Beefeater Harlow Mill, Harlow

Branded as a Beefeater and with a Premier Inn to the rear of the site,you may be forgiven if you were expecting a souless chain pub interior.To the left of the entrance is the" wait to be seated" dining area composed of four person low backed booths initially.However if you turn right to the bars,you immediately see very old exposed timbers and the first alcove bar with very low headroom is charming.Around a central pillar is another bar area,both having two handpumps with London Pride and 6X on offer.The high tables and corporate furniture lower the tone but at the rear there are views over the millrace weir with much whitewater action.It was pleasing that this old part of the building retains some pub atmosphere,although the chain vibe is never far away with prominent adverts for Costa Coffee,and the inevitable inane muzak. Would I base myself here for a lenghty ale session ?Probably not but the interior is worth a quick peruse and the building is riverside to The Stort Navigation with a large garden overlooking the nearby lock.Not a bad call for a swift summer time pint.