London's Pub of the Year 2026

On the first day of October the sun was still shining and London was calling (to the faraway towns).My main aim was to visit the 2026 CAMRA Greater London pub of the year. The Cockpit in Chislehurst claims that accolade, one of the 16 winners throughout the country which get the chance to be beaten to overall winner by the Tamworth Tap.A direct train from central London would whisk me to Chislehurst too early for the pub, so I instead caught the non-stop service from Victoria to Bromley, from where I could catch a bus later.Bromley has two stations either side of the pedestrianised shopping centre. Arriving in the southern one placed me straight across the road from Wetherspoons.Back to business as usual and starting the day in Spoons (of which there were no shortage on this day out).The Richmal Crompton (23 Westmoreland Place, Bromley, BR1 1DS)Opened in 1999 as a Lloyds No.1, this is named after the Just William author who was born just up the road in Chislehurst.It's a cavernous…