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Detail Pages
The Drayton Arms, SW5
SW5
SW5 0LJ
Pub Type
Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Drayton Arms
Well described below and on CAMRA’s site, this is quite an ornate edifice, with residual etched glass, a mirror in the open air vestibule, fine original mahogany fittings and grand central column (see photo).
Furniture is mixed, me sat a tall hydraulic table; I dared not press the pedal. Customers are young professional types and there’s a theatre upstairs; Neneh Cherry’s Buffalo Stance was blaring out over the gramophone.
There were two unused pumps, then Doom or Landlord at a very steep £2.95 a half, though very good.
This is a decent pub, the best of the four with a frontage on Old Brompton Road, marginally better and more pubby than the Duke of Clarence, almost opposite.
On 3rd December 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Drayton Arms
An ornate building with a theatre upstairs. The interior doesn't really match-up but there is enough character to make it decent, with some old interwar features still in situ. Laid out in a funny apex shape with a spur off right, the main bar is light and bright with large glass windows whilst the spur is dark and dingy, not helped by the dark blue paintwork. Four pumps with two ales on, Doom Bar and Sadlers Peaky Blinder, the latter of which was expensive, warm and pump tired (NBSS 2, at a push). A better bet may have been the 18 keg options which had a bit of variation. Family-friendly to the extent of having screaming babies in the main bar with the kind of parents who think they own the pub and that everyone else has to submit to their little darling’s every ear-piercing squawk. Overall it’s probably worth a nose if you're nearby but once was enough for me. 5.5
On 20th December 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Drayton Arms
The Drayton Arms is a decent looking pub.
Once inside there is a single wedged shaped room with the bar facing,there is comfy bench seating and chairs to the front and one tall table and chairs plus a half circular settee in the middle area,the right side has normal tables and chairs.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Harvistoun Afterglow which went down very well,the other beers were Sambrooks Junction and St Austell Tribute.
There was a small TV to the right showing tennis and quiet background music was playing.
I quite liked this place.
Pub visited 1/7/2015
On 1st July 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Drayton Arms
The daytime menu here featured tea for two at £22.40, but taking into account that I was in a pub I decided against this bargain and had a half of Bateman’s Yellabelly Gold for £1.95. The other beers on were Sharp’s Doom Bar, Brakspear’s Summer Gold and Sambrooke’s Junction. The daytime menu also had a traditional breakfast for £8.50 and other main courses around the £10 - £11 mark.
This pub is a large, imposing (Grade II listed) building that dominates the junction on which it sits. Inside it’s fairly large, but not as large as the exterior would suggest. It’s lost most of its original splendour of course, although a few vestiges remain, such as the vestibule with the door signed to the private bar, the ceiling with its original fielded panel design, and some etched glasswork and panelling. Thankfully it’s managed to avoid having Chelsea grey daubed everywhere, with the traditional brown of the wood predominating. But it does still have some “high class” adornments like the Champagne bottles in the bar back and yellow tulips in little vases on all the tables. There are some large potted plants introducing some greenery, and although there a couple of tall tables/tall stools the main furnishings are normal tables and chairs. Apparently there is a theatre upstairs, although I didn’t go up there.
This is still a fairly ornate pub – especially the exterior – and although it doesn’t have the traditional “pubiness” that I appreciate I still quite liked this one. It’s comfortable, and the beer is OK (if a tad expensive – but probably not unreasonable for the area).
On 30th April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Drayton Arms
Interesting exterior, and whilst the irregularly-shaped bar (with dining area beyond) has been refurbished it retains fairly traditional furniture and decor. Theatre upstairs (not visisted). Doom Bar, Wandle, Brakspear Oxford Gold, Copper Dragon Black Gold (£3.60, and served in a jug) available from the four handpumps. Overall, quite a reasonable place I thought... (NB - Review dates from April 2012.)
On 24th June 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Drayton Arms
4 real ales and a good selection of worldwide lagers. Food served and advertising movies on show in the theatre upstairs.
On 28th February 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Drayton Arms
This is a pleasant enough pub, part of M&B's unbranded Metro Professional brand. A Victorian, street corner local it's rather more interesting outside than in, with all that ornamental masonry. Inside it's very much of the area to appeal to frighteningly the well-heeled locals, whose loud braying noise when assembled in numbers many find so irritating. Fairly routine range of beers to sample, supplemented by a nice drop of Sambrook's when we visited.
On 6th August 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Drayton Arms
Decent, one room pub with high ceilings and a large wood panelled bar down the left hand side. There's a rear area with lower ceilings and some comfy seating, even a couple of old leather car seats in the corner! True, it is perhaps a little dark, but surely that just adds to the atmosphere!
It's not obvious what it's called from the outside with no visible sign that I could see (but it was chucking it down so I may have missed it) but the friendly Aussie barman filled me in. For us the best feature was the lack of a TV! Every other pub nearby was showing the Chelsea game and rammed with supporters. Hardy conducive to a quiet meal which is what we were after. Fortunately it was also a decent menu here with a number of different deals on, two for a tenner, etc.
Beers were Sam Brooks Wandle, London Pride and Doom Bar. Ciders were Addlestones and Aspall's Suffolk cyder.
On 27th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Drayton Arms
This is the sort of pub you end up in when your misses has dragged you along to one of her work social nights. Pride and Chiswick are available along with premium and standard lagers and obviously Addlestones, the gastro cider.
The barman was nice enough, but I found this place to be dark and depressing and if in the area I would stick to the Clarence over the road.
On 5th February 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]