Pub review: The Windmill, Clapham

My experience of Clapham Common is pretty much limited to sitting in my car, queuing to get from one side of it to the other. As a former south east Londoner with family in West Sussex, this was a standard route to take for those occasional meet-ups. 

Although slow and painful, what congestion in these parts can offer is a chance to assess how the pubs and bars of Clapham are getting on – who has arrived, who has closed, who has the builders in. Various operators have come and go, but there are a few – in my time at least – who have always been there; fixed foundations of this south west London stretch. 

One of those is The Windmill, a Young’s pub sat proudly on the east side of the Common that is steeped in so much history, my snapshot observations of its lifespan are a mere blink when considering how far back one can look. It’s believed that a pub has stood on this site since 1665, back when it was known as Ye Olde Windmill Inn. In 1899, Charles Young and Anthony Bainbridge’s Young & Bainbridge bought the freehold, having leased the site since 1848. Then, in 1954, following the formation of Young & Co, the business acquired the neighbouring hotel, known then as Holly Lodge, bringing the structural layout close enough to what The Windmill is today. 

One of The Windmill's most luxurious rooms

Until last month, my time crawling (in the car) past this pub had only resulted in one visit – a Mother’s Day at least 10 years ago. So when the team at Young’s asked us to come in to admire the investment that went into The Windmill’s rooms last year, it certainly felt like another drop-in was due. In fact, The Windmill was one of three to receive the ‘Young’s Rooms’ treatment during the 26 weeks to 30 September 2024, alongside Brewers Inn, Wandsworth, and Coach and Horses in Kew. Such recent investments have resulted in steady sales growth of this arm of the Young’s business, so expect more to come. One of its latest projects, The Teller’s Arms in Farnham, took £73,000 in its first week of trading. Granted, this was a whole new site, but still. Impressive.

Common ground

The ground floor of The Windmill may be as familiar as the Common itself to Clapham locals, but that doesn’t make it any less grand in scale and impact. Its various zones complement one and other wonderfully, as guests make their way from bar to pub to sports screens to restaurant. Such a structure must lend itself beautifully to a Sunday of Six Nations rugby and roasts. The night I was in, the screens had the FA Cup fixture Doncaster Rovers v Crystal Palace playing – hardly a blockbuster, but it had still attracted a few tables of beer drinkers in on a quiet Monday evening.

The Windmill's dining area

The dining room on such a night featured, as far as I could tell, mainly those who were staying in the exquisitely spruced up rooms above the pub. I’d certainly forgotten this space in The Windmill existed, and although the investment into its restaurant area was some years ago, its tall glass ceilings, blue velvet banquettes and plethora of plants have stood the test of time – it still feels like a grand setting to dine in. This really adds to the value of eating and drinking here, whether the guest knows it or not. It’s an elevated pub experience. What’s more, where value is concerned, you’re not going to find much better than The Windmill’s February menu that was on at the time. For £22, you could order three courses, including dishes such as pork, apple and leek scotch egg with English mustard; Hertfordshire chicken leg chasseur with crushed celeriac; and sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream. Those three would set you back just £22, which, let’s be honest, could be the cost of a decent burger in some venues. 

Talking of burgers, I stayed at The Windmill the night before helping judge the National Burger Awards, which involves trying 16 of the things throughout the day, so in hindsight, filling up on potato and mozzarella croquettes, and the steak and ale pie with creamy mash and hispi cabbage was probably an error. I wish I could say ‘you live and you learn’, but only half of that statement would be true. 

Breakfast is served

It may have been the slow, full trudge up the old Windmill stairs – a nostalgic maze of old corridors and corners – but seeing the luxury of the room I’d been put in for the night was kind of breathtaking. We know that groups large and small are making some serious strides when it comes to the pubs with rooms market, but this level of detail and care really has set the bar. When talking about the focus of its Young’s Rooms division, the operator says it aims to “celebrate the enjoyment and unique experience of staying in a pub”. Well, when it comes to The Windmill, consider that bespoke celebration box well and truly ticked. 

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