Wetherspoons or "Spoons" (or "Wethers" ) does attract a number of "gentlemen of the road" as you say (inevitable when in most other pubs a pint of decent lager is now around £5.60!).

But it is also a haven for the young 18+ crowd (and those that manage to sneak in under the radar - difficult but don't underestimate a 17 or even 16 year olds ingenuity...however I must say from the tales my boys have told me their door staff are on the ball and seemingly more efficient than the old East German Border guards so it's a rare occurrence).

Before going to Uni the Balham and Wimbledon "Spoons" were THE meeting place so this will come aas a blow when they return in the holidays!

It is always busy so I suspect it's a victim of rising retail rents in Balham
Any guesses on the annual rent?  I'd say £150K pa

whats wrong with a bunch of geriatric semi tramp drunks, I love'em

theres still a Wetherspoons  in Tooting Broadway and the nice one at the top of streatham high road and the South Circ..

I have to say that I am not surprised to see it go. Didn't really seem to fit in with the increasing appeal of Balham to families etc

Tim Martin the founder and CEO of Wetherspoons is one the highest profile Brexit backers. He's turned his pubs into an outlet for his political opinions from placing Leave propaganda beermats on the tables, removing French and German beers from the pubs, replacing champagne with British sparkling wine and displaying reasons to leave the EU/questions for Theresa May posters in the windows. I'm sure even a fellow Leaver doesnt really want to be faced with that whilst trying to wind down on the weekend. Oh, and he's also worth 322 million quid. 

Wetherspoons to close "The Moon Under Water" in Balham. Last day of trading is Sunday 11 November.

This is the second Wetherspoons pub in South London to close in two weeks.
 
On November 4, the White Lion of Mortimer in Mitcham handed over its keys to another brewing company. 

Source: https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/ne ... der-water/