Clifton Arms, Reading

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Clifton Arms, Caversham
Tucked away in a residential area of Caversham, the Clifton Arms is a classic two-bar local's pub, accessible via a rear car park entrance. The front bar is a compact, carpeted space with half-height wood panelling, plain upper walls, and motivational quotes in block letters. Banquette seating lines the front windows and right-hand wall, with high stools and chairs filling the rest of the room. The bar dominates the left side, often crowded with regulars, making access a bit awkward. Decorations include old photos, pub signs, and a large TV on the wall showing live football. A dartboard and jukebox add to the traditional feel, while a second rear room houses a pool table and more pared-back seating, with breweriana on the walls.
Two Brakspear cask ales—Gravity and Bitter—were available, with my pint of Bitter costing £4.60 and in good condition. The place has a strong community vibe, with friendly old-school bar staff and a jukebox that blasted out some Pink Floyd rather abruptly after a period of silence. It was decently busy during my visit, mainly with locals chatting and watching the football.
This is a pretty decent, down to earth local's pub where I was made to feel vary welcome by the landlady and several customers who all greeted me in passing. Brakspear seem to have quite a few pubs like this in their portfolio and whilst their beer isn't really much to write home about, I do like the feel of these pubs and far prefer them to the craft union style boozers that seem to be flooding the market right now. Not a destination pub by any stretch of the imagination, but a solid community boozer and somewhere I'm glad I made the time to visit.

Date of visit: 11th January 2025

On 7^th May 2025 - rating: 6
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