The Sparrowhawk, Crystal Palace, SE19

Walked up one main street and didnt see a single pub, so rather panicked when I saw this corner pub. If I had continued along the road to the park, I would have been spoiled for choice with drinking establishments that looked far more interesting. This is a smart enough gastro pub. Central bar, knocked through rooms surrounding. Padded bar stools and wooden tables ready for dining. Two cask on and I had never had False Number Nine before. Didnt spot it was Greene King. Also served in a dirty glass, but probably in better condition that i feared.

Corner venue at one end of the stretch that is Westow Hill. Think it is a hill in name only as it certainly seems pretty flat (in comparison to Anerley Hill at least). Quite light and airy. Think it was shut for a while and has had a makeover since the days of the below descriptions. There is a small narrow courtyard at the side of the pub with a screen for watching presumably big live sports, although the screen did seem disproportionate to the number of customers that could fit into the area. Gripe would be the music in the venue was turned up too loud for the time of day. Beer range was exclusively keg. Nothing exciting at all really given the craft from Gipsy Hill and another brewery I don’t recall we’re both off on my visit. Not fancying a Guinness was really led to the Camden Pale Ale. A poor selection compared to the prior venue today. There were a number of big screens inside the pub showing highlights from soccer of yesteryear during my visit. I assume this venue markets itself a sport pub in which case it will find its clientele. For me it is a poor neighbour of a number of pretty good drinking venues in the neighbourhood.

Seemed to me to be food led.Very busy and warm modern bar.Harveys -sussex and Wells -a good stuffing on cask.

The Sparrowhawk is situated on the corner of a very busy road junction. The pub now sports the horrible battleship grey colour. Once inside the bar faces,there is a single room which is wrapped around the bar on three sides,the seating is normal tables and chairs and settees to the front and bench seating to the rear. There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Cronx Kotchin which went down well,the other beers were Harveys Bitter and Purity UBU. The background music was too quiet to be heard properly,the pub was very busy on my Saturday afternoon visit. I did not encounter any problems in being served here,so they would probably serve anyone who turns up here for a drink. Pub visited 16/4/2016

There were three ales on in here - Harvey's Best, Purity Mad Goose, and Clarkshaw's Gorgon's Alive! (£2.10 a half). I felt obliged to try the Gorgon's Alive!, because it's such an unusual name for a beer, and Clarkshaw's is a local brewery based at Loughborough Junction. And pretty good it was too. I also saw a black cauldron on the counter, for some mulled drink, or possibly soup, I guess. There weren't any menus on the tables, but I saw people eating so they obviously do food weekday lunchtimes. This old pub has now been thoroughly made over. The bar counter's painted dark grey, with plenty of light grey painted woodwork at the front, plus wine racks are included in the modern bar back. So far so gastro. Furnishings are mainly big chunky tables and normal chairs, but with considerable "distressing" in evidence. There are also the inevitable chunky tall tables/tall stools. A few smallish prints adorn the walls of miscellaneous things - one might have been of a microscope - plus a larger one of a bird of prey, a sparrowhawk presumably. Any pub character this place may have had has been completely stripped out. This is an ordinary gastropub. But the beer was good though.

The Sparrowhawk official site, contains menu - thesparrowhawkpub.co.uk