Black Cat, SE6 4JU
- 020 8690 6206
- 9 Winslade Way, SE6 4JU (streetmap) (osm) (gmap) (bingmap) (streetview)
- rampubcompany.co.uk/vi...
- 11am-11pm Mon-Sat; noon-10:30pm Sun
Young's pub in Catford, previously known as the Catford Ram photo. The Good Beer Guide describes its location as “at the Broadway entrance to the Catford Mews shopping centre”.
Note: According to the Aug/Sep 2015 London Drinker, there's been a refurb since our last visit, and so some of the information below may be out of date.
The pub stretches back quite a long way, with no natural light except right at the front, dominated by dark wood and dark red upholstery. Much of the seating is in a raised area (three steps and a handrail separate it from the bar); the seating at ground level is mostly tall stools. No steps for either gents' or ladies' - there's a disabled loo too but it was locked on our visit.
On a June 2008 visit, silent tennis played on a large projection screen, with no music. At several points during our visit, the silence was broken by one song at a time, generally at a fairly low volume, before a return to silence. In combination with the eclecticism of the genres (Monkees, disco, Bowie, Led Zep), this suggests a jukebox, though none could be spotted. We were there between around 6pm and around 8pm on a Tuesday, and although there were a few other customers, about 90% of the seating remained free. Even on a return visit on a Friday evening in August 2008 (around 9:30pm), there was still plenty of space to sit and a relaxed pleasant atmosphere, with only one geezer coming round the tables trying to flog some rather unenticing (presumably stolen) packages of meat to puncture the atmosphere.
Ales on handpump on the August 2008 were Young's ordinary (£2.40/pint), Young's Special (£2.70) and Bombardier (£2.95), with the same in October 2009 minus the Bombardier - they have about six handpulls, though only a couple are used. Bottled Kew Gold was £2.45. All beers were in decent condition; no complaints.
See also: