The Latchmere, Battersea, SW11

Tris C left this review about The Latchmere

Once a Huggin’s house called the Latchmere Hotel, this is a really rather grand Victorian edifice with brown glazed tiling to the ground floor, situated in a part of Battersea that has largely escaped gentrification. It would also seem that it may have had a makeover since the previous reviews, which paint a rather downmarket picture of the place; no more. Bare boarded of course, the walls feature grey paint to the rear, to the front dark wood wainscoting then ochre walls, an attractive combination. Better still are the textured cast iron columns, quality Lincrusta ceiling and lovely cornice, interesting octagonal recessed ceiling feature and as mentioned, there’s a fine bar back with very good etched mirrors; there’s a theatre upstairs, the lavs now clean and downstairs. Furniture is conventional with tables featuring pullout leaves. On the downside, golf played in silence on the TVs (no-one watching) and an otherwise decent soundtrack played, but at such a tinny volume that it sounded like a swarm of mosquitos. Lighting is mixed though free of trendy gimmicks and customers are a mixed bunch but obviously local.
The ale choice amounted to just Wandle and Landlord, price forgotten, in good nick and served by a pleasant barmaid.
This is a decent place, benefitting from some remnants of authenticity and is certainly better than the Duke of Cambridge over the road, likewise the Victoria and Masons up the road, though a wider and more adventurous choice of ales would get the score up.

On 1^st September 2023 - rating: 6
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