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The Capitol (Wetherspoon)

We believe this pub is CLOSED

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Bath Ales - CobblestoneExcellent1
G2 - SailExcellent1
Titanic - Wit StoutExcellent2
Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Zululand Pale AleExcellent1
Brains - A Pocket Full of RyeExcellent1
Reunion - Single Double Hop UK Cascade vs. US CascadeExcellent1
Orkney (Sinclair) - Blizzard (Atlas range)Excellent1
Hop Stuff - Vanilla Chocolate StoutExcellent1
Marston's - Early DoorsExcellent1
Butcombe - Chris MooseGood1
Naylor's - Black & TanGood1
Wickwar - SundownerGood1
Hook Norton - HaymakerGood1
Enfield (branded as Enefeld) - Liberty Pre-Prohibition Cream AleGood1
Shepherd Neame - Bishops FingerAcceptable1
Weltons - Broadwood WassailAcceptable1
Banks & Taylor's (B&T) - Santa's SlayerPoor1
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Rooster's - Pistol RiverNot Tried0
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)Not Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow BellsNot Tried0
Caledonian - Merman XXXNot Tried0
Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale AleNot Tried0
Ilkley - Ruby JaneNot Tried0
Adnams - Golden Road California Breakfast AleNot Tried0
Marston's - Barley Brown's ESANot Tried0
Hook Norton - Old HookyNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Stonehenge - Danish DynamiteNot Tried0
Dorking - Pilcrow PaleNot Tried0
Weltons - HurricaneNot Tried0
Southwark - Bermondsey BestNot Tried0
Dorking - Pacific GoldNot Tried0
Theakston - Pink Grapefuit AleNot Tried0
Shepherd Neame - St Eriks Midnight SunNot Tried0
Sambrook's - WandleNot Tried0

Visits Details

26 Nov 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Normally a chilled air-conned place, was cosy warm tonight.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Orkney (Sinclair) - Blizzard (Atlas range)4.70ExcellentTummy warming, a proper winter spiced ale
Butcombe - Chris Moose4.10GoodGood but no more a Xmas / winter ale than I am. Just a normal bitter
Banks & Taylor's (B&T) - Santa's Slayer4.00PoorHazy, lacklustre, tired. Never really find a good B&T but this was dire and ordering only a half had been wise
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
17 Apr 2018 (Stephen Harris)
My first ever visit to this huge pub and indeed, I think, the first time I have ever set foot in Forest Hill – very remiss of me (although my companion tells me that he saw his first ever film here, aged around 6). At 9pm on a Tuesday the atmosphere is one of lone men aged 60-plus staring at their pints. From where I sit I can see at least three that are possibly asleep, in fact make that probably asleep.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Naylor's - Black & Tan4.40GoodA half & half Bitter/Porter. Comes across as a good, dark Bitter.
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow Bells4.20Not Tried
13 Mar 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Cold with the air con on full blast. The JDW festival ales (starts tomorrow) will be £2.05pp here!!
BeerABVScoreNotes
G2 - Sail4.20Excellent
Weltons - Broadwood Wassail6.10AcceptableI rarely dare to try Weltons. After some sips this seemed to have a background metallic taste
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
29 Jan 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until midnight close for JDW's London Beer Festival offerings. Sparsely attended even for a Monday night I thought.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Reunion - Single Double Hop UK Cascade vs. US Cascade4.50Excellent
Hop Stuff - Vanilla Chocolate Stout5.40Excellent
Enfield (branded as Enefeld) - Liberty Pre-Prohibition Cream Ale5.50Good
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow Bells4.20Not Tried
24 Oct 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until midnight closed. At this time of the night the numbers drinking were dwarfed by the venue.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Zululand Pale Ale4.20ExcellentSo Wychwood CAN brew a decent ale, albeit with South African assistance
Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger5.00AcceptableInitial pleasures soon ran out of steam
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Rooster's - Pistol River4.00Not Tried
18 Oct 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until midnight close. An airy grand place to drink in and architecture to feast the eyes on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Marston's - Early Doors6.00ExcellentSuperb easy drinking strong bitter
Hook Norton - Haymaker5.00Good
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Theakston - Pink Grapefuit Ale3.90Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - St Eriks Midnight Sun4.50Not Tried
23 Aug 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until midnight close. Chaos behind the bar with just one barmaid, ended up with, untypically, a British queue for service forming.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wickwar - Sundowner3.80Good
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Weltons - Hurricane4.10Not TriedNow calls itself "artisan brewers" on pumpclip
Southwark - Bermondsey Best4.40Not Tried
Dorking - Pacific Gold3.80Not Tried
27 Jul 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. JDW festival cider was lacklustre - perhaps getting too old now the festival is over.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Hook Norton - Old Hooky4.60Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Stonehenge - Danish Dynamite5.00Not Tried
Dorking - Pilcrow Pale4.00Not Tried
21 Mar 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
After midnight early morning visit. Pub has a no admission after midnight policy but I was allowed in "just this once".
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brains - A Pocket Full of Rye4.30Excellent
Titanic - Wit Stout5.00Excellent
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Caledonian - Merman XXX4.80Not Tried
Ilkley - Ruby Jane4.00Not Tried
Adnams - Golden Road California Breakfast Ale4.80Not Tried
Marston's - Barley Brown's ESA5.10Not TriedRan out
19 Mar 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until midnight close. All bar staff in chatty, helpful, friendly mode. All festival ales a giveaway at £1.99 pp.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Bath Ales - Cobblestone3.80ExcellentA good quaffing beer
Titanic - Wit Stout5.00ExcellentGood enough to have a second
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%)3.40Not Tried
Caledonian - Merman XXX4.80Not Tried
Ilkley - Ruby Jane4.00Not Tried
Adnams - Golden Road California Breakfast Ale4.80Not Tried
Marston's - Barley Brown's ESA5.10Not Tried

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About The Capitol

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent23
Good32
Acceptable20
Poor4

The pub is found in Forest Hill, Greater London, SE23 3TW.

Located in London Road in Forest Hill not far from the railway station and excellent bus links. The long bar (at what would once have been front of house) is equipped with 2 banks each of 5 handpumps. The Capitol opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929. Later renamed and converted into a bingo hall, the building now bears its original name. A rare survival of a 1920s cinema, The Capitol, on London Road, first opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929, with a screening of Man, Woman and Sin. Renamed the ABC in 1968, the cinema gave its last picture show in October 1973. There were plans to convert and even demolish the building. However, The Capitol opened as a bingo hall in February 1978, closing in the first week of December 1996. It has been a Wetherspoon pub since May 2001. Simply huge and beautifully ornate inside - a feast to the eyes. Placed up for sale by Wetherspoon September 2022 with 31 others. Closed by Wetherspoon on Sunday 15th October 2023 with future uncertain.

We have visited this pub 43 times, seen 156 different beers and tried 61 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE23 3TW