Oval Tavern, Croydon

pub details:

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location:

Croydon

address:

131 Oval Road, CR0 6BR

phone:

0871 258 9970*
* calls cost 10p/minute, click here for more about 0871 numbers.

nearest stations:

Lebanon Road Croydon Tramlink
(430m)

East Croydon Croydon Tramlink
(440m)

Wellesley Road Croydon Tramlink
(670m)

Sandilands Croydon Tramlink
(830m)

George Street Croydon Tramlink
(880m)

how to find it:

East Croydon station: turn left, then left again at the junction with Cherry Orchard Road. Take the second on the right, Oval Road. When the road forks in two to form an oval, take the left (northern) fork, and you'll soon find the pub on your left.

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Street View - click to see the area around the Oval Tavern

This is quite a find, hidden away in a residential street just outside the centre of Croydon. The proprietors clearly enjoy running it, and express their character through an array of posters which range from Dudley Moore and Peter Cook through to Simon Patterson's 'The Great Bear'. There's regular blues nights, a DJ booth, and the odd pool competition too. To judge by the soundtrack on our visit, we guess that relatively obscure jazz and blues probably come in for a spin here. The stained wooden frames and relatively subdued lighting probably don't favour anything significantly more strenuous or aggressive. There's also a fine and grassy beer garden and a couple of real ales on tap just to round things out. A bit hidden away, but worth seeking out.

reviewed:
19/02/2010