Effra Social, Brixton, SW2

One of two Brixton hostelries taking its name from Effra Hall, demolished towards the end of the 19th century. The scruffy sign has now gone, replaced by a gayly luminescent arched number, behind which is a substantial beer patio – with LGBTQ+ flag – where almost all the customers had congregated at the time of my warm Wednesday 8.50pm arrival. This place opened in Brixton’s former Conservative Club in 2013 and formerly an Antic joint, is now operated by the Portobello Pub Co., though it bears an uncanny resemblance to Antic’s Balham Bowls Club, with lots of regimental coats of arms to picture rails and pot shelf. There’s a small snug bar upstairs, with rather grand 1930s’ fireplace. Downstairs, and there’s a grand ballroom with parquet floor and woody bar array, probably dating back to at least the 1960s; to the rear is a stage area and another LBGTQ+ flag and furniture is tall, simple and mixed, lighting coming from attractive Art Deco sconces. There’s much Tory-themed memorabilia, with other items such as framed front covers from Private Eye, a couple of portraits of the Queen and trophy cabinet, replete with engraved shields and silverware. As mentioned, most customers were outside, young and trendy types; just two customers – older than me and possibly former club members – were seated in the ballroom. Ale amounted to an unused pump, Portobello Star then just Sambrook’s Pumphouse, £2.80 a half and slightly flabby, served by a friendly barmaid. Whilst certainly not a destination pub, it’s miles better than the offerings in central Brixton, making for a good crawl with the neighbouring Elm Pak Tavern and Effra Hall, but given the parentage, why just two cask offerings and only one from Portobello?

Official site of Effra Social - effrasocial.co.uk

Instagram site of Effra Social - www.instagram.com

Instagram site of Effra Social - www.instagram.com

Official site of Effra Social - effrasocial.co.uk

Scruffy-looking place, with a large and carelessly-made sign by the road and a right jumble of wooden picnic benches in the front yard. Once up the steps and past the hand-written opening hours notice, you find the original club bar with two handpumps and old-fashioned furniture / decor (although this turned out to be booked for a private function). The main bar is housed back down some stairs at the rear in the former hall (which features a small stage at the far end being used by a DJ setting up when I called in). The counter is located to the right-hand side, with handpumps for five beers - including the ultra-local Effra Ale from Brixton Brewery (£4.00) - and two ciders. Odd place, giving the impression of a temporary pop-up bar rather than an established pub.

Well described by Pub signman.Little bar as you enter was closed but they had football on a tv in there.Large main hall with table tennis In front of the stage.Only 3 handpumps in use with Doombar,hophead and a fantastic Brixton-electric ipa 6.5.not cheap at £4.50 but worth it.But what a minger of a pub or is it a club open to the public.Dull,characterless,grotty,tatty and those are the good points.Without the great pint I would score it as a one.

This doesn’t look much like a pub from the outside, with no signage other than the word “Social” on the outside wall. If there was anything else I missed it, which is not good for enticing in any passing trade. In fact it didn’t look much like a pub inside when I visited on Saturday afternoon. There was a lot of activity, but unfortunately none of it was beer related. The front door was open which was a good sign, but the first room on the right seemed to have someone in it just moving furniture and the like. Undeterred we passed along the corridor, past the sign saying that subscriptions are now due; down a few stairs into what used to be snooker room and where there were a number of handpumps on the counter. Here there were people laying out food on the tables, and as everyone ignored us we had a good look round. We felt like we had blundered into preparations for a private Christmas party – perhaps we had. It was nothing like the Antic pub we had expected. If I am down this way again during the pub’s advertised opening hours then I’ll drop in again, in the hope of encountering somewhere more like a pub.

This is Antic’s second Brixton pub, a ten minute walk south from the tube and train station. The pub is set in a former Conservative Club and retains that unmistakable working men’s club feel. A passage entrance takes you initially past a smartly apportioned front lounge with button backed armchairs and a rather debonair feel that makes you want to slip on a smoking jacket and break out the port and cigars. There is a bar in here, but the shutters were down on my visit, so I proceeded along the corridor to the main bar. This large room has wood block flooring, panelled walls and the servery running along the right hand wall. Standard tables and chairs flank both sides of the room with smaller, low tables arranged down the middle, which are particularly uncomfortable to sit at, as it’s almost impossible to get your legs under them. A stage is clearly set up at the back of the room, but curtains kept it from full view. Some board games are stacked up next to the bar and a few snooker/pool cues are held in a rack nearby, perhaps a reference to the room’s former use as a snooker hall. A restaurant can seemingly be found through the rear curtains, but I didn’t bother to explore this far. This pub doesn’t have so much of the usual quirky Antic decor, although some bunting and sheet music (!) hung from the ceiling between some nice period lamp shades. Al fresco drinking takes place out the front of the building, where a spacious, if rather bland, car-park type space has been furnished with a few picnic benches. A decent soundtrack played throughout my stay, but I didn’t spot any TV screens or signs advertising live sport or the like. Seven hand pumps offered Tiny Rebel Fubar, Adnams Ghost Ship, Moor Illusion and Weston’s Old Rosie cider with one turned badge and two more unclipped pumps. Keg options included beers from the likes of Meantime and Lagunitas. I gave the Illusion a try and thought it was a great pint in particularly good condition. The barman, who must have been a good ten years my junior, asked me for ID, which thankfully I happened to have on me. This was always a great annoyance aged 18-19, but is just plain ridiculous and unnecessary 16 years later. Despite this, I enjoyed the place very much. I really liked the building and the way Antic have resisted the urge to completely revamp it, keeping the essence of an old working man’s club. This is head and shoulders above the other Antic pub in Brixton, the Dogstar, and further enhances the area’s growing reputation for good pubs and beer.