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Detail Pages
The Prince of Wales, Wimbledon, SW19
SW19
SW19 3TA
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Graham Coombs left this review about The Prince of Wales
A big Victorian pub that was restored to a reasonably historic if not very authentic feel by Taylor Walker and then had the finer trimmings removed by Greene King, but does still have a considerable amount of dark wood with some leather seating. It is all a bit blokey though, with several large sports screens. The separate evenings-only Bertie's Bar downstairs (not visited) claims to offer darts, table tennis and occasional live music. On the handpump were TT Landlord, IPA and two GK seasonal brews, with another to follow. Ok if you are looking for a pub of this type.
On 31st October 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Prince Of Wales
This is a rather grand looking Victorian pub with a prime location opposite Wimbledon train station and the large Centre Court shopping mall. The pub looks fantastic on approach thanks to a wonderful glazed tile façade, but sadly this is just about all you will find of historical interest, as the interior has been chopped and changed endlessly over the years and now looks much like any other Taylor Walker outlet. The front part of the pub houses the main bar, with the servery all the way over on the right hand wall. There is a fair bit of seating between the bar and the entrance, mainly under the front windows and in a complex of partitioned areas to the left, all broken up by a series of short walls and pillars. The room is bare boarded and has been decorated with red lincrusta wallpaper, which works quite well alongside some of the dark wood features such as the servery. The pub extends a surprising distance to the rear, passing the bar and emerging into an angular space with lots of good dark wood panelling, bookshelf-effect wallpaper and several large mirrors. There is a slightly raised carpeted section at the far end with good seating options, whilst the main bulk of the space has standard tables and chairs plus a few high stools along ledges. There are lots of TV screens throughout the pub, all showing either live cricket or football to a keen crowd of southern hemisphere ex-pats. One wall to the rear had a modest collection of Wimbledon FC memorabilia including the 1988 FA Cup and Charity Shield programmes, a couple of signed shirts and some photos of memorable moments in the club's history. This being a Wimbledon pub, there were also the obligatory tennis themed bits, mainly in the shape of old photos from the famous tournament.
The ale range was better than I'd expected, with Sambrooks Scrumdown, Greene King London Glory, Truman's Scorcher, Taylor Walker 1730 and Hammerton Life on Mars all available. I had a pint of the latter which was in very good nick and went down far too quickly. A standard Taylor Walker pub grub menu was available and the food coming out of the kitchen looked passable to me.
I'd been past the pub hundreds of times but never bothered to venture inside, assuming it would be a poor station bar, but I was actually pretty impressed. It won't be to everyone's liking thanks to the dominance of sports and the overtly male customer base this attracts, but I thought it was a notch above the average TW outlet and that the rear of the pub makes a nice spot to enjoy one of their well kept beers.
On 18th May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Prince Of Wales
If you like busy, noisy, warm pubs showing football this is for you and me.Nice interior but too many high tables and stools.Decent selection of regional beers like Tribute and Hooky but my London Fields -Hackney Hopster was as usual a pretty good beer.
On 21st March 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Prince Of Wales
They wanted to charge £4.40 tonight for 3.8% Hophead!!! errm, no thanks! I will never set foot in here again!
On 20th December 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Prince Of Wales
Originally, so its website says, a 17th century coaching in, this externally grand pub has long resembled a Victorian gin palace and with sympathetic ownership could be a classic of the genre. Not much chance of that with Punch Taverns, who have lately inflicted their Taylor Walker branding on it, so it's much the same as all their others in London. It's a perfectly safe choice for a couple of hours but it could be so much better.
On 6th August 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Prince Of Wales
A large pub located across the road from Wimbledon station. Beers from adnams,brains,everards,purity,smiths & theakston.
On 30th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Prince Of Wales
The prominence and architecture of the building suggests that it might be late Victorian, or possibly Edwardian, but there is nothing remaining inside to testify to such a noble heritage. There’s still some nice original tiling on the outside, even if it is battered and chipped in many places. Downstairs there is something called “Bertie’s Bar”, to which I didn’t venture. On the ground floor there is now a one-room bar. The front part of the room as you enter is bare boarded, with some sofas high tables and stools, and with some attractive black and white tiling in front of the bar counter. At the back is a slightly raised carpeted area with some banquettes and normal tables and chairs, and a fireplace that does not look as if it has had any recent use. The toilets are in this area, including one for disabled customers. The wall decor in the pub is mainly faux chalkboards, a large TV monitor (but off during my mid afternoon visit), and a few old black and white photographs.
There were three ales on during my visit – Theakston’s Old Peculiar; Young’s Special; and Brain’s Reverand James, with two pumps with reversed clips (one for Adnam’s as I recall). I had the Rev James (at £3.20 a pint), which was unusually served far too warm, as the opposite is more commonly the case. This is a Punch Group pub, with their usual pub grub menu on offer. When I was in this seemed to be an unobjectionable and unexceptional pub, just like a hundred other Punch Group pubs you’ve been in.
On 2nd April 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Prince Of Wales
A busy town pub over the road from the station. Nice wood and etched glass porch entrance, inside is one elongated space. A mix of seating, from high tables and sofas to the more traditional....and favourable....in my opinion. There is an attractive black and white tiled area in front of the bar. Downstairs is Berties Wine Bar, an occasional music venue, but not visited by me. A good enough spot for one or two while waiting for a train. the barmaid was friendly and chatty. Beers were Pride, GK IPA, Adnam's Broadside, Theakston Old Peculiar, and Brain's Reverend James(£3.20).
On 16th February 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Prince Of Wales
I quite liked this place - nice leather armchairs and a well preserved Victorian interior. Rather middling pint of Pride was served (Adnams Regatta, GK IPA and Landlord also available) but I still think I'd give this place another go. Its certainly infinitely preferable to some of the horror shows down the road.
On 24th October 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Prince Of Wales
Large old fashioned pub selling up to three real ales. Seperate drinking/dining area. Opposite Wimbledon Station
On 19th November 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]