The Fold 2 (289x400) AW V2 - Flipbook - Page 14
London born
and brewed
This September, Young’s will have been a much-treasured part of
life in the capital for 192 years. Let’s time travel back to the very
beginning to discover how our love for beer and bedrooms all
started and take a tour of some of our oldest London pubs.
It all began in 1831, when two 昀椀ne London gents named Charles
Allen Young and Anthony Fothergill Bainbridge set up the Ram
Brewery in Wandsworth. Two of their brewery’s most popular
beers were a pint of Ordinary and a pint of Special, now better
known as ‘Young’s Original’ and ‘Young’s Special’, and they opened
some fantastic pubs in Southwest London to serve them in.
After 175 years making and serving brilliant beers, the
company started a fresh new chapter when we sold
the brewing side of things to focus on a fast-growing part
of our business: Young’s Pubs. A Young’s pub wouldn’t be
the same without our beers though and all our pubs continue
to serve the perfect pint of Young’s beer.
Our very 昀椀rst pub with rooms was the Coach & Horses in Kew
– a gorgeous Georgian coaching inn right opposite Kew Gardens –
and it’s still going strong. The place has been beautifully refurbished
and now has 31 boutique ensuite bedrooms (it originally just had
昀椀ve and one shared bathroom), but there’s still a delightful sense
of history here, especially in the book-lined library bar.
If we head over to our home turf in Wandsworth, there are three
pubs that really epitomise our legacy in London. The Spread Eagle
is a lovingly restored Victorian boozer that stands proudly opposite
the site of our old brewery. These days, their beer list is better than
ever, and the wines, cocktails and food are stellar stuff, too.
Brewer’s Inn (originally called the Two Brewers) is another
of our 昀椀rst Wandsworth pubs. We love Jones’s Secret Cellar
Bar downstairs where it’s always party central at the weekend.
If you visit The Alma (a hop across the road from the station), you
can expect a warm Wandsworth welcome from landlord Phil and
resident dog Eddie. The pub might be getting on in years, but it’s
still full of life, especially if you’re there to catch the sport or enjoy
a knees-up.
