is all rather wonderful.
When looking at previous reviews one thing I can say is that the public saloon bar set up has been changed and that the pool table and dartboard are no more and you now have two large lounge spaces connected to each other. The former public bar has a small bar section with two ale handpumps then the larger bar section in the original lounge room has a set of four handpumps. Both sections are a collection of impressive back bar mirrors and etched glass. The bank of four pumps had the usual Youngs estate line-up nowadays of two badged with Youngs Original, one with Youngs Special and the fourth with St Austell Proper Job, although I was assured by the colleague I was with that one of the doubled up Original pumps is replaced by the seasonal Winter Warmer during winter months.
The bronze ceiling in each section is really impressive, as is the collection of assorted chandelier lighting that hangs from it. Eclectic art collections adorn every wall but somehow fits in well with the Victorian décor. The collection on the staircase up to the first floor toilets was especially interesting and I specifically liked the Mr Bung the Brewer and Mrs Bung the Brewers wife happy families pictures.
If you are in the area to visit the Sambrook’s tap room in the Old Ram Brewery then I would thoroughly recommend combining it with a visit here.
On 31st March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Spread Eagle
What a lovely old pub with real character but this type of pub only works when full of customers.Sadly nearly empty and the two Youngs cask ales are not going to tempt the young customers to use it.
On 9th November 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Spread Eagle
Landmark Young's (now Ram) pub, located diagonally across a crossroads from the now sadly defunct brewery tap. Initially notable for the original exterior signage and the slim metal canopy above the main entrance to the impressive saloon. This features traditional decor but semi-modern furniture, but it retains much etched glass and other ornate features that merit its inclusion on Camra's national inventory. A glazed door through a screen in front of the counter then leads to a more basic public bar with a pool table and dartboard. A door through another screen at the back of the main counter leads to the 'dining room & lounge'. Three banks of four handpumps in total, although only Ordinary (£3.60) and Special were being dispensed.
On 6th May 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Spread Eagle
Situated opposite the sad sight of the former Young’s Brewery, this is a beautiful late Victorian pub which would’ve made a grand place to showcase their ales. There were previously two entrances, but the left hand ‘Public Bar’ doorway is no longer in use, so you enter into the right hand side of the pub, which comprises an unusually large single room with the servery to the left. The room has been carpeted throughout with high stools and standard chairs running down the right hand wall. Some long padded benches round out the seating options at the far end of the room, whilst the décor sees a mix of smart wood panelling and modest wallpaper. A small fireplace breaks things up a little midway down the right hand side, but the room’s most striking feature is the stunning etched glass bar back, set into a detailed dark wood framework, with some nice integral lamps and a large bell. The glasswork continues into the panels at the rear of the room which act as partitioning from the ‘Dining Room and Lounge’. A nice stained glass cupola can be seen in this rear part of the room and there were some TV screens showing a music channel with the volume turned up surprisingly loud. Some fittingly traditional paintings line the walls and there is a collection of barrels and jugs on some high shelving, whilst I also noticed some board games piled up in one corner. The lounge is split level with lots of leather sofa seating and a few standard tables and chairs. The room is lit by a rather unimpressive skylight and there is another high shelf displaying bottles and jugs as well as a bookcase and a corner fireplace. The front public bar, accessed by a small door next to the servery is carpeted and has a pool table and dartboard with limited seating options. The décor is similar to the main bar but some of the features looked a little newer to me. There also appeared to be a courtyard to the left of the pub with picnic benches, but I didn’t explore properly.
Plenty of hand pumps, but most were unused and others were doubled up, so in the final reckoning, there were actually only two ales on – Young’s Ordinary and Special. I gave the Ordinary a try and thought it was in decent nick, but not really a fitting legacy for the brewery visible from the front windows.
There are no shortage of Young’s pubs in Wandsworth and if you’re only going to do one, I would make it this one, as the splendid Victorian styling of the place more than makes up for the disappointing state of Young’s beers nowadays.
On 19th August 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Spread Eagle
A well preserved Victorian example of a gin palace, split into three areas with dark wood partitions with etched glass. The attractive island bar serves all areas; the bar back is an abundance of etched mirrors and polished carved mahogany. The saloon bar is carpeted and has generally traditional seating although there are a couple of high tables towards the front windows. To the rear of this room there is a large stained glass rooflight lending some natural light into what is a long deep room. The public bar is dominated by a pool table. To the rear of the saloon is an area accessed through a door in the screen marked "Lounge and Dining Room". This area now has a few sofas, a bookcase of novels and the decor consists of mainly French adverts in frames making it feel a bit like a Cafe Rouge. Another less attractive rooflight in here is made of wired glass and has a timber cradle underneath so I'm supposing some of the glass might be cracked. No one was in this room where a large TV was playing to itself.
All the areas seem to have working fireplaces, not needed in June obviously. Board games are set on a side table for customer's use. A couple of TVs offered a choice of the World Cup or Royal Ascot.
Despite the attractive period interior and the generally grand feel of the building I couldn't help feel that the pub had a rather down at heel feel, mainly I suppose because apart from myself there were just 4 or 5 solitary drinkers perched morosely on bar stools occasionally passing comment about something or other.
Despite the size of the bar and the repeated banks of handpumps there were only Young's Ordinary and Special on.
It's certainly worth a visit however for the interior but I left feeling that there is something missing.
On 19th June 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Spread Eagle
This is a rather impressive Victorian gin palace of a pub, with many superb original features still in place. It has one of the best bar backs you'll see anywhere. It's obviously a very spacious pub – that's the way the Victorians liked their gin palaces. It's a Young's pub – I guess one of their flagship pubs since when the brewery was opposite. But I didn't find it all that welcoming for some reason. The barmaid did say what an excellent choice I had made in choosing Young's Special (there wasn't much else to choose from!) and that it comes with a 10-year guarantee. What a strange thing to say – I got the feeling (perhaps wrongly) that she was taking the micky in some way. It's definitely worth a visit to have a look at the décor, but I'm not sure it's the sort of place I would like to spend a long time.
On 18th March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Spread Eagle
A great old Fashioned Young's pub where wood panelling and etched glass abound. one large front bar with a side bar incorporating a pool table and a seperate dining area at the back. This is a real "Traditional" pub and long may it survive. Lets hope it does not suffer the same fate as the Brewery Tap opposite. Over to you Charles Wells
On 10th February 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Spread Eagle
Very large pub, lots of those etched mirrors, I think that's what they'll called. Sells real ale. Has a pool table in it's own area. Very comfortable seating.
On 3rd January 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]