Stanley’s of Streatham, SW16

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Rex Rattus left this review about The Horse & Groom

I reckon that this must be one of Streatham’s oldest pubs. This is probably the first pub that I ever heard about, as I recall at a very young age my mother extolling its virtues as a social gathering venue during WWII. But there’s nothing traditional about it now. It’s been completely gutted and opened up, with much of the appearance and character of a ‘spoons high street warehouse conversion about it. Furnishings are mainly normal tables and chairs, but with the obligatory tall tables and stools and a smattering of bucket armchairs. At the rear of the pub, beyond the servery, is a fairly large area containing a couple of pool tables. There were numerous large TVs showing Sky Sports.
It’s a pubco chain pub; I’m not sure which one, but it had the trademark glossy colour menus on the tables advertising the usual meal deals such as curry and a drink (on Thursdays of course) for £5.99. This is a fairly charmless pub, not helped by the lack of a decent ale on my visit. There were two handpumps – one unclipped, and the other bearing a Black Sheep Bitter clip at the front and a London Pride clip reversed. But the BSB was “still settling”, which to some extent was just my bad luck, but I always think that with a bit of stock control management these gaps in availability can be avoided. I suppose it might be worth poking your head in if passing on the offchance that there is some real ale on if that is what you like to drink.

On 22^nd February 2012 - rating: 4
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