Helen C.
Yelp
Having lived in Tooting on and off for essentially my entire life, I still am in disbelief that this place is here! Together with Smoke, it gives me hope that I'll be able to persuade my non-south-london friends to venture down here!
The drinks are reasonably priced and good. The bars - there's a smaller one upstairs - are long, spacious and well staffed. There are loads of comfortable places to sit and it's not heinously crowded (because it's in Tooting - if this were in the West End you'd never get in after 5pm). So far, so so what... but the building and its decor is what makes it so great.
The space is vast, being an old tram shed and all, with a mezannine running along two sides, lined with tables, sofas and that extra bar (which never has a wait, as far as I can tell). Every nook and cranny has been thought about - butterfly wallpaper in the loos, antlers way up on the walls, fairy lights liberally scattered throughout. They've turned a big empty space into an eccentric's cosy living room. You can hear yourself think, and each other speak, over the music, which isn't bad.
They just need to start serving food again, I'm not sure why they've stopped temporarily, but it's the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry with friends. And then, if you're a lucky Tooting-dweller, even stumble home.
The crowd is pretty friendly.
More bars should be like this - on the way to dinner, we also passed the Antelope which is owned by the same management and that also looked good. Maybe Tooting will be the new Clapham! On second thoughts, let's keep this one quiet.....