Coombe Lodge (JD Wetherspoon), Shirley, Croydon

Visited 12/01/26. Visited previously on 09/07/24 pre JDW. Cask now comprising a more normal JDW offering of Ruddles, Abbot, Doom Bar, Funky Monkey pale ale from Milk Street Brewing and Titanic Plum Porter. Typical JDW keg range of Worthington CF, Stella, Bud Light, Angelo Poretti, Leffe Blonde, Budweiser, Corona, Coors, Carlsberg, Carling, Stowford Press cider, Shipyard Pale Ale, K1664, Guinness, original and dark fruits SB, Seven Brothers Easy IPA, BrewDog Punk IPA and the Mad Squirrel Sumo juicy hazy pale ale (the last three on the typical three tap shiny array housing the craft beer selection at the extreme this time left-hand end of the bar counter). Nothing has really change here except the beer offering now that the venue is run (or owned?) by JDW. Can't remember the carpet from last time, but it looks well-worn in places here so am sure Tim hasn't ordained installation of a more JDW'esque carpet for the recent re-opening. The bar area is at the rear of the venue looking out over the rather weather-beaten rear garden, think lawn, pergolas, and picnic benches. The main part of the bar area, with bar counter against the rear wall, is ceramic tiled with a small number of tall tables and tall stools. The front part of the bar counter is up a couple of steps into the first of the carpeted areas with similar socially distanced tall tables and tall stools. There is a conservatory to the side of the bar area also looking towards the rear garden. The rest of the venue was comprised of other rooms, one of which did have a JDW'esque carpet, some had bare boards with a variety of seating options, but all seemingly offered to diners of which there were a fair few in on my visit. The open kitchen is at the extreme left-hand side of the venue and some of the rooms have names such as the Pilgrim Suite, the Frank Lloyd Suite. The offering here is clearly better than the previous ownership but can't help but think this is one of the (if not the) most soulless JDW's I have visited. Chances of me visiting again slim to zero - unless changes ownership again – as it is a bit of a trek from the town centre!!

Official site of Coombe Lodge (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Opening today as a Wetherspoon pub.

Official site of Coombe Lodge (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Without any pre-planning I seem to be handed the unenviable task of following PSM’s meticulous reviews of venues in this part of the Croydon Postal district. Indeed after reading his review of this place after the last couple of venues I had to check my calendar to convince myself it really is July 2024 rather than the year after his reviews as yet again this is one that has changed remarkably little. More visible to me, given the time of year for my visit, was the traditional (ie grassy) beer garden (or more aptly beer meadow) out the back that had more chance of being occupied by anything (other than marine animals) on my visit. The one negative change was the absence now of any cask. Instead just a range of lagers (Moretti, Coors, Stella, Carling, Peroni), cider (Inch’s), Guinness and Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale. There were some taps on the back wall inviting me to try one of their craft beers, but there is a list of zilch on enquiring. Atlantic Pale Ale is as crafty as you get here. My biggest thought on arriving, being here for 30 mins and then leaving was how can such a depressing offering occupy an undoubtedly beautiful building? I think I would rather have been a resident of the former care home than be an occupant of the bar here.

Set in a Grade II listed Georgian mansion with sizeable gardens, Coombe Lodge is part of the impressive Coombe Estate and was previously used as a home for the elderly, before being converted to a pub and restaurant in the late 1980’s. It’s currently operated by the Beefeater Pub and Grill chain and has a Premier Inn next door. The pub has a nice location in a rural part of Croydon, bordered by Coombe Wood, Lloyd Park and Addington Hills, which made it a good option for a stop off following an afternoon tramping around the woods in the snow. You enter into a lobby area with the bar to the right and the restaurant to the left. The restaurant has been carpeted throughout and fitted out with some bland furnishings and décor. A few padded banquettes have been arranged to create low backed booth type sections, whilst there is a snug-like room near the entrance with space for just the one table. The tables at the rear of the room look like they give good views over the gardens, but it was dark when we arrived, so I can’t be sure. The bar area is to the right rear and has high stools and tables opposite the servery and a large TV screen showing subtitled news. A large open room opposite looked a lot more comfortable, with a variety of seating options. From here you could access a conservatory which is signposted as ‘The Orangery’. The overwhelming feeling when wandering around this large building is that of amazement at how they have managed to make such a characterful building utterly devoid of any character. For the record, there were two ales on at the bar – a rather uninspiring choice of Fullers London Pride and Marston’s Pedigree (£3.15). The food is a typical pub grub and grill menu and my gammon steak was quite nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. The staff were very friendly and probably ended up being one of the major plus points. The boring ale selection neatly encapsulates everything you need to know about this place. When I first moved to Croydon ten years ago, people were always recommending this place (albeit, it wasn’t a Beefeater back then) but I never got round to paying it a visit. Now that I have, I’m left wondering what all the fuss was about.