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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
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Submitted on Friday, 6th March 2009
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Detail Pages
Claret & Ale, Addiscombe, Croydon
Croydon
CR0 7AA
Served areas
Reviews of Claret & Ale (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Claret & Ale
This one has been on my list for some while, and I managed to get here the other day. The ale selection was as good as I had expected, with Palmer’s IPA; Hogsback TEA; Timothy Taylor Landlord; Waggledance; Darkstar Sunburst; and Bingham’s Twyford Tipple (£1.70 a half) all on. There was no sign of food at 11.45 on a weekday.
It’s clearly a shop conversion high street bar. All furnishings are good quality normal tables and chairs, with a generally brewers’ rustic interior comprising black beams everywhere with rough lathed ceilings and walls. TVs are on the walls, plus CAMRA and other pub awards proudly displayed.
This is a simple bar, but the ale choices, at reasonable prices, certainly make it stand out from the pub conversion crowd. It’s certainly worth a visit if you’re in Addiscombe for any reason.
On 22nd July 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Claret Free House
This small, shop-converted pub is one of Croydon's must-visit, real ale venues. Located just behind Addiscombe tram stop, you'd be forgiven for not spotting the place at first glance as it melts into the surrounding shops, the only give away being a few tell-tale smokers out on the pavement.
Inside is a small, single room with the bar along the left hand wall and two rows of tables along the right side. There are plenty of fake beams and the walls are adorned with a mixture of breweriana and old photos of Croydon landmarks such as Croydon Airport and the Swan and Sugarloaf pub. A large TV on the rear wall tends to show sport most of the time, with cricket in particular seeming to be popular with the locals.
There are six pumps which dispense an ever rotating selection of ales. They always have something from Palmers available and a blackboard opposite the bar lists current and upcoming beers in a cunning ploy to make you want to come back and sample more. On a recent visit I tried the Ascot Alligator and Red Squirrel West Coast Stout, both in top condition and the latter in particular being a very tasty pint. The real star of the show is the Palmers though which I always find myself returning to at some point. Prices are around the £2.60 mark for most pints, which is of course, great value. The staff are generally friendly and they seem to know their stuff when it comes to ales.
The downsides are that it can feel a bit cliquey at times, perhaps due to the loyal band of locals. It also gets very hot in here in the summer with the air-con seemingly not working and the heat can sometimes cause problems with the condition of the beers which are stored in a back room rather than a conventional cellar.
A good pub all told and no serious visit to Croydon would be complete without a tram ride out here, perhaps as a double header with the Cricketers.
On 21st January 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Claret Free House
As I walked up the Addiscombe Rd in a thunderstorm I thought to myself that this had better be worth it. Rest assured it was, this is a shop conversion but once inside it has the feel of a proper pub, even if from some years ago. The black and white interior with fake beams and stucco walls have an early 80s feel, but no problem with that. Decor includes old pictures of Croydon including the aerodrome, various bits of breweriana and a helpful board listing the beers on now and expected next. The room is carpeted, seating is traditional. The bar runs along the rear portion of a side wall and this is where a handful of regulars were gathered on stools. Two TVs, the rear one showing cricket.
As for the beers, six pumps, Palmers IPA is the regular and I believe the Dark Star Hophead features often too. Also on were Dark Star Festival, Dorking Black Mild, Surrey Hills Greensand IPA and Langham Sundowner. There is also a list of 12 single malt whiskies. A couple of ciders come from Biddenham.
This is the sister pub of the Claret Wine Bar in Cheam, both are certainly worth a visit or two.
On 2nd July 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
View more reviews of Claret & Ale (8)
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- Randomness Guide to London - Claret Free House entry
- Facebook - Claret Freehouse
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Claret & Ale - whatpub.com
Norwood Junction, 1.4 miles, 26 min walk (show)
Selhurst, 1.69 miles, 32 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Beer Festivals : Yes - November - last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Beer Garden : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Car Park : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Darts : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Hot Food : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Jukebox : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Karaoke : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Live Music : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 11 May 2015 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 09 October 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 28 January 2017 by Tris C
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 11 May 2015 by Pub SignMan
