Looking down Tim’s list I am in a pretty similar position to him with regards to visiting this selection of pubs (and certainly a publog outing should be on the cards). However I can add knowledge of The Bedford in Balham. It was the last pub on a short Balhamese pub crawl, started by a friend who lived in Clapham who proved the truism that there are no good pubs in Clapham. The short review on the Standard site is correct in as much as the Bedford is a large, sprawling, multi-roomed pub.
The time I and another publogger was there we were in the smallish Public Bar, the one without the view to the Sainsbury’s. The bitter was off and it took an age for the bar staff to serve us as they were busy in the other bars. The whole place had a degree of charm, but it also had fake books on a bookcase which is a crime against humanity. We stayed for one and then wandered back round the corner to the much nicer Young’s pub. Its quite clear that we went at a bad time, but still I hope The Bedford does not win.