Claret Free House, CR0 7AA
- 020 8656 7452
- 5a Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road, Addiscombe, Surrey (map of this place)
- CR0 7AA
- claretfreehouse.co.uk
- Nearest Tram Stop: [Addiscombe]?
A small but excellent real ale pub right next to Addiscombe tram stop. The interior is very traditional, with lots of tables.
They claim to serve twenty different real ales each month, and had seven well-kept examples on tap on the evening of our visit. The month's ales are listed with prices and alcohol percentage on a blackboard opposite the bar, with a note saying which are run out. ~�2.25 a pint (October 2004 prices). Real cider is also available; the night we were in there were at least two mentioned on the blackboard above the bar (Biddenden Dry and Biddenden Medium), also Scrumpy Jack. Pork scratchings too, but no food.
Not overcrowded of a Tuesday night, and not too smoky. Full but not exceedingly crowded on the night before Christmas Eve, and again not smoky. No music. Full disabled access. Lots of locals round the bar and an attentive dog.
Croydon CAMRA pub of the year 2004
They don't take plastic of any sort -- Flick