Picture of Douglas Fir, SE20 8DL

Douglas Fir, SE20 8DL

Micropub in Anerley, not far from Crystal Palace Park.

This is the one and only pub run by the Gipsy Hill Brewing Company. It originally opened early in 2016 as a temporary pop-up bar, closing after maybe a couple of months, and then reopened permanently in late 2016. Presumably the place is named after the fir trees opposite.

It's a small place (a former one-unit shop), and the furnishing and décor are fairly minimal. When it had been a pop-up place, there were trestle tables, but the current tables are a bit more sturdy, including one central, largish solid wood table with matching benches. There are two comfortable armchairs. Apart from the tables, little has changed. The smoking area is at trestle tables outside on the pavement, on the busy Anerley Road.

When Rowley Birkin QC visited on a Saturday afternoon in late January 2017 there was just one member of staff on duty, and there were few other customers initially, but it came alive later, and on the following Sunday evening it was packed. Piped music was playing: decent pop at a moderate level. Heating was from a couple of cheap space heaters, but it was acceptably warm inside.

It was fairly busy on a Wednesday and a Monday evening in February 2019, and there were about 10 customers late on a Tuesday evening in April 2019.

In January 2017 the beers on offer were mainly from Gipsy Hill's range (Anorak, Southpaw, Dissident, Hepcat, Beatnik; mostly £4.60/pint), but they also had Dark Star Festival (£4/pint, on handpump, in good condition), plus a few other beers, wines and spirits. In April 2019 there were just two Gipsy Hill beers but plenty of others photo. They also had a chiller cabinet containing cans for sale from Gipsy Hill and others.

They don't serve food (apart from bar snacks), but as of July 2019 food services would appear (see photo of A-board): a pizza van on Wednesday evenings (5.30-8.30), "On The Hoof Kitchen" every other Friday (6pm to late), "Bonbon Parade" Saturdays (all day), and "Eli & Pie" pies on Sunday (all day).

There is good WiFi (password on a board behind the bar), and many electrical sockets. Note that cash is not accepted, only cards.

Accessibility: It's not wheelchair-accessible (a small step into the pub, but the toilet is a single, small WC with a step which could be tricky for someone with even a slight disability).

Transport: The nearest stations are Crystal Palace and Anerley. It's on several bus routes: 157, 249, 358, 432.

See also:

Last visited by Rowley Birkin QC, April 2019. Opening hours taken from the Gipsy Hill Brewing Company website, June 2019.
OS X co-ord: 534249 OS Y co-ord: 170182 (Latitude: 51.414769 Longitude: -0.070869)
Last edited 2023-09-05 12:00:35 (version 18; diff). List all versions.