The Bedford Arms, Fulham, SW6

Visited 18/02/25 Two hand pumps. One non dispensing the other with a turned around L pride clip. Keg offering of John Smiths, SB regular and dark fruits, Guinness, Brixton Reliance pale ale, Peroni, Moretti, Camden Hells, Fosters, Cruz, Amstel, Carlsberg. This is a traditional sport orientated pub with a long-curved bar counter traversing two distinct area. The area on the left-hand side of the venue is carpeted with a chessboard patterned skirt and stools along the entire length of the bar counter and otherwise regular tables and chairs along the perimeter. The area on the right-hand side has similar seating arrangements plus a pool table and where the footy coverage had live commentary rather than the piped music on the other side of the venue. Pretty basic boozer, lacking in decent beer options.

Official site of The Bedford Arms - www.craftunionpubs.com

Official site of The Bedford Arms - www.craftunionpubs.com

This looks a standard (possibly post-war) estate pub. Inside it’s carpeted, has just a couple of tall tables/tall stools, a sofa, but mainly normal tables and chairs. It’s obviously originally a two (or perhaps more) room pub but knocked through now of course, with just the one set of doors in use. The room on the right has the pool table, as well as the toilets, while the room on the left was probably the Saloon Bar. It’s the nicest room of the two, with loads of stuff on the walls, including Fulham scarves and the like, some nice framed mirrors, and some framed beer related posters – e.g. “Beer – helping ugly people have sex since 1862”. I’m not sure of the significance of 1862 as ugly people, beer and sex were all around before then; but who cares? There was a bowling ball, bowling bag, and suitcase above the door vestibule – avant garde decor or just a convenient place for the management to store their belongings? There was no sign of food or menus on a weekday afternoon, but a couple of regulars had apparently brought in their own sandwiches to eat. There was even an ale on (London Pride - £1.65 a half) which came as a pleasant surprise as on the face of it it had the look of a John Smith’s type pub.