Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Trude, South Norwood, SE25
SE25
SE25 6EA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Trude
Formerly the Alliance Arms, this place was closed to the public for a number of years before reopening as a Caribbean cocktail bar and members club, with a good location next to Sputh Norwood Clock Tower and station. The place has been fitted out as a modern bar, with a polished stone tile floor and walls, plus some faux stone wall cladding. Leaded and stained glass windows can be seen in the doors and windows down one side of room - a legacy of the former pub, but there's not much else of interest to catch the eye. The servery is directly opposite the entrance and has a tiled counter front with a polished stone top and simple bar back, all under a row of pleasant light fixtures. Seating can be found down both sides of what is quite a narrow room, entirely in the form of high tables and stools, with each stool having an unusual swivel seat feature that operates independently of the legs and back. Large potted plants add some colour to the room and I spotted a DJ booth to the rear and, more worryingly, an airport-style metal detector near the entrance, presumably for rowdier nights, or at least to comply with whatever stupid restrictions Croydon Council impose on late night venues these days. The high point of my visit had to be the selection of great afro jazz/funk tunes that were playing on a very quiet Sunday evening. This place always seems empty whenever I pass by, but I can only assume it must get busier later in the evenings or at weekends.
There is of course, no draught, so I ended up taking a Brewdog IPA 330ml bottle for a staggering £7.75! Menus detailled an extensive cocktail menu, but I'm not sure how much they cost, as I couldn't read it through my tears¹. For what it's worth, the barmaid was very friendly, but then I'd be all polite and smiling if I was making that kind of mark up.
I can't say this venue is my cup of tea, but then it's not aimed at customers like myself, so that's fair enough. It seems like a decent, if rather pricey, cocktail bar and if that's what you're looking for, then it could well be a safe bet, but there's nothing here for the beer drinker, so I can't see me returning.
Date of visit - 14th April 2024
On 17th August 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
David Walton left this review about Trude
Still here but now called Trude. Was worth the 10 mins to verify it was open and what it has to offer on the short walk back to Norwood Junction station. Was the only punter in here at 9pm and no sign of anyone joining or following me any time soon!
Pretty depressing on the quaffs front. No cask and obviously compared to Steve’s visit of yesteryear. Bland keg and bottle options not even worth listing at this point other than the BrewDog Punk IPA.
Ended up being a tick box exercise in SE25, but I knew that before I gravitated back to NJ station! In some respects I wasn’t disappointed!
On 23rd May 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ebenezer Crutton left this review about The Alliance
Another pub that has closed, I'm afraid. Although the blinds are closed, it is possible to see that some work has been done inside to dismantle the fixtures & fittings. I've uploaded an interesting picture, taken a couple of years ago...
On 6th March 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 9 recommendations about 9 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Alliance
It was quiet in here on my recent week night visit, but I liked the set up of the pub and it was good to see a dartboard. There are a couple of plasma screens, one of which had a George cross on one side of it and a Kiwi flag on the other so maybe this is the rugby pub of the area.
There are four hand pumps, but only Abbot and Pride were available as the other two were unused. San Miguel was also available along with a standard draught selection and I found my pint of Guinness to be very good.
The barmaid was polite, but miserable with it – maybe it was the boredom of standing behind a bar with only two other people in the pub.
Although nothing special I would use this pub if I lived in the area.
On 12th November 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]