Large Youngs pub and hotel attractively situated on Wallington Green, with a 24-bedroom…read moreaccommodation wing, beer garden and catering facilities for functions.
There's been a pub on the site since at least 1726, when Wallington was but a hamlet: it was originally called Bowling Green House. Between 1726 and 1773, it appears to have acted as a lodging house for travellers, and became the Duke's Head some time between 1740 and 1806.
The present building is mid-Victorian and was bought by Young & Bainbridge in 1857, although it had been supplied with Young's beers since before 1832. It is listed at grade II, despite suffering bomb damage during World War II.
The pub itself has a rather domestic, whitewashed exterior, with the new hotel extension sitting behind the original pub. The lounge bar interior is reminiscent of the 'roadhouse' style of pub - a large central bar area serving a spacious, multi-roomed interior, with lots of wood panelling, and a mixture of banquette seating and tables.
There's a small outdoor drinking area at the front, facing Wallington Green (not quite as picturesque as it sounds, given that the Green is small and bounded on two sides by busy roads), and a large enclosed beer garden at the rear.
They serve a couple of Young's Beers and a guest, which on our visit was Courage Directors, alongside Young's Bitter and Special. They do an extensive range of food, from soup, salads (from £7.95), sandwiches (from £4.95), Pizzas (from £7) and more substantial main courses, with daily specials, from around £10-£17.
The function rooms are a very popular for wedding receptions, with the added benefit of accommodation for visiting guests on site.
The hotel rack rates are pretty hefty (£115 for single and £120 for doubles) but can drop to around £80 for two people sharing a twin room with full English Breakfast if you hunt around on-line.
Although very busy, we were served reasonably quickly, although (alas) not with a smile, and a few of the locals were a bit raucous (presumably had been drinking all day). The Young's Special however was in tip-top condition.