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Detail Pages
Matthews Yard, Croydon
Croydon
CR0 1FF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 3½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Matthews Yard
I visited Mathew’s Yard at 14:00 on a recent Thursday afternoon to find a knocked out building that has been converted into a community centre. The interior is L shaped with Ty’s Food Corner alongside another vendor that was offering tea, coffee and cake on the left hand wall. A small bar is situated on the rear wall to the left, but after an inspection I gleaned that there was no draught leaving a limited bottled selection. The only bottled ale I noted was a couple from Clarence and Fredericks Brewing Company who I believe are based in Croydon. Unfortunately the bar area was closed so I ended up with a cup of tea.
I didn’t spot any televisions, but there was some American Deep South 1950’s background music playing through a cheap tinny speaker that was placed at the top of a small flight of stairs in a seating area to the right rear. This concrete flight of stairs that protrudes from the wall rises about five feet but doesn’t actually lead anywhere.
The bare board floor, minimal décor and worn furniture give a real shabby feel that may be popular with some, but not me. There is an adjoining room full of benches where I imagine the advertised choir evenings and life drawing sessions take place, but again these are not my cup of tea. To be honest this place is how I imagine community life will be after the fallout has cleared from a nuclear apocalypse.
Am I a snob? Probably - Shall I return? No.
On 11th April 2015
- rating: 2
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Matthews Yard
Original review - 27th June 2013
Described on their website as a cafe, bar, lounge, workspace and arts space, this place isn’t strictly speaking a pub, but it is generating a fair bit of talk around Croydon at the moment, so I decided to pop in and see what all the fuss is about. Built on the site of Croydon’s earliest brewery, the bar has a nice location, just off the bustling Surrey Street Market, in a quiet square overlooking the spectacular old pumping station. Set up in the aftermath of the Croydon riots as a focal point for the local community, they’re doing their best to offer something for everyone, from a cup of coffee to theatre productions, with much more in between. My mission was just to find a decent beer, and although there are no cask or keg lines installed, there were a couple of fridges full of bottles seemingly sourced from major supermarkets. The most interesting thing I could find was Brains Barry Island IPA for £3.00, which was nice enough. The likes of Wychwood Hobgoblin, Brooklyn Lager, Anchor Steam and a couple of Adnams brews were alternative options.
The interior has a bit of a ‘work in progress’ feel to it, with bare floorboards, white walls and an undressed servery dominating the unremarkable L shaped room. Standard tables and chairs fill the space opposite the bar, each with a posy of flowers in an old beer bottle, with a drinking ledge along the far wall. Meanwhile, a big screen was being set up around the corner in readiness for a movie night organised by the local branch of Amnesty International. A few seats have found their way outside, allowing punters a nice view across the cobblestone square to the pump house.
I really love the idea of this place and I can see myself making good use of it in the future, but not exclusively for drinking. As a community project, it would be great to see some Cronx or C&F beers permanently available, especially given the site’s link to Croydon’s brewing history. That would make this an essential port of call, but as things stand, I’ll be checking out their upcoming events, but will continue to drink elsewhere.
**Update**
Popped in for lunch today to find some major changes - the bar has moved from the right to left hand wall which has opened the rest of the room up nicely and allows bar staff to move easily between servery and kitchen. Five keg fonts have been installed offering Brooklyn Lager, Mahou, Somersby Cider and a couple of other continental beers. Still no hand pumps though and no local beer unfortunately. I also noticed what seems to have been an old lift at the rear of the room which acts as a rather dark, dingy snug now. Had a nice lunch here from a simple menu of salads, wraps and flatbreads and thought there was a nice vibe from a mixed range of customers, but I still wouldn't come here just for a drink.
On 21st September 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]