Tropix, Clapham, SW4

Fifty Five at the Oak is a single room pub with a small bar on the right hand wall that faces seating up the left. There is also seating to the front and rear. I didn’t note the presence of any televisions, but there was some background music playing from the 70s/80s. Keg offerings from Camden Town and Meantime Breweries were available alongside Blue Moon and Samuel Smith’s Boston lager. I was asked by the very friendly bar tender if I wanted a slice of orange in my Blue Moon. I’ll try most things once so I said yes and was pleasantly surprised. The most memorable thing about his place was the mixed toilets at the rear. A row of cubicles with a larger area full of urinals to the far left. Call me old fashioned, but I’m not comfortable knowing that innocent young ladies may be witness to my daily pan cracking commotions as my body purges itself of the previous day’s gluttony. I know some Camdenites in their early thirties who would really like this pub, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to revisit.

Official site of Fifty Five at the Oak - www.theroyaloakclapham.co.uk

Official site of Fifty Five at the Oak - www.theroyaloakclapham.co.uk