Birchwood, pool in Abbey Wood

Photo: WhatPub / CAMRA

Birchwood: Pool & Snooker in Abbey Wood, London

Free entryWalk-inPubDartsGroups

Grovebury Road, Abbey Wood, London · SE2 9BB · Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-00:00; Su 11:00-23:00

The Birchwood is a 1960s community local in the middle of an Abbey Wood housing estate, the kind of unfussy pub where the pool gets played most nights. It is a member venue of the SLKPA pool league, so if you want a proper game on a regular table rather than a bar-top novelty, this is your spot. Walk in, no entry charge, Sky Sports and TNT Sports on for the football.

It suits locals, league players and anyone after a relaxed pint and a frame without booking ahead. There is a warm, family-friendly feel, a function room at the back, and a paved seating area with a covered smoking spot outside. Abbey Wood station, now on the Elizabeth line, is about a ten minute walk away.

The pool setup

This is a pub table, not a hall of them, so expect one table that gets busy on quieter game nights. The Birchwood plays in the SLKPA league, which means the standard is decent and there are regulars who take their frames seriously. If you fancy joining the queue, put your coins down and wait your turn the usual pub way. It sits alongside the other games the pub runs, darts plus chess and cribbage nights, so it is genuinely a games-friendly local rather than a sports-bar afterthought.

Good to know

There is no door charge, you just walk in during opening hours. The pub opens late morning and runs to 23:00 most nights, with Friday and Saturday going to midnight. Pool tables in pubs like this are typically coin-operated by the frame, though the exact price is not posted online, so bring a few coins. Food includes a Sunday lunch served in the back function room. Live music lands on Friday and Sunday evenings and there is a Thursday quiz, so pick a calmer night if you mainly want the table.

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Common questions

What is the Birchwood?
It is a community pub on Grovebury Road in Abbey Wood, SE2 9BB, with a pool table and a spot in the SLKPA pool league. It also runs darts, chess and cribbage.
Is it free to play pool at the Birchwood?
There is no entry charge to the pub. The pool table is most likely coin-operated per frame, as is normal in pubs, but the exact cost is not published, so bring coins.
Do I need to book or can I just walk in?
Just walk in during opening hours. There is no booking for casual pool; you put your money down and wait your turn.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00, Friday and Saturday 11:00 to midnight, and Sunday 11:00 to 23:00.
What is the nearest station?
Abbey Wood, on the Elizabeth line, is about a ten minute walk away.
Is it good for groups?
Yes. It is a relaxed local with a back function room and outdoor seating, and Sky Sports and TNT Sports are shown, so it works for a group night out around a few frames.

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