Ok - a little out of SE23 but a quick walk into the depths of Catford brings you to the delights or otherwise of the Catford Constitutional Club. It is an Antic London pub run by the people who ran the Catford Bridge Tavern before it burned down and they were by all account pretty good when they were there.
I popped down on Saturday night with a small crowd and it was great. Good beer at less than £3.50/pint, nice relaxed atmosphere, food was great and service was friendly…
It does however look slightly like the squat parties I used to go to back in the 90s and that may put people off. Wall paper hanging off the walls, bare brick, doors don’t shut properly, rag tag furniture etc. In fact I think they have over played it a bit.
However nice to see a disused building put to good use…
Catford Constitutional Club redevelopment
IIRC there is a plush armchair in the men’s room, but I don’t think the rest of the place is ‘overplayed’. It came very close to closing down last year, but they managed to get a lease extension.
The Catford Bridge Tavern will be opening close by soon and with all the new build apartments between the railway tracks I suspect there will be plenty of customers for them both.
I love places like this. I often used to go to a similar one in Brixton many years ago. I stood out a bit in my suit 
I have a related question: Apart from the Blythe Hill Tavern and the Catford Constitutional Club which is the best pub in Catford?
That’s because you actually have to travel back in time to get a pint that cheap, no?
Is the Blythe Hill Tavern not in SE23? Does that end of the postcode count as Catford?
hashtagOhNoNotThatArgumentAgain
oops… Didn’t think about postcodes and I was just sure someone would come back with that answer. I’ll rephrase it:
Excluding the Blythe Hill Tavern, the Catford Constitutional Club and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese which is the best pub in Catford?
Yes I phrased that badly - I meant that they had played to the strengths of the place and ran with it…
I think you may have already highlighted the best pubs… there is a Wetherspoons at Rushey Green which is well a Wetherspoons. There is the Black Horse & Harrow close to the Town Hall, its an impressive building, but can’t overly recommend.
If I go for a drink, meal that way there is a Turkish restaurant / bar in Bromley Road which is reliable grilled food. mekanrestaurant.co.uk.
That said with the new flats etc, I reckon there will be some upgrades in years ahead. The old/new Catford Bridge Tavern. The Harrow could become another Chandos.
It’s nice, that place. Mr Smallwood works in Catford and we occasionally meet in there after work if I’m on the service from Charing Cross. However, BHT is far superior - wonderful beer/cider choices and lovely neighbourhood welcome, so we normally go there instead. Lots of options is a good thing!
Encouraging news. And I hope Antic Pubs are in a position to run the revamped pub. The Catford Constitutional was a fine pub – and the food was extremely good, more so as ‘downtown’ Catford’s something of a food desert.
Yes Antic also took over the former Conservative club in Brixton (not much demand for Tories there!? And it looked v similar. On Tulse Hill be Brixton Water Lane IIRC
Maybe I’m misreading this but it doesn’t sound like it’ll be a pub anymore? It was an amazing place that I unfortunately only managed to visit a few times
