The Crooked Billet, Old Leigh, Leigh-On-Sea

The Crooked Billet is the first pub you come to when approaching Old Leigh from the railway station. It certainly seems a strange place to find a Nicholson's pub, but it has quite a nice feel to it. There are a couple of rooms, a dining room to the left and a bar to the right. The bay windows to the front have some nice views of the river estuary. There are also a large number of picnic tables on the opposite side of the High Street that are shared with a seafood restaurant. St Austell Nicholson's Pale Ale & Sharp's Doom Bar are the regular beers. Guests from the Nicholson's list were Fierce Beer Go Easier, Fuller's London Pride & Stroud Gaia. The cider was Weston's Rosie's Pig. Craft beers were Tiny Rebel Cali Pale & Beavertown Neck Oil. Weston's Vintage was also available on keg. I chose the Go Easier, which was in a pretty poor condition. I was on the verge of returning it when the barman asked me if I was enjoying it. I admitted that I was struggling with it and asked if any had been pulled off before my visit. I was told that it had only just gone on, but there was definitely something wrong with it. In fairness, he offered to change it, but I stuck with it. Looking at the previous reviews, this is perhaps a common theme. It's a shame that the beer quality was so poor. With a real fire burning, the pub had quite a nice, cosy atmosphere. There is a TV which was off for my visit. Music was playing instead. Snacks were advertised on the bar, but these were mostly crisps and nuts. A few tourist types did also arrive for lunch. Dogs are welcome, with dog biscuits found on the bar. A quiz was advertised for the first Tuesday of the month. A nice pub, let down by the beer quality.

Perhaps randomly, a Nicholson pub! Not like their usual London stock though, this is small, basic and tight with blue wainscoting and crap music. Four cask, my Attic Brew Dawn was poor (NBSS 1.5) and the whole place felt very much like a ‘will this do?’ tourist trap.

Attractive hostelry overlooking the estuary, but the traditional two-room layout must be one of Nicholson's smallest. Most of the customers were seated on the wooden patio benches on the other side of the road by the quay, leaving the bar and dining room reasonably clear when I visited. Six handpumps on the bar counter, with the regular NPA, Adnam's Southwold and Doom Bar supplemented by Rev James, Wild Beer Bibble and Gathering Storm from Leeds Brewery (£3.65).

A Nicholson's house, but not as you may know them. Small & basic rather than grand like their usual places. There is seating over the road for use in nice weather, lucky on my visit as it was full. The toilets are outside and need a bit of work - some soap would be a start.. Also it has a very ordinary beer choice. Shame, could be a nice place.

update to last visit,does very good value food

Official pages of the Crooked Billet, contains menu and cask ale details - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk