The Olde Apple Tree, Peckham, SE15

This is a backstreet pub tucked away in the wilds somewhere between Camberwell, Walworth, and Peckham (but officially in Peckham). But I rather like these old backstreet pubs. This one has been opened up a bit, but still has a separate room on the right, reached via a door from the main room, that contained a pool table, two dartboards and had its own small bit of bar counter that linked it to the servery. There were probably originally three separate rooms, and maybe also a jug and bottle bar as these old Victorian pubs used to have, but I couldn't spot where the entrance would have been. Rather unusually, there was a doorway set apart from the bar counter that led from the back of the servery and which led into the back end of the main saloon bar on the left, which is separated lightly from the main bar by some modern spindle screening. Some - in fact quite a lot of - cornicing looks original, and is foliage decorated with a similarly decorated frieze. The main room is carpeted and is furnished with some fixed bench seating, small stools and normal tables. All very tradional and welcome. Unfortunately there is no real ale of course. There were no menus on the tables, but a board on one of the walls advertised a lunch menu, available between 12 - 2.30, Mon - Fri. The food looked to be very reasonably priced - the ham, egg and chips is £5, the home made cottage pie is £4.50 and the chicken curry and rice is £5.50. It looked as if the home made lasagne had been marked up from £2.50 to £4.50 - that's inflation for you. I could afford to eat here! This is a delightful pub, with a bunch of locals in during our late afternoon midweek visit. If only it did a decent real ale.