Alma, Wandsworth

Two-roomed Young’s street-corner pub with magnificent, colourful painted mirrors depicting birds in water landscapes, and a stunning frieze in the former billiard room.

The striking, green-tiled exterior of the Alma (named after the famous Crimean War battle) animates the modest Wandsworth street in which it stands. Unfortunately the interior has suffered at the hands of successive refurbishments over recent years. However, a few gems survive here, including several sumptuous back-painted mirrors depicting birds in their watery and foliate landscapes. These dominate the right-hand wall of the opened-out main bar area and continue up the staircase. (Sadly, one of the mirrors in the main bar area has recently been cracked and temporary film has been applied over it.) The alcove towards the back of the main bar area is a particularly inviting and intimate space with its fine fireplace and yet another back-painted mirror.  

Also on the walls of the main bar area are coloured mosaic roundels bearing the name of the pub, an unsual and rare feature. The woodwork throughout the pub is of a high quality, reflecting its c.1900 date and the rear, former billiard, room (now a restaurant area) has a deep, highly decorative frieze with foliage and naked youths.