World's End, Tilbury

This riverside white weatherboarded pub is something of a local institution having been built at the turn of the 17th/18th century; the place has witnessed many changes over the years not least the construction of the nearby container terminal, now the official Port of London, and the adjoining town of Tilbury. Located below the sea-wall the pub has had a few refurbishments over the years and now serves as a place for both drinkers (but sadly no longer serving real ales) and diners, serving pub food staples all day. The customers are a mix of visitors and locals; ship-spotters rub shoulders with anglers, truckers and birders. The pub attracts a following for the busy lunchtime weekend sessions and there is a lively evening scene with live music and a well-used jukebox. The pub is close to the Tilbury to Gravesend ferry service and the 17th century Tilbury Fort, built to deter the French and Dutch. Walkers often stop for refreshment as the pub is the starting point for the Two Forts Way, a marked route alongside the river that leads to another Fort, Coalhouse, a 19th century construction three miles downriver. Across the Thames is the Kentish town of Gravesend and those with an eye for detail can see Britain's largest Sikh Gurdwara (temple) peeking over the rooftops. The location feels isolated, indeed this spot set the scene for the opening of Joseph Conrad's famous novel Heart of Darkness, although transport links are close at hand with the railway station being only a thirty minute walk away.