Conquering Hero, pool in Upper Norwood

Photo: WhatPub / CAMRA

Conquering Hero: Pool & Snooker in Upper Norwood, London

FreeWalk-inPool tableSELPOOL pubBeer garden

262 Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, London · SE19 3HF · Mo-Th 15:00-23:30; Fr-Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Conquering Hero is a proper old-school pub on Beulah Hill in Upper Norwood, open since 1865 and the only traditional pub in SE19. It suits anyone after a relaxed game of pool with a pint rather than a slick gaming venue. The single most useful thing to know: it runs a match-standard pool table and fields a team in the South East London Pool League (SELPOOL), so the standard is real but the welcome is local and easy.

Inside you get a wood-panelled room with a fire going in winter, changing cask ales, and Sky and TNT Sports on for the football. There is a beer garden out back, complete with a resident pig. You just turn up and play, no booking needed.

The pool setup

This is a single match-standard table in a proper pub room, not a dedicated hall. The pub fields the Conquering Heroes in the South East League Pool League (SELPOOL), which has run since 1970, and the team took the league title in 2016/17, so on league nights the standard is genuinely high. Outside of fixtures it is a casual game with a pint. There is also pinball, table football and a few board games if the table is busy. You play on the house table the same way regulars do, so etiquette is just wait your turn.

Good to know

The pub opens at 3pm Monday to Thursday, noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so daytime midweek games are out. There are two changing cask ales and Sky and TNT Sports for the football. Food is lunchtime meals at weekends plus evening meals during opening hours. The interior is wood-panelled with a fire in winter, and the beer garden has a resident pig called Piggy Stardust. No booking, just turn up.

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Common questions

What is the Conquering Hero?
It is a traditional pub at 262 Beulah Hill in Upper Norwood, open since 1865 and billed as the only traditional pub in SE19. It has a match-standard pool table and is a member of the South East London Pool League.
Is pool free at the Conquering Hero?
Yes, it is free-to-play pub pool. There is no booking system, you just turn up and play the house table.
Do I need to book a table?
No. It is walk-in only, like any pub table. Bear in mind it is a single table, so you may need to wait your turn on a busy night or a league night.
How many pool tables are there?
One, and it is a match-standard table used by the pub's SELPOOL team. There is also pinball, table football and some board games.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Thursday from 3pm to 11:30pm, Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 11pm.
Does it serve food and drink?
Yes. There are two changing cask ales, plus lunchtime meals at weekends and evening meals during opening hours. Sky and TNT Sports are shown for the football.

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