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Trinity Arms, SW9
SW9
SW9 8DR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Trinity Arms
A world away from the despondency of Brixton Road, the Trinity Arms is situated in peaceful and dinky Trinity Square, built in 1850, leased by Young & Co in 1885, bought outright in 1911; they may also possibly own the green outside, due to acquisition courtesy of squatters’ rights; today, there’s some fine Young & Co brewery tiling, probably dating from the 1930s.
The interior was trendified in 2016, but it’s not nearly as severe as some of Young’s mauling’s; aside from the predictable picture of the Queen Mother on the pull, you can get a glimpse of it on their website, once you’ve navigated the endless pictures of the beer garden, dogs and food that looks like something from the film The Thing. Customers were young trustafarian types, nothing like the dog-clutching models bussed in for the website’s photoshoot, some wearing hired sports’ shirts, punching the air whilst watching an imaginary TV. The acoustics were very poor, rendering the sound of conversation unpleasantly loud.
With the Proper Job option banished from Young’s south London pubs, the ale choice amounted to Special and London Original, then new to me, a Frankenbeer cask called Mixed, with a pump clip that was 50:50 Special and London Original; yet another half of Neck Oil reluctantly succumbed to gravity, £3.60 for the privilege.
This is quite a decent pub – certainly by the standards of south London – but the cask choice is a bore and it’s clearly better visited early in the week.
On 31st March 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Trinity Arms
In the mean streets (and ropey pub scene) of Brixton lies this really rather nice little oasis in a neat and secluded little square only a few yards off the main drag. Having made myself look like a wally by trying to get in through various locked doors, I eventually entered round the side. It’s obviously been molested by the Youngs wrecking crew at some point in the last few years, as the U shaped interior lacks intrinsic charm that a building of this stature should warrant. Three casks ales at the island bar, 2x Youngs and Twickenham Grandstand. Outrageously, the cost of two pints was £9.30, though at least the quality of the two I got were very good and superb – I’d have been raging otherwise. Staff were a mixture of schooled and the scatty. With no spare tables inside we schlepped out the back via a heavy glass door that – stupidly, given the traffic of full pints one way – opened inwards into the pub making it near-impossible to get through with more than one pint in hand without summoning assistance. The garden was pretty swish, covered by tentage with an odd open square brick fire. Clientele were mainly on the younger, trustafarian / self-facilitating media node side of things. We witnessed peak Zone1 behaviour, with a loud and pushy girl literally bullying a lad off his table space so she and her pals could take it. Overall, this place doesn’t have enough to warrant big marks but as a haven away from Brixton’s main thoroughfare, it’s ideal for a pre-gig drink.
On 1st March 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Trinity Arms
Excellent Youngs pub, geographically a short distance from the main road through Brixton but in other respects a world away in a quiet little square. Some interesting exterior features, and inside it has been opened out into a horseshoe-shaped bar with high ceilings. Very comfortably furnished, and flowers on most of the tables brighten the interior. Also features a few wooden benches out front and a 'secret' patio beer garden to the rear. Ordinary, Special, London Gold and the seasonal Hummingbird (£3.95) available from four of six handpumps on this visit. Well worth seeking out.
On 13th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Trinity Arms
This rare example of a relatively unspoilt Young's pub certainly looks the part, the half tiled exterior, glorious floral displays, original looking windows complete with the Young's Ram figure etched together with a favourable location at the side of a leafy and tranquil square. If transported here you would have no clue that you were about 250m from the vibrant and noisy centre of Brixton.
Inside is an island bar, wood flooring, the bar gantry has a quintet of jazz musician statuettes in full flow. A section of more modern shelving houses a TV which was showing the World Cup football as well as a few books and board games. A wall mounted World Cup chart was meticulously kept up to date. The previous three bar layout is evident, reinforced by the tiled external signs. Seating is reassuringly traditional at tables of varying size including the current fashion of reclaimed dining tables. Not much décor wise, a few obligatory local scenes, always welcome by me old maps, plus a "wall" of postcards from holidaying regulars, it seems a card gets you a free drink on your return, a no-brainer then. Food is served but nothing happening at 5:30 on Saturday.
There is a bit of outdoor seating on a front terrace and at the not so-"secret garden" to the rear which was a pleasant spot surrounded by high brick walls.
No guest beers, Young's Bitter, Special and London Gold but nonetheless I did take to this traditional pub and would certainly revisit when in Brixton.
On 23rd June 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Trinity Arms
There’s no need to add much to other reviewers’ description of this traditional backstreet watering hole. This is a Young’s pub, but it had on Bath Gem as guest ale when I visited on Wednesday afternoon. There were menus in little wicker baskets on the bar counter, but I didn’t examine them, and in any case it appeared that at 2.45PM on Wednesday afternoon they had done with food for lunchtime. During my visit all the tables had little posies of carnations on them, as well as containers full of colouring pens so that punters can add their embellishments to pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and have them stuck on the wall. Class, or what? But I assume that this is a temporary aberration. However I did like the models above one of the bar gantries of what appeared to comprise a New Orleans jazz quintet.
But this most certainly a real pub, tucked away in one of the more salubrious parts of Brixton, and is definitely worth the effort of walking from the high street to find.
On 13th May 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Trinity Arms
As others have mentioned below, this is a nice street corner pub in a peaceful, secluded square, just a short walk from Brixton station. The U-shaped interior hints at a former two-room set up which has now been knocked into one. The room has a high ceiling, typical of this sort of Victorian era building and is nicely carpeted, with half wood panelled walls. There is a fair bit of seating available around the perimeter, mostly in the form of padded benches, tables and low stools.
This is a Young's House and the six hand pumps were dispensing four of their beers - Ordinary, Special, Winter Warmer (£3.27) and London Gold. My pint of Winter Warmer was okay, but served a bit too cold for my liking. The bar was well staffed on a Friday evening and I found their service to be prompt and friendly. A few people were eating, and although I didn't see any menus, there was a blackboard listing specials on one of the walls. A list of upcoming six nations rugby fixtures was also on the board, suggesting that they show live sport here as well, although I didn't spot any TV screens. Live music was also being promoted on various posters.
I thought this was quite a nice pub and with few other options in the area, this is as good a bet as any for a decent pint in pleasant surroundings.
On 28th January 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Trinity Arms
Brixton is woefully short of decent traditional style pubs which makes the Trinity Arms stand out more than it may do if were in a different location. A good, solid Victorian corner pub, it is situated on a residential square just a couple of minutes from the bustling High Street but far enough away to alienate itself from the general Brixton vibe. That said, the pub can get very busy with a mix of locals, workers and Academy goers in the know.
The interior consists of a horseshoe bar with high ceilings, partly tongue and groove walls and basic, plain décor, a little dated but livened up with a few old local photos and cartoons. A few musical figurines stand over the bar canopy and theer are a couple of spartanly populated book shelves. A sole TV situated at one end is used sparingly and as far as I could tell does not have anything beyond freeview. There is low piped music and occasional live acoustic music at weekends although the pub layout isn’t really suited for such emtertainment. To the rear is an attractive enclosed beer patio with ivy clad walls and is quite a peaceful spot.
Being a Youngs pub, the selection of ales is a bit limited although my latest visit coincided with the back end of a mini beer festival with 8 additional ales over a 2 week period on top of the usual Youngs range. The quality is always excellent, service attentive and prices about average with ales around the £3.10 mark. There is a small and basic pub grub menu with main courses around £7/8 and special 2 for £10 burger offers as well as £5 lunchtime deals. For some reason they lump fish dishes in with the vegetarian selections.
It has always come over as a welcoming, friendly place and I have never encountered any hassles or undesirable customers. There are also usually a couple of cats roaming around. The Trinity does make the best of its limitations and if you are looking for something with a more substance than style, the place is always a good option.
On 1st October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]