Sumner Road, which courses all the way from Peckham High Street to the bottom of Burgess Park, was once chockablock with pubs. Nine have fallen away as the area has altered dramatically over the years, but the Olde Apple Tree has stood tall throughout it all. Cheeringly, the crowd is a mixed affair, with newcomers as welcome as those who’ve been regulars for years. In addition to the main, dark wood-panelled bar, there’s a games room – replete with a pool table and darts board – and while you’ll often find footie on the telly, it’s horse racing that takes precedence here. In a changing landscape, the Olde Apple Tree is well worth taking a punt on.
Let the music play
As you might have gathered, The Olde Apple Tree is an old-school affair (the ‘e’ on the end of ‘Olde’ is a dead giveaway every time). True to form, then, is the jukebox in the corner. They even keep it by the door so you know what you’re getting into.
Green is good
It’s not quite the Churchill in Kensington, but the foliage outside the Olde Apple Tree is a joy to behold. Some of the small trees apparently bear actual apples. Now that’s attention to detail.
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