The Chelsfield, Orpington

Substantial 1930s suburban pub, located close by the station. Set back from the road by the from patio terrace, the interior comes as something as a surprise since it has been comprehensively refurbished during the Covid era and is now quite an upmarket place. Indeed, although the wi-fi login will tell you that it's owned by Punch, you are most likely to guess Ember or Vintage Inns? Anyway, Doom Bar, Landlord (£5.10) and Old Peculier were being poured from three of four handpumps, and a good number of standard and vaguely crafty keg beers (think Beavertown, Brixton and Laine) are also available on tap.

Official site of The Chelsfield - www.thechelsfield.pub

Official site of The Chelsfield - www.thechelsfield.pub

Three real ales on in here - London Pride, Doom Bar, and Timothy Taylor Landlord (£1.85 a half). I didn't see any menus lying around when I was in here at about 2.30 PM on a Wednesday, but a couple at the bar were eating so I guess they must sell food. There were, however, wine lists on the tables which revealed that this is a Gladewood pub. I've never heard of them, but the pub seemed well cared for, and a bit like an upmarket Stonegate pub. You are in the main bar area as you enter; at the back on the right is a fair large area with all tables laid for diners; and a (closed) door to the left of the servery apparently leads tp a function room. There's some nice stained wood panelling on the walls, as well as a fairly attractive bar back - fairly modern work I think. Apart from the dining room which luxuriates in normal tables and chairs, furnishings in the rest of the accessible pub (i.e. the bar area) are all sofas, armchairs, tall tables/tall stools with a solitary normal tables with standard chairs. There's some outside bench seating at the front. There are TVs on the walls of course, and there was some pop music playing a little too loudly for my taste, and I saw live entertainment (a young lady singer) advertised for the Sunday. There were masses of old black and white photographs of the area on all the walls. This struck me as a fairly ordinary station pub. It's certainly comfortable enough a place if you have to wait for a train, as long as you are happy to be perched on one of the tall stools or slumped in one of the sofas. My Landlord was in good shape though.