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Ship, Croydon

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user reviews of the Ship, Croydon

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Recently been given a well-needed lick of paint. They've finally got rid of the monstrosity of a DJ booth in the window so now you can see in (and out!)

Always have Hobgoblin on and a frequent rotation of guest ales. I have seen a marked improvement in ale quality since the management changed just over a year ago.

Bottled beer selection has also improved with craft beers and traditional ales. Also a good selection of lager if that's your thing

Is chilled during the week and still rocking on Friday and Saturday nights

I can't recommend it enough
Crafty1976 - 1 Feb 2017 12:55
Despite having 1,600 odd pubs across the country this is one of Marston's few outlets in South / South-East London

As a pub which plays Rock/Metal music. If you don't like that sort of music avoid, if you do it's a must visit.

Usually have a few guests ales on at normally for less than £3.00 (on my most recent visit had a pint of Cereal Thriller for £2.90. Unfortunately ale is too often kept poorly so often best to stick with the bottled beers. Hobgoblin Gold and Kinggobliin. Staff are fine, including the bouncers.

southlondonbeero - 12 Nov 2016 12:29
Now open lunchtimes, no one has noticed but truly it is.
slerpy - 31 Mar 2016 17:20
We went to The Ship and I expected to be treated with equality, but we were told upon entry that my girlfriend's brother was swaying (although it was clear to us that he definitely wasn't, I don't wish to publish it on the internet, but there were other reasons why they may have been
discriminating against him). Then, soon after this I was told that I couldn't be served because I was swaying, which I definitely wasn't. I had had three pints at a different pub, which as a six foot four male, needless to say I wasn't swaying and was quite cogent. I was very surprised and found the staff to be very difficult to me and our party. I have been to this pub several times in the past but I feel quite let down as we were not behaving in a difficult or problematic way, and we were without question singled out. Please think twice about going here, as they have shown themselves to be a bit dodgy, to me and my friends in any case.

killbison5thy - 6 Sep 2015 01:20
I must admit, I'm biased about this place. Being a bit of an old indie kid/rocker I loved the music here. Good beer and friendly staff. Maybe not the most glamorous place in the world but I could have a very good night here. A cosy rock haven.
Mrsausages - 26 Nov 2014 19:39
Looks like The Ship's crew are working overtime.......
bongobilly - 19 Aug 2014 13:14
The Ship is a lovely historic pub right in the middle of Croydon. It serves good Marstons ales as well as an enormous range of spirits and flavoured shots. The gorgeous bar staff are incredibly friendly and always cheerful. The Ship doesn't open until 5pm and in the week it's a chilled place to sit and have a chat with a bit of background music (and log fires in the winter), but on Friday and Saturday nights the Ship ROCKS! Various local rock DJs play the best in a wide variety of rock, metal and alternative music until 2am and the pub takes on a completely different atmosphere. A great gathering place for local metalheads or anyone who appreciates a good tattoo! Air con is a new feature. There's seldom any trouble in this pub, there's a solid core of friendly regulars who are welcoming to anyone just passing through or looking to make the pub a regular watering hole. If you need to hire a function room, there's one upstairs - speak to the Manager.
part_time_fairy - 19 Aug 2014 10:56
It's a pity I can't give this pub an 11 out of 10! Brilliant little place. Small but well kept selection of ales, huge selection of spirits and reasonably priced. No food served but have been informed this might change, and since it's an evening only pub there's not much call for food anyway. Air con in the summer, log fires in the winter-what more could you want from an old, traditional pub? Music is big here, and DJs are definitely what keeps it so busy at the weekends, with young and old. Busy and loud, but if you want a quiet pint pop in on a weekday-atmoshere is still great but alot calmer!

grizzlesticks - 18 Aug 2014 12:51
Ive been a regular at the ship for a number of years now and i can honestly say that since last november the ship has become a better pub than it has been in years, the staff back then were not the best, but the staff now are incredibly friendly,they serve you extremely quick, and the atmosphere is like no other place in croydon. I found the comment left by someone else on here about cheap drinks very confusing because ive never known the ship to target cheap drinkers and as an ale drinker myself ive never had a bad pint in all the years ive drunk there. I'd go so far to say that the couple of bad reviews are quite clearly from disgruntled and dissmissed ex members of staff with nothing better to do than try and tarnish what is probably the best pub in croydon. In fact if you look at the amount of spelling mistakes,it clearly shows it was written by someone of very little inteligence or integrity.
i would recommend this pub to anyone,young and old, it gets extremely busy and loud on friday and saturday nights, so if you dont like loud rock music and a lot of people then prob not the place for you, but sun to thurs is more chilled out and still a great atmosphere. The ales are always in great condition,lots of choices of drinks including the biggest selection of whiskeys ive ever seen.
Yes the pub does only open at night time, 5pm, but this clearly works for them because its always busy at night and a lot of pubs are empty during the day.
Check this place out, you will find yourself going back there again and again.
longjon - 16 Aug 2014 19:45
STILL VERY MUCH OPEN!!

Was here on Friday night and the place rocked. Busy, Loud, Rockin, Friendly-all the things a great pub should be!
The Ship is an institution, the last real pub in Croydon and one of the best real Rock venues in South London. Open till 2am weekends :-)
brandywell - 15 Aug 2014 23:52
Great pub, despite what previous comments say! I can say with certainty that The Ship is still very much open and thriving. The pub is packed every weekend and has a strong alternative identity-something that is sadly lacking in other croydon pubs today. One of the last real pubs left. Opens at 5pm every evening, Fridays and Saturdays packed and loud, weekdays less so.
woodsie18 - 15 Aug 2014 23:33
Gam - the last poster - usually types about closed pubs, or those that may not be trading when he visits.

A very odd habit which, sadly, he has brought to our fine Ship - and one which BITE has been advised of.

In Reigate, the Nutley Hall pub shut about 18 months ago - yet Gam thought it worthy of a review. And the Blue Posts etc. etc. etc.


blackgander - 13 Jun 2014 23:14
I fear Bill Billiams' entry might be the final one as a punter, as observational evidence seen today suggests that the guv'nor may well have "legged-it". The opening hours notice on the front door indicating evening-only trade seems to have vanished, with a blank board to the left of the doorway, and curtains firmly drawn. This doesn't augur well.

Part of me hopes I'm wrong, as although I never frequented the place, for all its rough edges it has a long and memorable local history, and its death would be the end of an era for some. Also it has that rarest of attributes in Crudyon: a rather aesthetically-pleasing exterior, which I suppose only goes to show one can't judge a pub by its cover.

Scrub this if you find it's opening as usual at 5PM, although given what's said below I wonder whether it might actually be best if the latest licensee (and owner) move on and give someone more suitable a chance to make it work? They're the ones at fault here, not the pub itself or its position.
Gamboozler - 13 Jun 2014 17:25
I hadn't been to Croydon for years so while staying there on business recently I thought I'd revisit a few old haunts and try some new ones. I went straight to the Ship as I'd heard the food there was Vegan. I'm afraid I have to agree with Jazz Messenger on this one. Truly awful. When I arrived at 4pm it was shut! I later found out it opens at 5pm. I can't imagine they have much of a loyal regulars base. On returning later in the evening I was in for a few (unpleasant) surprises. The first thing that hits you is the smell, a heady mixture of body odour, stale beer and drains. I remember coming here years back for the live music and was dismayed to find that there is none now. What was the stage is now a tatty sort of DJ box which blocks all daylight, making what was always a dark and dingy place even more dingy. There was a scattering of strange types dotted around the place and I was informed by the young barmaid that "they only come in for the cheap offers". Indeed the place seems to be built around cheap promotions which always worries me. A good pub doesn't need to be a cheap pub. A quick look at the menu and I decided to give the food a skip. Beef and Scampi are not Vegan! Again the rather personable young barmaid informed me that the landlords were vegan but are not now and now sell anything they can. I settled for a couple of bottles of lager having watched two customers return their pints and got chatting to a chap near the bar who told me the place had gone "right downhill" as the "guvner was likely to leg it any day" A quick visit to the toilet before leaving was all I needed to convince me never to come here again. The stench and state of it was shall we say, memorable!
Billy_Billiams - 3 Jun 2014 16:36
Awful. Quite possibly one of the worst Marstons pubs I have ever had the misfortune to enter and that is saying something. Hobgoblin on tap was vile, very doubtful the lines have ever been cleaned. Backed it to the barmaid who freely admitted the landlord "could not care less about the pub, isn't that bright and is running the pub into the ground." Further comments by some of the locals as to the state of the pub, its management and its dreadful beer guaranteed I won't be back.
Jazz_Messenger - 6 Apr 2014 09:44
I think it is worth pointing out that Mon-Sat the Ship opens at 5:00 P.M. On my last visit the typical Marstons range of real ales, hence the lack of urgency on my part to make a return visit.
slerpy - 28 Jan 2014 20:47
Friendly welcome and a relaxed atmosphere.
wobblybob - 10 Jan 2014 11:30
A good little boozer, well run with a decent selection of real ales. Bar staff are always friendly and will have a chat. The punters are mainly rocker types as it plays a lot of heavy Metallica in the evening at weekends. A good place that I would say is definitely worth a visit, particularly as it is one of the oldest pubs in the area.
Masterpint47 - 6 Jan 2014 00:28
Great little pub with a big open fire and friendly staff. Good selection of ales/other drinks and can get quite busy fri and sat with loud rock music. The rest of the week it's more mellow and quite relaxed, with music ranging from 50s and 60s rock and roll, swing, reggae, blues, 80s 90s and naughties, and good old fashioned rock.
aswifthalf - 29 Dec 2013 21:58
Did not give this a rating as I didnt go past looking in the door. Not my sort of place from the interior and the clientele, mauch better to be found round the corner in the Spread Eagle
hotrods - 3 Oct 2013 20:11
The Ship is a very reasonably priced pub, There is no quiz machine but there is a fruit machine, Music is always playing at level that can be heard but not intrusive. There is Hobgoblin and EPA always on tap and a few lagers. The lights are kept low with the odd strobe light. Lots of pictures on the walls depicting ships are related to ships.
off_line - 29 Jul 2013 13:20
The ale range in this pub is under-rated, it's not the most extensive (usually 3 beers) & it doesn't change very often if at all but what they serve is always in good condition. Yes, it is more of a rockers/metalheads bar, especially on saturday evenings & it attracts an alternative crowd on these nights. If you're not into rock/metal there are other pubs you will enjoy more nearby
carlj - 1 Mar 2012 20:07
Nice place worth a visit (pick your time if you're not into the music). Good beer.
Stonecoat - 6 Sep 2011 12:41
Nice dark little metal pub. Served a decent pint of ale. Not my usual sort of place, a bit dark, a bit loud. But it was still good, and if that's your thing, I'm sure this is the place for you in Croydon.
alistair_cross - 22 May 2011 23:58
It's a bit dark in there and I'm not into metal.
terenced - 31 Dec 2010 08:38
The outside is being decorated, possibly prompting another visit,the improvement over the last couple of years has been vast but has gone unrecognised as it still falls a bit short on its peer group of pubs.
slerpy - 20 Jul 2010 08:24
After years in Croydon, i only ventured in this pub recently, as always heard it was a bit of a grunge and goths haunt.
While to an extent this is true, this place has a charm to it. While the music gets extremely loud on a Saturday evening, and its of hard rock and metal lines (although im sure they have different types on different evenings) the staff and clienette are friendly, and the beer/ale range is decent and extensive.
Not for the stiff upper lipped, if that even exists in Croydon, it maybe a starting point for the Black Sheep, but its worth a pop in at the right time
the_original_rawnsleys - 12 Mar 2010 10:11
What a strange pub it is to dark for me. The beer was good,

mdoc62 - 25 Feb 2010 12:32
Spiritandmixer, I'll forego a visit to the Ship if they are pouring back the spent ale into the Bank's Bitter, the effect on my system would be catastrophic, ..erm you could say i'd prefer to remain anally retentive than risking a visit.
slerpy - 16 Oct 2009 11:41
Slerpy. have you really had a good look at this pub lately? The toilets are disgusting, the ceiling paper is all peeling off, they use the fire escape as a smoking area which is littered with crap. The place totally smells of sweaty metallers. urckh.

A word of warning, do not drink the Banks bitter, it gets poured back in from the drip trays.
Spiritandmixer - 13 Oct 2009 10:36
A couple of points looking back at the reviews. The beer has improved greatly since I last wrote on here and, yes, whoever it was who wrote about the wizard and the cat- either it's true or we both had the same alcohol-soaked delusion!
gomezcat - 25 Jul 2009 16:34
Millay's Croydon reviews are superb. The only one that I very slightly disagree with is the Ship. I understand that it has some way to go but at least a baby is being passed around rather than appearing on the menu ! The real ale was totally undrinkable a year ago and is now good, the range has been extended. A casual outsider would not see the changes but this pub has transformed itself,yes some way to go but now in Physio rather than on the critical list.Whilst not the only genuine pub in town certainly "beer barns" predominate.The Ship is now sailing in the right direction and has found a compass.Whoever nicked the figure head please return it as it added character.
slerpy - 14 May 2009 19:31
Any pub that bills itself as 'The last real pub in Croydon' has a bit of a challenge living up to the claim and, for me, the Ship fails. Dark and dingy with loud and inconsiderate customers who block the bar and steadfastly refuse to move. There was also the bizzare sight of a baby being passed around the bar staff. The Brakspears was pretty poor but I didn't think it was the sort of pub where a stranger takes back beer. Other reviews show this to be a much better place so I guess I caught it at a bad time.

Millay - 10 May 2009 09:55
The ale served seems to be from the Marston's range which is prolific. Ringwoods , Jennings Banks. Ringwoods 49er is one of my all time favourite beers and the Ship keep it in the best possible condition. Probably The Ship is the best pub in Croydon for quality at the moment.The Ship is the cleanest it has ever been it used to be a bit dirty.The new upstairs function room will boost trade no end.9/10
slerpy - 26 Mar 2009 13:25
Went in for an early evening session ahead the music for the which the pub is better known. Can't recall the ale served but it was pretty good but the main attraction was the superb food. Reasonably priced, good portions and excellent quality.
kentrunner - 6 Mar 2009 23:54
Beer quality has improved considerably, previously i had not ventured over the threshold for sometime, now worth a visit on my Croydon pub crawls.
slerpy - 15 Jan 2009 10:06
The Ship, for so long at the forefront of Croydon's alternative scene, has been caught napping by the nearby Green Dragon, who are now arguably the premier alternative pub in town and also a good quality ale pub as well.
The Ship has been forced to respond and it seems one of their first improvements has been with the ales. I had a great pint of Sneck Lifter this afternoon and although their remaining selection isn't wonderful, I'll be back soon to sample more.
The food was also very good.
Pubsignman - 15 Jan 2009 01:15
You know you are in for a good night when you walk into a venue and you can find the dj booth in the immediate vicinity of a circle of teenage jailbait, too cool rock and roll chicks, and 40 something mums in make up, the DJ himself, a drunken mess, manically playing whatever comes to mind no matter whether it fits, is suitable of if anyone likes it, fending off all complaints with a swig of snakebite and a cheerful �F**k OFF! Leave if ya don�t like it��

Yup, the man with the huge ears, who I recently found out is called Steve, but seems to go by about ten different names, ranging from just that, Steve the ears, to the oddly spelt freakboy, (freekboy? Freekboiy? Something like that), an entity who used to back in the day with his cronies holding him up play wholly unsuitable music in the legendary ship of Croydon, (he was apparently supposed to play rock and metal, and in the many times I was there this was the basis of what he played, but seemingly randomly playing sets of Motown soul, rock and roll reggae and dub, electro/ house/techno, rap j-noise classical and anything else that seemed to piss off the newbie�s and/or took his fancy) needles to say, the guy was a legend often ending the nights naked atop the bar or dj booth, randomly walking around the pub abusing people, and being a drunken mess� then I stopped going to the ship for a while, only to return to find he�d quit DJing. So myself and my friends consoled ourselves with the thought Ziggy and Linton still played and found somewhere else to drink�
We caught him a few times outside the Ship too, mostly in London like club x and Dingwalls, and the underworld, tho he was spectacularly thrown out of the underworld mid set for being extremely abusive to the owners better half., much as we tried to follow him he never advertised when or where he was playing and we resigned ourselves to the truth that he really had had a kid and quit.

Later

Over the road, the green dragon rose from the ashes of the hogshead, and with a new music policy and as I�ve since found out Esther wot used to run the ship at the helm, this sounded good so we tried it, found some wonderful bands and some wonderful DJ�s, (mostly ex ship types we discovered to our joy) Sam and les. Benny the indie guy and more. One Saturday we drunkenly fell thru the door around 11insh hoping to catch last orders and low and behold... that slightly smaller circle of women, the hair was gone, but the ears stayed... yes we had found Steve again. He has a new partner, (CherryBomb? Helen? No-one could seem to hear above the music to find out, and the bar staff were too busy dancing to answer tsk tsk) a slightly different take on music, a little more mainstream but still just as random, but still bloody awesome. And to top it all off the Green Dragon was open till one am� the music screamed with what seemed to be 90�s alt. classics, the Dj�s were friendly but took no sh*t as always. We got drunker and staggered home happy.
I�ve since been back on the off chance to see if they were still playing there, but alas, no-one seemed to know for sure, aside of one night a month, usually the last. I have heard that him and his old compadre from the ship did a one off night there, and I�m assured by the landlord that they will be back in the beginning of February and I shall keep my eyes out for that, but all in all, I urge all and any of you with half an interest in the weirder side less predictable side of music to go check this guy out� just look for the huge ears and the loudest most obnoxious person there and you�ve found him, and you know your in for a treat. You will not like all of what he plays, some of it is pretty unlistenable, but the point is he plays it. And anything else no one else will play. Ask him and he will do his best to get it on, just don�t expect him to be polite. Or dressed. Seriously, one of the best Dj�s around today.

bigred1979 - 2 Jan 2009 14:03
This pub is not going to wow you with a massive selection of beer, nor does it give a marvellous and eclectic menu from which to savour.

Let's just face it, the pub is like Marmite - you'll either hate it or love it

1. It plays rock/metal - so if you don't like that you're going to be in trouble.

2. It has a wizard. No other pub I know has a wizard. He also has a cat. No, I was not that far gone when I saw it, and my wife who was with me would testify to this

3. Beer choice is limited to identi-kit lagers and a couple of bitters. However the price is great, considering the pubs in the nearby vicinity

4. The locals are a good friendly bunch who despite the tattoos and Iron Maiden T-Shirts are a very pleasant bunch. Never seen any trouble, unlike some pubs in Croydonia

5. It's not Yates - which in itself is a worthy bonus

So if you like rock music and beer, this is a good place. If not, you'll probably hate the place. I seem to end up here far more frequently than I should do......
rampantwurzel - 8 Dec 2008 22:41
Great pub for metal and rockers as night times there are just ace. If you aren't in to the rock / metalness then i would say to stick going there during the day time.. unless you just feel like letting your hair down and rocking out for a bit in the evos.

I think it is a great little put, a little warm but they have installed some high tech air systems recently *heh*

But a great little place to grab some food and drink. The food aint bad.. so go for it.. pop in
Neonpink - 30 Sep 2008 23:41
I'd echo redjim's comments. It's a great place if you love rock music (which I do) and like it loud. The beer is OK, but not brilliant. The DJ will play requests if you ask them nicely!

gomezcat - 3 May 2008 12:47
Never had a decent pint of real ale from this pub, best to stick to Guinness.
THE place to go if you are into rock and metal, great loud music in the evenings, occasional live stuff. If you want decent real ale or a quiet sit down I suggest you look elsewhere, but this is a great pub for music and mixing with exotic goth types.
redjim73 - 17 Apr 2008 09:46
This place was once a great place to eat and drink but it's now gone a bit downhill. They pour their ales back into the barrell from the drip trays, don't drink the cheapest ale as you might not like the tummy trots you get the next day!

Shame as it was once a great pub.

Music wise though it's ok but you can hear the live bands half way down the street so bring ears plugs.

The toilets are GRIM!
Spiritandmixer - 10 Feb 2008 14:21
Croydon is really quite crap for decent pubs (and everything else now you mention it) but this place is definitely well above par - guest ales reasonably poured (Hobgoblin sometimes), nicely scuzzy atmos, not bad at all.

I'm a bit mystified by the previous review - why didn't you go to Wetherspoons in the first place mate? Or a restaurant?
matt_k - 2 Jan 2008 14:31
Hadn't been in here for a few months due to college and work. However met up with an old mate and decided to enter the legendary ship of croydon for a nice pint and a meal. However we were much mistaken in thinking that we would have a good night. My friend asked for a curry and was replied wth "we are not a wetherspoons!!!". We were eventually sold two curries and they were brought down in six minutes. SO MUCH FOR THE FRESH FOOD!!! Most of the oldclientelle seem to have moved on and I don't know whether this is due to the smoking ban. Very dissapointed with pub. Seems to have gone downhill in a short space of time. Horrible staff, horrible food, horrible boozer. Go to the green dragon or the goose opposite!!!
h.bomb - 13 Sep 2007 23:08
Always a good pub to go to after work, friendly and attentive service and the draught ales are always kept in excellent condition. Was told by one of the barstaff that they just got an award for their cellar, and rightly so, the ESB I had was fantastic. Altough not sure about the funny shaped glass it was served in!!! Fairly spacious area outside for smokers altough will be interested to see what happens after summer. Will keep coming back though for the beer alone.
anonymous - 6 Jul 2007 17:31
Nice atmosphere, real ales and excellent quality meals - the best in my opinion in Croydon.
HaroldSmith - 3 Jun 2007 09:27
as the review says below, great place to come for a friendly relaxed pint. staff make you feel welcome and have a chat to you which makes you feel comfortable enough to spend the evening in here. never any trouble, top place.
jim.bob - 23 Apr 2007 18:11
Great pub. Always come in on a thursday after a hard day at college and always have a good laugh. There are a wide range of beers to choose from in draught or bitter and they are not too pricy. It has a wide selecytion of locals which gives the place a nice friendly atmosphere. The food is great and is very reasonable too. Worth a visit.
h.bomb - 8 Apr 2007 09:25
Spitfire, Pedigree & Banks bitters; tried latter which was in good condition. Surprised by loud music at noon when I was the only punter in the place but was ok and the small stage at the street end of the bar shows it to be an evening music pub. Cheap basic menu inc '2 meals for �4.95' eg Steak & Marstons ale pie, possibly not homemade organic. Bohemian feel appeals to me more than the bland looking Spreadeagle on the next corner.
trainman - 20 Feb 2007 14:49
Nice to see there are still pubs that do their own thing. Lots of atmosphere, great not to hear cheesy pop blaring out. Like it!
mitchell72 - 13 Feb 2007 12:59
Tis the best place in town Yar!
Nice songs comin out speakers, and rum to drown my sorrows. Live music is good, pricing is fair, anad the home of the grubby and long of the hair!
Pirates welcome.

harrynotlarryfool - 13 Feb 2007 12:19
I like the Ship. No TV screens or crappy music (although it has music), reasonably priced drinks, mixed clientele featuring well behaved old hippies, old soaks, old bikers, young long-hairs, new agers, goths, witches, office workers, shoppers, warlocks, the dispossessed. It's warm and comfortable, kind of cosy, friendly, with good service, reasonable range of drinks, good food. Long live the Ship!!
Codrotten - 14 Nov 2006 16:41
Used to be very much a metallers' pub in the '90s, and I think it has yet to shake that image off even now. But for all that that might conjure up, it is a friendly place to all and during the day presents the punter with some good-value food, and a reasonable range of well-kept ales, if that is your bag. Banks Bitter is not one of my personal favourites, but at �1.85....Rude not to perhaps. It is operated I believe by a large pubco, but they have successfully avoided ghastly inappropriate and predictable faux branding.
Not everyone's thing, but nevertheless, an honest, genuine sort of pub.
TWG - 12 Oct 2006 17:28
Visually nice pub here, i love the look of this place. Great pub all round, just gets a lil hot when the place is packed. But other than that the food is ace, the staff are friendly and has a different atmosphere to what you would get in the majority of pubs in croydon. (which is a good thing) :)

Neonpink - 2 Jul 2006 20:23
Go for the music with good beer not the venue for a fine pint and a chat
lout_from_the_lane - 7 Jun 2006 16:57
Been here a few times. They do a lot of live music and the decor is very rustic. It can feel like you've walked into a goth convention (lots of men with long hair), but if you can cope with that then this place is a nice little boozer.
steve5312 - 27 Dec 2005 16:19
I used to drink in this pub 20 years ago, and even then its "bark was worse than its bite" re: violence and punch-ups. At weekends most people used it en route to the dreaded Underground Club. THE pub to avoid was The Horn on the steps down to Surrey Street, but it shut down years ago, thank goodness. Glad to read below that The Ship is now even better than it was in the 80s!
timkholman - 14 Dec 2005 09:40
It makes me laugh when people are scared to go in. It's amazing what a reputation from 20 odd years ago can do to a place.

Infact it is one of the friendliest, easy going places in croydon.

Well looked after ale, amazing food all home cooked, the best roast dinner you will find.

Yes there's loud music at the weekend but week nights you will hear a mix of music and a really well known quiz night on Mondays.

Sundays you will be listening to funky sounds!

The staff here are the nicest around too.
anonymous - 19 May 2005 11:15
I keep hearing (mainly from rival publicans) that The Ship is a pub to be avoided, apparently because of the risk of getting your head kicked in by gorilla-like regulars. I have since discovered this to be utter rubbish. Went in there during a Friday afternoon pub crawl recently and it proved to be the complete opposite of most pubs in Croydon. The music was varied but at a sound level where you could still engage in a normal conversation with the people on your table. The beer was well kept and the atmosphere seemed to be really friendly. Will definitely be returning soon.
palser - 29 Mar 2005 16:46
Best pub around by far!

GREAT MUSIC...WONDERFUL ATMOSPHERE!!!
skittles - 21 Feb 2005 16:28
Best place to hear decent tunes in Croydon. Friendly staff, lots of interesting people to meet.
Beer selection not always that great, and last time I was in the beer quality was terrible, but that's not typical of The Ship, just a one-off. Still well-worth a visit.
eccentric_man - 4 Feb 2005 15:37
Been drinking in this pub for 17 years, never seen a fight and the only place in Croydon that plays decent music. I love the place.
Gavin - 4 Oct 2004 14:33
Great pub check out the landladies daily specials, great beer aswell
Darren - 30 May 2004 20:37
The best pub around!!! The staff are fantastic as is the lovely landlady. If you want to go to a pub with no hassle, no doormen and no attitude then The Ship is the place. I've been drinking there for 11 years and I don't intend to stop any time soon. Oh yeah, try the quiz on Mondays for a laugh!
Grizly's nipple - 15 Apr 2004 20:25
if you want a nice quite pub lunch in a friendly atmosphere this is the place for you but be warned if you stay after dark its a completly different pub(in a good way) the music is rockin and its loud every one in there is in there to have a great night pure r & R never encountered even a miner skirmish good crowd.
clair1967 - 13 Mar 2004 00:49
Its a great place if you like metal. I work there and dont like metal but most of the customers are friendly, lots of odd characters but makes it all the better.
Still too hot and smokey and the music being so loud does my head in.
Good fod, cheap drinks and a good place to start before heading to the Sheep.
anonymous - 9 Jan 2004 12:56
i like it. i hang out there a lot, and Ziggy is fantastic... nice atmasphere, good music, good times.
sam - 4 Nov 2003 01:05
Too much damn smoke makes the atmossphere very uncomfortable and i'm a smoker myself ! In general the staff are good and the people are nice, but the music is too load, its too hot and the air conditioning doesn't work. Good beer though.
piethief - 31 Oct 2003 11:41
Currently the only decent place to go on a Saturday night. DJ Steve plays some of the best choons around, everything from Nu and Old Metal to The Banana Splits Bunch! If you like it loud, this is the place to be.
Deano! - 21 Aug 2003 13:59
I found the attitude in this pub as bad as any "trendy" pub.
The music was shite and the place
was too packed out. I wonder if
anyones spoken to the local H&S officer of Croydon council.

I could only see one fire exit, and that was the way I came in.
I found the people rude and arrogant.
If I had to rate this pub out of 10 I'd give it a 2.

Nowhere near as good as it used to be.

dark_lord - 7 Mar 2003 13:24
Best pub in Croydon if you like a wide variety of rock/indie/almost any music with good beer. Best of all is DJ Ziggy on Thursday nights - like having your personal record collection in the pub. Nu Metal at weekends is a bit monotonous but always a friendly crowd ranging from kids to after-work commuters to punks to ageing rockers. No posers/idiots (unlike many central Croydon bars). Brilliant friendly bar staff - no service with a grunt here. Used to be a bit rough 10 years ago but not now. Fantastic.
Neil - 31 Jan 2003 16:11

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