The Orchard, Addiscombe, Croydon

Traditional sort of boozer, with a bit of an Irish feel but no real evidence to support this suggestion. Retains two separate bars, with the larger and busier of which itself having been partially opened-out from a couple of rooms at some stage. Plainly but tidily furnished and decorated, with a limited menu of cheap food options. Just Doom Bar (£3.55) from the various handpumps.

This is another re-visit. They did have on Doom Bar (£2 a half as I recall) but it was undrinkable. I guess this another pub that’s done a deal to stock this beer, but my guess is that they don’t sell enough to keep the quality up to scratch. The warm weather won’t help either. They do food weekday lunchtimes; the menu’s fairly basic (nothing wrong with that), and I had an excellent ham sandwich for £3.05. You enter the pub into a small vestibule – the door on the left takes you into a room now called the Sports Bar (it has a dartboard and pool table), but was probably at one time the public bar. The door to the right takes you into what must have been the Saloon Bar. Unfortunately it was closed during my midweek lunchtime visit, but it looked just a bit more salubrious that the Sports Bar. Looking through the glass in the door I couldn’t spot the brewery mirrors that used to be this pubs most outstanding feature. This is a basic locals’ pub by the look of it. Don’t go here for the beer; but if you fancy a decent sandwich then this place does the trick.

The Orchard consists of two bars with a pool table, dartboard and seating in the one to the left of the entrance. The right hand side is thin but larger with a bar that runs up the left hand wall. Standard draught is available and during my recent Thursday afternoon visit one hand pump was unused leaving Sharp’s Doom Bar as the only cask option. Food is available from midday until 21:00 during the week, 20:00 on Saturdays and 19:00 on Sundays when roast dinner is available. Children are permitted during the day. The plasma screen was airing muted horse racing and there was some background music playing to the largely Irish contingent that lined the bar. Live football is shown via Sky Sports and there is Karaoke every Sunday from 18:00 until 21:00. Out the back is a covered decked area that backs onto a tarmacked area that houses some picnic tables. This outside space used to be the car park so there is no longer any dedicated parking space. I’d consider popping back in for another pint if passing, but I wouldn’t go out of my way.

This pub looks pretty good from the outside with its classic brewer’s Tudor facade, but the mass of adverts on the front of the building detract from the overall appearance. Inside it still retains its two room format, with public and saloon bars reached via separate doorways leading from a small entranceway vestibule. I spent my visit in the saloon bar, and this room is carpeted, with mainly banquettes and normal tables and chairs, with a couple of tall pedestal tables and tall stools, and of course tall stools ranged down the long bar counter. The firplace is still there on the right, but it’s now lost a number of its tiles so looks nowhere near as good as it should. The Charringtom mirrors – there are three of them – are the most impressive feature, with old country scenes depicted in their centres. The two behind the bar still look good, but the one just inside the doorway is unfortunately plastered with, and thus obscured by, posters and adverts. The loud pop music didn’t do much for me either, especially as I was the only customer in. The public bar is more basically furnished, and contains a pool table. There’s a beer garden behind the building. There was still one real ale available – Doom Bar, at £1.65 a half, on my visit – and food was advertised during my Friday lunchtime visit. A small board on the bar counter advertised specials of chicken curry & rice or Irish stew for £5.95, but unfortunately I was in too early for the chef to be available. Although this pub remains largely unspoilt, and retains some interesting features in the mirrors, it doesn’t really have enough going for it to warrant a special visit. But if the local regulars appreciate it the way it is, then all power to them.