The Claret on Lower Addiscombe Road has been named as Croydon’s Pub of the Year by the local branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

Terry Hewitt, the CAMRA branch chairman (left) presents a certificate for the Croydon Pub of the Year to the Claret’s manager, Don Burton
The presentation was made last night by branch chairman Terry Hewitt to Claret’s manager Don Burton.
The small high street bar is a family-owned business which is totally free of tie. The Claret serves a wide selection of guest ales, many from smaller breweries, together with their regular offering, Palmers IPA Best Bitter, of which they have sold more than 1 million pints during the past 18 years, as a framed certificate from the brewers testifies. The Claret is the only outlet in London that continuously stocks the west country ale.
And now the Claret has yet another certificate to go proudly on the wall alongside the brewers’.
The Claret has been featured in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for 25 consecutive years and has won our Croydon Pub of the Year award several times before.
CAMRA said, “In judging the pubs shortlisted for the award, our overwhelming criteria is the quality of the real ale served, but our judges also take into account other factors, such as style and décor, community values, service, cleanliness, value for money and sympathy with CAMRA’s aims. More than 20 of our members completed the judging of the three
pubs in each borough that were shortlisted.”
Previous Inside Croydon pub reviews by Andrew Leng:
- Chilled oasis of good beer and food at the centre of Croydon
- George cheers travellers while the wait for the tram
- Sutton manages to square the circle at The Oval Tavern
- There’s no need to feel blue when Clarets is your local
Coming to Croydon
- Lakes Playground Action Group fun day, June 14
- Croydon Green Fair, North End, June 14
- Elm Tree Cottage garden open day, June 15
- Norwood Society Talk: The Concrete Church, June 19
- David Lean Cinema: Suzanne, June 19
- Airport House swing dance free event, June 21
- Classic Car Show at Purley Rotary Fields, June 22
- David Lean Cinema: Feet from Stardom, June 23
- Crystal Palace Overground Festival, June 26-29
- David Lean Cinema: The Lunchbox, June 26
- Warnings to the Curious, Spread Eagle Theatre, June 27
- St Peter’s Village Fayre, South Croydon, June 28
- South Norwood Allotments open day, June 28
- Fragile, Spread Eagle Theatre, July 24-26
- Coast to Capital business briefing, July 4
- CODA’s Midsummer Night’s Dream at Wandle Park, Jul 30-Aug 2
- Elm Tree Cottage garden open day, Aug 10
- Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
- Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
- Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20
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