This Pub is Closed Long Term
Closed at the beginning of May 2023, the owning company are seeking new lessees / tenants. This traditional local just outside the town centre is near the River Thames and had 5 real ales on handpump. It was rebuilt in 1938 and has a pub interior of outstanding national historic interest (Listed Status II), including an oak Charrington's Brewery bar-back. Unusually, the pub retains a meeting / function room, known as the Club Room. and there is a large, secluded beer garden.
Historic Interest
Historic oak Charrington's Brewery bar back
Two star - A pub interior of very special national historic interest
Listed status: II
UPDATE MAY 2024
The pub closed in controversial circumstances in May 2023. Owners Admiral Taverns originally sought new tenants but now have the freehold on the market (and it is currently 'Under Offer')
Once an old weather-boarded pub, rebuilt by Charringtons in the 1930s and retaining clear evidence of the original floorplan and many original fittings. The star here is the fine long oak bar back fitting in classic 1930s style which served the five rooms and off sales. The main entrance has been blocked up but would have led to the off-sales - now used for storage. The two left-hand rooms have their attractive original counters. Most of the wall between the two right-hand rooms has been taken down, but again the counter survives as do the fireplaces, albeit boarded over and painted. The Club Room is still used for functions and has some old features including a dumb waiter. Access to these last three rooms was originally by the right-hand passage into the pub which retains its 1930s tiled dado.
Originally an old weather-boarded pub, it was rebuilt by Charringtons in the 1930s and still retains clear evidence of the original floorplan and a large amount of original fittings. The star here is the fine long oak bar back fitting of classic 1930s style which served the five rooms and off sales. The main entrance has been blocked up but would have led to the off-sales - now used for storage.There are two rooms to the left now with a wide gap between them but retaining their original counters on a tiled plinth with chequerboard terrazzo tiling in the wide spittoon area around the counter. One of two original fireplaces remain (blocked-up) and the left hand brick one is a modern replacement. On the right are two rooms with the majority of the wall between them now removed. It retains an original counter as described before and two fireplaces remain, but they have been boarded-up and painted over. Access to the right hand room and the Club Room at the rear was originally via the passage into the pub on the right hand side which still retains its 1930s tiled dado.The Club Room is still used for functions and has dado panelling, an original fireplace, a dumb waiter (working?) but the hatch to the back of the bar is blocked-up, but visible from the bar side. The curved windows to the right of the off-sales remain but on the left have been lost. Odd bell push remains.
White Hart, Grays