Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub
Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club: Darts in London
Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club is an old-school CIU members' social club tucked away on Allerford Road in Bellingham, just south of Catford in SE6. This is a proper community club with a bar, live music at weekends and Thursday bingo, not a polished bookable darts bar. The single most useful thing to know is that it runs a serious darts side: the club fields a team in the Greater London Darts Organisation Men's Super League, so the board here sees real competitive play. If you want a relaxed, no-frills game over a pint rather than booths and automatic scoring, this is your kind of spot. Bear in mind it is a members' club, so the bar can be members-only and it is worth checking ahead before you turn up to play.
The darts setup
This is traditional pub darts, not a bookable oche with screens and automatic scoring. You get a board, a chalkboard and a pint, the way the game has always been played in south London clubs. The serious end of it is the Men's Super League team the club runs through the Greater London Darts Organisation. Those matches are 7-a-side, played as seven singles per night, on Monday evenings across the wider London area. So on a league night the board is in use for proper competition. Outside of that there is also a pool table, so darts is not the only game in the room.
Good to know
Bellingham Ex-Servicemens is a CIU-affiliated members' club, which means the bar may only be open to members and their guests, so it is sensible to call ahead on 020 8698 4202 rather than assume you can walk straight in. The club keeps a cask ale on, usually one changing beer, alongside the standard club bar range. There is parking, live music on Saturday and Sunday evenings, and bingo on Thursdays. Opening runs from early afternoon on weekdays through to late, with later closing at the weekend, so there is plenty of time for a casual game.
Getting there
The club sits at 10 Allerford Road in Bellingham, SE6 3DD, in the residential streets just south of Catford. Bellingham station is the closest rail stop, on the line from London Bridge and Blackfriars down towards Hayes, and it is a short walk from there. Catford and Catford Bridge stations are also within reach if you are coming from a different direction. There is parking at the club itself, which is handy given the suburban setting, and plenty of buses run along the main roads nearby through Catford and Lewisham.
Common questions
- What is Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club?
- It is a CIU-affiliated members' social club at 10 Allerford Road, Bellingham, Catford, London SE6 3DD. It has a bar, a darts board and a pool table, live music at weekends and Thursday bingo, and it fields a darts team in the Greater London Darts Organisation Men's Super League.
- Can you play darts at Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club?
- Yes. The club has a darts board listed among its games and runs a competitive team in the Greater London Darts Organisation Men's Super League, with matches played on Monday nights.
- Is it free to play darts there?
- It is a traditional pub-style board rather than a paid or bookable session, so there is no timed booking fee. However, it is a members' club, so the bar may only be open to members and guests. Call ahead on 020 8698 4202 to check before you go.
- Do you need to book to play darts at Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club?
- No, there is no booking system like a dedicated darts bar. It is a casual pub board. Because it is a members' club, though, it is best to phone ahead rather than just turn up expecting to walk in.
- What are the opening hours?
- Monday to Thursday from 1pm to 11pm, Friday from noon to 11pm, Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 10:30pm.
- Where is the nearest station to Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club?
- Bellingham railway station is the closest, a short walk away on the line towards Hayes via London Bridge and Blackfriars. Catford and Catford Bridge stations are also within reach. The club has its own parking too.
Other darts bars nearby
- Crayford Arrows Football Club Crayford (Bexley)
- William Camden Bexleyheath (Bexley)
- Door Hinge Welling (Bexley)
- Footscray Social Club Sidcup (Bexley)
- Duke Northumberland Heath, Erith (Bexley)
- Plumstead Common Working Men's Club Plumstead / Greenwich