The Sultan (Brixton), darts in Brixton Hill (Lambeth), SW2

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

The Sultan (Brixton): Darts in Brixton Hill, London

FreeWalk-inPool tableLeague pubBeer garden

37 New Park Road, Brixton, London · SW2 4DU · Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Sultan is a traditional back-street boozer on New Park Road, just off Brixton Hill in Lambeth. It is the kind of unfussy local where the darts and pool matter as much as the pint, and there has been a pub on the site since late Victorian times. You will find a dartboard set up at the front of the pub, a pool table, table football and sports on the TV, with a big back garden out the rear that hosts bands through the summer. The most useful thing to know is that the darts here are free to play. This is a proper pub board you can just walk up to, not a bookable session, and the regulars take it seriously enough to run teams in the local pub leagues. Good for a relaxed evening of arrows with mates rather than a polished darts-bar night out.

The darts setup

The board sits in an open space near the front of the pub, the traditional layout you would expect from a long-standing local rather than a row of numbered, screen-scored oches. It is one board, free to use, and you chalk up and play the old-fashioned way. Darts are taken seriously here too: the pub fields teams in the local leagues, so on a match night the board is in use and the standard is decent. If you just want a casual game, turn up on a quieter evening and you can usually get on it. Bring your own arrows if you have them, or borrow a set from behind the bar.

Good to know

There is no booking and no charge for the darts, so you simply walk in and play. Alongside the board you get a pool table and table football, plus sports on the big screen, which makes it an easy spot for a group that wants more than one thing to do. It is a wet-led Enterprise pub rather than a gastro stop, so come for the beer and the games rather than a sit-down meal. The big back garden is the standout in warmer months, with live bands on through the summer and DJ nights and occasional live music inside.

Getting there

The Sultan is on New Park Road, a residential turning off Brixton Hill in Lambeth, postcode SW2 4DU. The nearest rail is Brixton (Victoria line and National Rail) about a 15 to 20 minute walk down the hill, and plenty of buses run along Brixton Hill and Streatham Hill to drop you closer. It sits a little away from the main Brixton drag, which is part of the appeal: this is a neighbourhood pub rather than a town-centre venue, so it stays more local and less hectic than the bars nearer the station.

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Common questions

What is The Sultan in Brixton?
It is a traditional back-street pub on New Park Road just off Brixton Hill, in Lambeth (SW2 4DU). It has a dartboard, a pool table, table football, sports TV and a big back garden, with DJ nights and occasional live music. There has been a pub on the site since late Victorian times.
Is darts free to play at The Sultan?
Yes. It is a traditional free pub dartboard, so there is no charge and nothing to book. You just turn up and play.
Do you need to book to play darts at The Sultan?
No. There is no booking system. Walk in and use the board when it is free, although it may be busy on league match nights.
How many dartboards does The Sultan have?
There is one dartboard, set up in an open space near the front of the pub. The pub also has a pool table and table football.
Does The Sultan have a darts team?
Yes. The pub takes its darts seriously and fields teams in the local pub leagues, so expect a decent standard on match nights.
What are The Sultan's opening hours?
Monday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00, Friday and Saturday 11:00 to 01:00, and Sunday 12:00 to 23:00.

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