The Duke of Devonshire, Balham

Still a very good pub, despite the oversized-shade-wearing clientele. The bar staff seem to be a bit more on the ball than they were a few years ago and it's good for sitting at the bar having a quiet pint or a weekend night out. I used to love the way the back room was normally set up like a nursery with kids' toys and stuff, then on a weekend evening it would be transformed into a really dodgy disco whose raison d'etre was to ensure as few people went home alone as possible. However, a big plus now is the 'no kids' rule. The garden and back room used to be full of them in the summer before the refurb a year or 2 ago.

23 Mar 2006 09:36

The Exhibit, Balham

I've never had a problem with having a conversation in here and I certainly don't feel the need to shout. Yes, it's quite loud, but that's because there are plenty of people here usually. I like the atmosphere. Maybe that's because I'm concentrating on the company of the people I'm with and not desperately trying to spot chinks in others' armour. The service is always good at the bar and upstairs at the restaurant. The food is excellent in the restaurant, and the cocktail bar upstairs seems pretty good too, the two times I've used it. I've developed quite a rapport with the fish now - they will invariably lend a friendly and welcoming ear when I've had a bad day.

Haven't tried the new cinema in there yet, but will do soon. Good idea, given the lack of a 'real' cinema in Balham. Have been approached by dodgy DVD sellers quite a lot in here, which I wish didn't happen. Can't really blame the place for that, though.

22 Mar 2006 14:49

The Bedford, Balham

Used to be a grotty pub that was always empty apart from a Fri and Sat when the comedy was on. Of a weekday evening you'd often find only the smallest handful of people in here.

Now it's completely different, but it's still completely rubbish. The service is appalling, the clientele are even worse, the comedy is now �14 (fourteen quid for a night of mediocre comedy?? In Balham???) and when I go there (which is very rarely now) I leave feeling disappointed all over again, and seriously ripped off. I really ought to stop going then. I think I will.

I'm not sure the 'Evening Standard Pub of the Year (2002?)' means an awful lot. If I remember correctly, the pub had barely had its makeover from sticky-carpeted-old-p*sshead haunt to 'modern superpub' before winning that. Despite its undoubtedly impressive array of events/functions/activities, I seriously doubt whether anyone could have called it the 'best pub in London' with a straight face. What has happened to it since then has further reinforced my point of view.

Cr*p.

22 Mar 2006 13:37