George & Dragon (Soho), darts in Soho, W1

Photo: Ewan Munro

George & Dragon (Soho): Darts in London

FreeWalk-in1 boardShuffleboardLeague pub

151 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia, London ยท W1T 6QN

The George & Dragon is a small Grade II listed corner pub on Cleveland Street, on the Fitzrovia edge of the West End just north of Soho. It is a proper old boozer (built around 1850) rather than a games bar, but head downstairs and you will find a dartboard tucked into the basement games room, free to play. Ask at the bar and leave a card as a deposit for the arrows. It suits a casual weekday session more than a big group night out: the throw area down there is narrow, so it is better for a quick game over a pint than a serious match. There is a shuffleboard table down there too, also free. Worth knowing before you trek over: it tends to open afternoons into the evening on weekdays and is usually shut at weekends, so a midweek visit is your safest bet.

The darts setup

There is a single dartboard, and it lives downstairs in the basement games room rather than in the main bar upstairs. It is a free pub board, not a bookable oche or anything with automatic scoring, so you bring your own arrows or borrow a set, chalk up the scores yourself and crack on. The throwing space down there is tight, with a narrow run-up to the board, which makes it better suited to a relaxed game or a bit of lunchtime practice than a proper league-standard match. Sharing the room is a shuffleboard table, also free to use, so you can switch between the two across an afternoon.

Good to know

Everything downstairs is free to play, but you will need to leave a card or some ID behind the bar as a deposit before you take the darts down, then collect it on your way out. There is no booking and no session fee; you just turn up and play when the room is free. This is a traditional pub first, with a small airy single room upstairs, original wood floors, an ornate fireplace and a screen showing the beer list, so expect pub drinks and a short menu rather than a dedicated games venue. The pub keeps short hours, typically afternoons into the evening on weekdays and often closed at the weekend, so plan a midweek trip and check before you go.

Getting there

The George & Dragon sits at 151 Cleveland Street, W1T 6QN, in Fitzrovia at the northern edge of the West End. Goodge Street (Northern line) is the closest tube, a few minutes' walk south, and Warren Street (Northern and Victoria lines) is a similar distance to the north. Great Portland Street and Euston Square are also within easy reach if you are coming from the west. It is an unassuming street-corner local on a quieter stretch away from the main Soho crowds, so it makes an easy detour rather than a destination in its own right.

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Common questions

What is the George & Dragon in Soho?
It is a small Grade II listed corner pub at 151 Cleveland Street in Fitzrovia, on the northern edge of the West End near Soho. It is a traditional boozer with a free dartboard and a shuffleboard table downstairs in the basement games room.
Is the darts free to play at the George & Dragon?
Yes. The dartboard downstairs is free to play. You just leave a card or some ID behind the bar as a deposit when you take the darts down, and collect it when you finish.
Do you need to book to play darts there?
No. There is no booking and no session fee. You turn up, ask at the bar for the darts, and play in the basement games room when it is free.
How many dartboards does the George & Dragon have?
One. There is a single dartboard in the downstairs games room, alongside a shuffleboard table that is also free to use.
Is the George & Dragon good for a group darts night?
It is better for a casual weekday game than a big group night. There is only one board and the throwing space downstairs is narrow, so it suits a quick game over a pint or some lunchtime practice rather than a large match.
What is the nearest station to the George & Dragon on Cleveland Street?
Goodge Street on the Northern line is the closest, a few minutes' walk away. Warren Street, Great Portland Street and Euston Square are also within easy reach.

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