Alma, Wandsworth

The Alma, now a smart dining pub owned by Young’s, has the vestiges of a truly sumptuous decorative scheme from around 1900. The pub is right opposite Wandsworth Town Station from which the name can be seen writ large in the parapet: it commemorates the Crimean War battle of 1854 and was no doubt built shortly afterwards. The ground floor has vivid green tiling of about 1900. Inside, the large servery sits in the middle of a now wholly opened-up area. The outstanding feature is a series of back-painted mirrors with flowers, foliage and birds (mainly herons considering their next meal): the mirrors even line the stairs to the upstairs function room.

In an alcove there is a lovely fireplace with another painted mirror above (note also the original gas-light fittings). The other notable decorative feature is a series of three mosaic roundels surrounded by flecked grey marble frames and bearing the name of the pub. The woodwork is high-quality work: note the bar counter furthest from the main road – it’s on a truly gigantic scale. (now a restaurant). Some etched glass also survives in the lobby on the corner and to the former billiard room at the rear. Here there is a deep classical frieze of swirly foliage and naked youths.