Old Ship Inn, Aveley

Old brick-built pub which retains almost intact an early twentieth-century refurbishment and four rooms. The attractive windows with stained glass are virtually intact and protected by exterior plastic sheeting. The left-hand saloon is separated from the private bar on the street corner by a full-height screen with stained glass in the upper part. The partition that once created a separate off-sales was removed, possibly in the 1960s, as was the wording from the door! On the counter of the saloon bar are remains of the shutters which have been converted into a pot shelf. There is a splendid Victorian-style fireplace with tile surround on left and right with the motifs being an elegant lady on each side and 1960s fixed seating. The rear door has an etched 'Club Room' window - upstairs there is a room with a full-sized snooker table, but it is no longer in use. The hatch/door to the servery in the passage to the toilets was for use by Club Room customers.

All the rooms surrounding the servery retain their early twentieth-century counters but these have been recently painted grey. In the private bar one of two old benches still has the maker's label 'Charles Pateman & Co., 118 Curtain Road, London EC2'. The public bar at the rear has a mirrored 1930s bar back fitting, 1930s brick fireplace and an old fixed bench; the bar counter has some 1960s nautical decoration added. A fourth (pool) room at the rear has a timber and glass screen separating it from the corridor: it too has an attractive c. 1930 brick fireplace, c.1960 ply-panelled walls, and an old bench.

Bar backs have been painted a dark grey. Counter fronts have been painted bright red.

Look for the row of small drawers in the counter within the server (also painted dark grey). There are two pewter sinks within the server – one in regular use but the one in the public bar side is disused.

You can use the car park as a customer but MUST enter your car registration number on a screen in the private (corner) bar to register ‘a permit’.