For this afternoon’s little sortie I got the train to Clapham Junction followed by a G1 bus to Clapham South. From here I made my way through the side roads to find a little enclave of shops and restaurants that I had never visited before. Here I found what I was looking for; the Good Beer Guide listed Abbeville.
This is a double fronted, light wood framed establishment with tables and chairs set out on the pavement. Until 2003 it was a restaurant and wine bar but it has now been converted into a gastro pub. The bar is at a raised level on the right hand side of the building so, going up three steps, I entered the nicely traditional dark wooded bar that runs lengthways to the rear. It’s all very narrow with high stools and chairs at the bar for seating and a brass rail to rest your feet on. The main seating area seemed be in the other half. There was one upholstered bench facing out towards the vets opposite. The floor is of dark wood while the walls have painted wood panels covered with lots of framed old style pictures, butterflies and deer horns. The bar back is of plain mirrored glass. It was about 5pm and there were several customers, mainly sitting out on the pavement. At the bar there were three ales on offer: Timothy Taylor Landlord, Harvey’s Best and Sambrook’s Wandle. I went for the latter at £5.00, not bad for the area and it was good. Altogether a nice little gem with a good ambience.
Leaving there, I headed to the centre of Clapham, passing some previously visited pubs, King & Co and the Belle Vue. Taking a couple of side roads off the High Street, I found the Stonhouse, on Stonhouse Street no less (previously the Windsor Arms). It is a three storey sand brick building standing at an angle on a corner, with the lower level painted cream. I’d been here in March 2016 when I had a pint of Sambrook’s Scrumdown for £4.00. Today there was Landlord and Harvey’s at £5.00, which I had and it was good. Actually, there was an offer on until 7pm, of two pints for the price on one! The decor is all quite smart in a basic traditional style, with a centre three sided bar and a mixture of seating: chairs and tables, high stools, benches and some upholstered benches. The floor is of dark wood and the walls painted black and cream, with a few jazzy framed pictures plus long pale red curtains at the windows. There are several narrow supporting pillars, one of metal. It was now 6pm and there were a few customers coming in.
Continuing along the side road I next came to the Clapham Tap, a two storey brick building on the corner with its lower half painted dark blue. The pub was originally named the Manor Arms and, for a while, was a Craft Beer Co house. I came here in 2015 when it was under that guise and serving ten ales. I tried the Kent Goldings at £4.15 and also Blue Monkey Bonobo at £4.35. I returned the following March and wasn’t impressed when, at their beer festival, I had to buy a non returnable glass for £3.00! I was about to walk out but another customer gave me a glass so I stayed for one. On this occasion I found that there weren’t any cask ales on at all. I don’t know what was going on but, on asking, the bar staff confirmed this was so and I left.
It was a short walk to the Bread & Roses. This is a three storey brick building with bushes and shaded seating at the front of it. Originally called the Bowyer Arms, it was reopened in 1996 as a free house by the Workers Beer Company. The name comes from a song popular during a strike of women textile workers in Massachusetts, USA, in 1912. On previous visits here in 1998 and 2003, their Workers’ Ale was brewed by Smiles of Bristol. Inside it is all very basic with a centre L shaped bar and a stage to one side. It has a dark wood floor, high stools and tables at the front and three wide brown leather seating bays. It is a live music venue and also has its own theatre, as the framed pictures illustrate. There is also a nice etched Irish whiskey mirror on the wall. Today’s house ales seemed to be brewed by Greene King, Amplified and Bread & Roses Pale, along with Sambrook’s Wandle. I went for the latter at £5.00 which seemed to be the standard price today. It was good. It was now about 7pm and the pub was busy enough so time to head home. The end to another interesting day.
Clive Taylor