Camberwell pubs

Mad people, tramps, trendy artists and DJs give this area its distinctive flavour. A flavour, it must be said, that one can also find rising from a large pile of dog vomit. Bleeding edge clubs plus, erm, the terrifying Silver Buckle provide the local talent with its entertainment.

The Hermit's Cave, 28 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8QU

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Camberwell seems to oscillate unpleasantly between the so-hip-it-hurts types who saw Basement Jaxx playing a house party back in 1996 and the faraway-eyed nutters shambling round the green talking to themselves. The pubs seem to reflect this, ranging from the revoltingly cool (Funky Munky, the Castle) to the simply revolting (the Silver Buckle, anyone?) The Hermit's Cave, however, departs rather boldly from the script, being an excellent place to while away a good few hours without having to talk about cool grafitti or how god the machine runs the universe from the dole office in Peckham. A sane collection of punters enjoy a good range of real ales, decent pub food and a bizarre collection of ornaments sitting above the bar. Has a TV showing sport, but the sound is usually switched off. Very traditional in appearance, charming in outlook, and almost worth coming to Camberwell for.

Reviewed by Fred Flange, Nov 2006

Telephone: 020 7703 3188

Nearby pubs: The Joiners Arms, 35 Denmark Hill, Camberwell (250 metres)

Nearest station: Denmark Hill, Zone 2 (620 metres)

The Joiners Arms, 35 Denmark Hill, Camberwell, SE5 8RS

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Despite being artificially inflated in my estimation for the mere fact of not being the Silver Buckle, the Joiners Arms really isn’t that good, even for Camberwell. There’s a general lack of decent beer mixed with a surplus of plastered alcoholics, and the tumbledown architecture makes the rear of the pub feel like Fagin’s hideaway. The front is better – at least you can watch the rain falling in relative peace, and make a dash for the nearby bus stop when the next bright red chariot to freedom puts in an appearance.

Reviewed by Fred Flange, Aug 2007

Telephone: 020 7703 4756

Nearby pubs: The Hermit's Cave, 28 Camberwell Church Street (250 metres)

Nearest station: Denmark Hill, Zone 2 (410 metres)