Green Dragon, darts in Croydon

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

Green Dragon: Darts in Croydon, London

FreeWalk-inLeague pubReal aleLive music

58-60 High Street, Croydon · CR0 1NA · Mo-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00

The Green Dragon is a big, characterful pub right in the middle of Croydon's pedestrianised High Street, in a former bank with high ceilings, original flooring and a galleried stairwell. It is a proper community local rather than a polished bar chain, popular across all ages, and it doubles as a friendly-match venue for the Croydon Monday Night Dart League. The single most useful thing to know is that the darts here is a free pub board: turn up, grab the oche and throw, no booking or cover charge. Beyond the arrows you get up to seven changing real ales, craft beer and cocktails, plus pub food like burgers and pizza. If you want a relaxed, no-fuss spot to play a few legs over a pint in central Croydon, this fits.

The darts setup

Darts at the Green Dragon is pub darts in the traditional sense, not a bookable social-darts box with screens and automatic scoring. There is a free board you can play on, and the pub turns out for Croydon Monday Night Dart League friendlies, so the level can range from a casual knockabout to people who take their averages seriously. Bring your own arrows if you have them, or borrow a set at the bar. Because it is a free board on a first-come basis, it is worth a quick call ahead on a busy night or if a league match is on, since the oche may be in use. The pub also keeps a pool table and board games for when the dartboard is taken.

Good to know

Everything here is walk-in. There is no session fee, no time slot and no minimum spend to play darts, just buy a drink and settle in. The bar runs up to seven hand-pumps of changing real ale, including local brewery beers, alongside craft lager and cocktails, and the kitchen does pub food such as burgers and pizza with meals served lunchtime and evening. It is a large pub (capacity around 220) with an upstairs function room, so groups are easy to accommodate. Beyond darts there is a Monday quiz, Tuesday poker, regular live music and a monthly comedy night, so there is usually something on.

Getting there

The Green Dragon sits at 58-60 High Street, CR0 1NA, in Croydon's pedestrianised town centre, a short walk from the historic market. The closest rail station is East Croydon, about ten minutes on foot, with fast trains to London Victoria, London Bridge and Gatwick, plus the tram network through the centre. West Croydon station and its bus interchange are also within easy walking distance. Because the High Street here is a pedestrian zone, drive-up parking right outside is not an option, so public transport or one of the town-centre car parks is the sensible way in for an evening out.

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Common questions

What is the Green Dragon in Croydon?
It is a large, traditional pub on Croydon's High Street, set in a former bank with high ceilings and a galleried stairwell. As well as real ale, craft beer, cocktails and pub food, it has a dart board and hosts Croydon Monday Night Dart League friendly matches.
Is it free to play darts at the Green Dragon?
Yes. The darts here is a free pub board. There is no session fee or cover charge to play, you just buy a drink at the bar like any pub.
Do I need to book to play darts, or can I just walk in?
You can just walk in. The board is first-come, first-served. On busy nights or when a league match is on it may be in use, so it is worth calling ahead if you want to be sure of a game.
What are the Green Dragon's opening hours?
It is open Monday to Saturday from noon to 11pm and Sunday from noon to 10pm. Food is served from lunchtime through the evening, until around 9pm (8pm on Sundays).
What is the nearest station to the Green Dragon?
East Croydon station is roughly a ten-minute walk, with trains to London Victoria, London Bridge and Gatwick and connections to the tram network. West Croydon station is also within walking distance.
What else is there to do at the Green Dragon besides darts?
Plenty. There is a pool table and board games, a Monday quiz, Tuesday poker, regular live music and a monthly comedy night, plus an upstairs function room for groups.

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