The Clifton Arms, Selhurst, SE25

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Pub SignMan left this review about The Clifton Arms

This is the closest pub to Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park ground and therefore gets pretty hectic on match days. My recent visit saw just a couple of other customers enjoying a Friday afternoon pint whilst watching Dickenson’s Real Deals on the TV screen next to the bar. I many ways this is a typical football pub, with seating confined to the edges of the room, including some decent banquettes under the nice etched windows, but the majority of the space set up for vertical drinking. An area to the left of the servery is empty except for a row of chairs along the wall and has a nice stained glass skylight. There are a few obligatory Palace flags, photos and scarves, but it’s not too overwhelming. I didn’t spot signs of a beer garden, but there are a few benches out the front instead.
There are four hand pumps, but only one was in action when I arrived, serving a decent drop of Brain’s SA. An unexpected row of pump clips on one of the beams next to the bar suggest that they have had some interesting ales on in the past, although how long ago that might have been is anyone’s guess. The barman was pretty gruff, perhaps because I disturbed him from supping on his pint whilst watching his antiques programme.
This was better than expected and a decent option for a pre-match pint if the condition of my pint was anything to go by, but it’s by no means worth going out of your way to visit.

On 26^th February 2012 - rating: 4
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