London Pub No.6; by this stage BRAPA would have been on the floor arguing about Hull City fullbacks and being escorted to the door by angry locals.
But I was taking things more moderately, and mixing the halves with the half-marathon (14 miles walked on this Tuesday, including some proper London back street strolling.
A first trip to Balham since the days of Youngs pubs in the Guide. There’s a 90% chance it’s going to be an Antic, I think, and I’m right. The opening hours are the giveaway.
Slightly less shabby-chic than the Antic South-east London cohort, this one looks like the bowls club was literally abandoned in 1977. Apart from the yoga flyer.
I really like it, particularly the warren of rooms and dark wood. There’s even a good mix of folk; Old Boys reading papers, crafty beardies on the Siren, and pub virgins who haven’t got a clue what to do in a pub. They’d better learn before Christmas.
The beer is often the weak spot in the Antic armoury, the Volden rarely convincing.
It convinced here. £3.30 for a gorgeously cool, foamy, chewy pint (NBSS 3.5+).
A folky soundtrack, nervous 21 year olds singing the menu, pashmina Paulines asking “So how WAS last night ?”
I loved it, I really did. And it wouldn’t be the last Antic of the month.
A tube to Old Street, a desperate search for a pub loo, then a walk to Hackney through the Big City.
These lucky folk have Cloudwater cask this week. I must go back.
No new Hackney ticks, just a low-key gig at OSLO, where our favourite itinerant American Mutual Benefit sang his gorgeous songs to about 50 folk who hadn’t done six pubs and fourteen miles that afternoon.
Anyway, enough London. Over to Norfolk next. Oh no.
retiredmartin 
They won’t learn how to do pubs before Christmas. They never do. Amateur fortnight is nearly upon us.
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Just a fortnight ?
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Was in The Wenlock last Tuesday, three Cloudwaters on.
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Grief, you get about (says he). Write-up on your blog, I hope.
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Maybe a small one soon, not to many pictures taken.
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Interested to know if it was any good after all this fuss ;-o
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I didn’t have any in the Wenlock, but had a Cloudwater Brown Ale, in The Harp earlier, and have to say it was pretty good.
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It’s a pity that Peter Sellers didn’t visit any pubs in Balham sixty years ago:
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Classic! Thanks for sharing that, Etu.
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I remember school geography films in the same style from that era. Often about the remaining bits of the British Empire. They generally showed grinning subjects – who were, in reality, mounting brutally-oppressed movements for independence.
And some folk here today bleat about “sovereignty”!
Hey ho.
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Being a lefty, I was expecting some connection between the Balham Group, the first British Trotskyists, so-called because they lived in that area of southwest London, and the Norwegian cpaital where their leader was exiled in the mid-30s.
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Well of course, Matthew, but I leave you to do that investigative work !
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Ah, the Wenlock.. A real pub gem in a hipster ghetto.
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Indeed, though the estates around the Wenlock are decidedly anti-hipster till you get to De Beauvoir town !
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I obviously need to get out more, as before Googling them, a short while ago, I’d never heard of Antic and their pubs.
Am I correct in thinking they’re a slightly more upmarket version of Spoons, given their preponderance for shop and other types of conversions. I also see the chain has 45 pubs, although I don’t think Timbo needs to start worrying yet!
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Some folk on here will have a more informed view on Antic. I’d say they were quirkier urban versions of Brunning & Price (White Hart, Sevenoaks is B&P), appealing to affluent 20-30 somethings with good food and a fairly consistent range of local cask. Lots of distressed wallpaper, 70s furniture, nice staff. I’m amazed there’s 45, a few closed, but I’ve probably been to half of them in the GBG. Mainly South London and a few East.
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Martin, I’m quite familiar with the White Hart, on the edge of Sevenoaks. At one time it was the default place for senior management to “entertain” visitors from Japan (aka our directors).
Sparklers are used indiscriminately, even for southern beers which don’t suit this sort of mis-handling. Worse are the short measures. It was the norm for a colleague and I to have to ask for a top-up.
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I wouldn’t make a spoons connection, but but most are recognisable as Antic pubs, even though the venues vary from giant Victorian pubs to small quirky bars, and although a chain many are quite individual, generally quite eccentric in their decor and a reasonable range of beers, I like the concept.
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Good points.
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I thought we set fire to that Ullage magazine in Snorbans?
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I bought a job lot with the Bass mirrors.
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Etu, I remember those old school geography films too. Similar in style to the old Pathe newsreels, but far more cringe-worthy!
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Some terrific pictures there 👊👍 less than three fifty a pint good grief 😀🍻 still not had the pleasure of a Raddy Antic pub…I presume it’s his chain?
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Never mention Raddy Antic to a Manchester City fan !!!!
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David Pleat and all that!!!!
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