Shirley Inn, darts in Shirley, Croydon

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

Shirley Inn: Darts in London

FreeWalk-in1 boardLeague pubSky Sports

158 Wickham Road, Croydon · CR0 8BF · Mo-Th 11:00-23:30; Fr 11:00-24:00; Sa 12:00-24:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Shirley Inn is a no-frills community local on Wickham Road in Shirley, the leafy stretch of Croydon out towards West Wickham. It is a proper pub-darts spot rather than a booked-by-the-hour bar, with a board in the front bar where regulars and league players throw. If you want a casual game with a pint, this is your kind of place: walk in, grab the oche, and play for free.

It suits darts fans who like the old-school setup, locals after Sky and BT Sport on the big screens, and anyone who wants a relaxed night without booking. Food runs from noon to 9pm daily, and Friday nights bring karaoke. One thing worth knowing: the board lives in the busy front bar, so it gets lively when there is sport on.

The darts setup

The board sits in the front bar, which doubles as the social heart of the pub. This is a traditional pub board you play for free, not a bookable oche with automatic scoring, so you chalk up the old-fashioned way and take turns when it is busy. It is a single board rather than a multi-board darts hall, so on a quiet afternoon you can have it to yourself, and on a busy night you wait your go. The pub is a home venue for a team in the West Wickham Phoenix Darts League, so on league nights the board is reserved for matches and the standard of throwing goes up.

The darts scene here

This is a genuine league pub, not a novelty darts bar. The Shirley Inn fields a team in the West Wickham Phoenix Darts League and competes in the First Division, so there is a real local scene around the board. If you turn up on a league night, expect organised matches rather than open casual play, and the regulars know each other. On other nights it is relaxed and open to anyone who fancies a game. It is a friendly, community feel, with Sky Sports and BT Sport on the big screens in the back areas and karaoke every Friday.

Good to know

You do not book and you do not pay to play, so just walk in and ask at the bar if someone is already on the board. Food is served noon to 9pm every day, so you can eat while you play. The pub is open from 11am Monday to Friday and noon at weekends, running late into the night, with midnight closes on Friday and Saturday. Big screens carry Sky and BT Sport, and Friday is karaoke night, so it can get loud. It sits on Wickham Road in Shirley, the green eastern edge of Croydon out towards West Wickham.

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Common questions

What is the Shirley Inn?
It is a community local on Wickham Road in Shirley, Croydon, with a darts board in the front bar, big screens showing Sky and BT Sport, food daily, and karaoke on Fridays. It is a home venue for a West Wickham Phoenix Darts League team.
Is darts free to play at the Shirley Inn?
Yes. The board is a traditional free pub board, so there is no charge and no booking. Just buy a drink and ask at the bar if it is in use.
Do you need to book to play darts at the Shirley Inn?
No. There is no booking system. You walk in and play, though on league nights the board is reserved for matches.
How many dartboards does the Shirley Inn have?
It has one board, located in the front bar. It is a single pub board rather than a multi-board darts venue.
What are the Shirley Inn's opening hours?
It opens 11am to 11:30pm Monday to Thursday, 11am to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, and noon to 11pm Sunday. Food is served noon to 9pm every day.
Does the Shirley Inn have a darts team?
Yes. The pub fields a team in the West Wickham Phoenix Darts League and plays in the First Division, so it has an active local darts scene.
Is the Shirley Inn good for casual players?
Yes, on non-league nights anyone can have a game on the free pub board. On league nights the board is used for organised matches, so casual play is limited then.

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