Duke of Edinburgh (Brixton), darts in Brixton (Lambeth), SW9

Photo: Ewan Munro

Duke of Edinburgh (Brixton): Darts in London

FreeWalk-inPub dartsBeer gardenGroupsJerk food

204 Ferndale Road, Brixton, London · SW9 8AG · Mo-Th 15:00-23:00; Fr 12:00-00:00; Sa 12:00-01:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Duke of Edinburgh is a big, easygoing Brixton local on Ferndale Road, a short walk from the station, and a solid pick if you want a casual game of darts with a pint rather than a booked oche. It is a proper community pub, Grade II listed and built in the late 1930s for Truman's, with a dartboard plus a pool table and table football for when you fancy switching it up. The single most useful thing to know is the garden: it is one of the largest in South London, with a jumbo screen and a row of smaller screens for live sport. Darts here is free, walk-in and unfussy, so it suits groups, casuals and anyone after a relaxed night out. Kitchen residents Jerk Valley serve jerk chicken and Caribbean plates.

The darts setup

This is pub darts, not a curated darts bar, so keep expectations grounded. There is a dartboard for free, walk-in play, the kind you grab between rounds rather than book a slot for. It sits alongside a pool table and table football, so a group can rotate through all three across an evening. There are no bookable oches, no automatic scoring and no per-session charge, which is exactly the appeal if you just want a chalk-and-throw game with mates. Bring your own darts if you are particular, though house arrows are the norm at a pub like this. CAMRA lists it as a Real Heritage Pub, so the games sit inside a genuinely characterful 1930s interior.

Good to know

Entry and darts are free, and you can simply walk in. Hours are Mon to Thu 15:00 to 23:00, Friday noon to midnight, Saturday noon to 01:00 and Sunday noon to 23:00, so weekends give you the longest run at the board. The garden is a major draw, one of the biggest in South London, with a jumbo screen and seven smaller screens for live sport, but note it closes at 21:30 even when the bar keeps going. Food comes from resident kitchen Jerk Valley, doing jerk chicken and Caribbean plates, with Sunday roasts added in the colder months. There is also free WiFi and TV sport inside.

Getting there

The pub is at 204 Ferndale Road, SW9 8AG, tucked off the main Brixton drag between the station and Clapham. Brixton Underground (Victoria line) and Brixton mainline station are both roughly a ten minute walk, and the spot sits next to the railway embankment, which is what gives the garden its size and slightly hidden-away feel. Plenty of buses run along the surrounding roads too. It is an easy add-on to a wider Brixton night out, close to the market, Pop Brixton and the Academy, so you can fold a few free games of darts into bigger plans without going out of your way.

Get directions

Common questions

What is the Duke of Edinburgh in Brixton?
It is a large, Grade II listed local pub on Ferndale Road in Brixton, built in the late 1930s for Truman's. It has a dartboard, a pool table and table football, plus one of the biggest beer gardens in South London with screens for live sport.
Is darts free at the Duke of Edinburgh?
Yes. This is a traditional pub board with free, walk-in play. There is no booking system and no hire charge, so you just play between drinks.
Do you need to book to play darts?
No. There are no bookable oches or timed sessions here, so you can walk in and play whenever a board is free. It is casual pub darts rather than a reserved-slot darts bar.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Thursday 15:00 to 23:00, Friday noon to midnight, Saturday noon to 01:00 and Sunday noon to 23:00. The beer garden closes earlier, at 21:30.
Is it good for groups?
Yes. With a dartboard, a pool table, table football and a very large garden plus multiple sport screens, it works well for a group that wants to mix casual games with drinks and food.
Where is it and what is the nearest station?
It is at 204 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8AG. Brixton Underground on the Victoria line and Brixton mainline station are both about a ten minute walk away.

Other darts bars nearby