The Belle Vue, Clapham Common  

A few years of steady evolution have slowly transformed the Belle Vue from a fairly decent swanky pub into arguably one of the best all-round watering holes in Clapham. The changes have been gradual and piecemeal, with a steady erosion of the mismatched pictures, gimmicky drapes and cumbersome furniture that once gave the interior a high-class junk shop feeling. Now the focus is very much on providing a comfortable, not eye-catching, replacing all the tat and boot sale furniture with simple tables and chairs, possibly down to the ownership by the Capital Pub Company. The best elements of the Belle Vue have also been maintained, with the bar continuing to serve a wide range of lagers and cask ales, and decent food. Equally, for those who like a bit of glitz with their bottle of Leffe, the Belle Vue does retain its basic polished wooden fittings and smooth decor, its just that this nod to swankville is not as false nor in your face as in the past. If anything, it's owes much more to trendy bars than pubs, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)