The Ship, Tilbury

A pleasant looking pub on a quiet side road just up from the river and Coalhouse Fort. Despite lots of signs informing of local rules (no horses was one!) I found a friendly and welcoming spot. There are two rooms either side of a central bar with another room off to one side that looked to be a dedicated restaurant, ambitious I reckon. The back room was deserted, a ship's wheel on the bar front being all I saw of note, the main room however had a fair crowd in, some watching the football scores on TV, others engaged in lively conversation. A high picture rail shelf has model boats and plates on show with a larger boat being in place on top of the bar. Local scenes and more shipping stuff in frames on the walls, of note is the large Titanic clock above the door to the gents. Beamed (if artificial) ceiling and roughcast plastered walls actually seem to work here. Various "nights" are promoted, bingo, race evenings, curries etc. Only one beer on handpump, Hobgoblin but it was in decent shape despite my trepidations on seeing everyone on the lager. There is not much around here, this is a valuable community pub, long may it stay. A garden to the rear has a kids' play area with a slide and so on. A sign states it is not a play area!