I agree with you about clone-y places NHB, that's one of the main reasons why we left Peckham last year - it was getting a bit unbearable! As for quirkiness, we're not in any competition as far as I know Plus I don't really care about these things myself (what other people think, tho' I don't like actual verbal abuse, which we do get from the Chandos crew), but my other half does care, having had to deal with so much more of it.
On a positive note, this is one of the reasons I like the revitalised Honor Oak pub; in my opinion there's a really good variety of people, old and young, a healthy mix of classes, races, and personalities, families, hipsters, office workers, you name it.......
Sadly the last couple of times I went the crowds had thinned considerably, due to the weird onslaught of negative online reviews.
I wish both the H.O. and the R.T. all the best, I really hope they thrive and stay open, and will keep frequenting the former, and occasionally check in on the latter, such is the wonder of personal choice and taste, yippee