Gidea Park Micropub, Gidea Park, Romford

Situated on the main road through Gidea Park, around ten minutes or so from the station, this is a typical shop-converted micropub that adds some much needed interest to the wider-Romford pub and ale scene. The pub has a square, bare boarded room which extends to the rear right along a narrow strip that leads to the bar and taproom. The walls have been painted in a pleasant neutral colour scheme with a white dado and in the rear left corner there are three large blackboards detailing the cask, keg and cider ranges respectively. Elsewhere, the decor includes some arty prints, local black and white photos and a good pump clip and keg insert collection. A long, high table with bar stools runs through the centre of the room and another two such configurations can be found to the front left, but the rest of the seating is generally in the form of comfy well upholstered chairs serving small square tables plus a sofa and armchairs in the front right corner, under the shop windows. Lighting was nicely muted and the bulbs hang from the ceiling in a decorative pattern of looped wires, which is quite eye-catching. Good Beer Guides were stacked on a shelf along with a few other beer themed books and a fridge on the rear wall had plenty of bottle and can options in case the draught range somehow doesn't meet your needs. Out the front, a large pavement area has been fenced off and filled with padded keg seating although it’s alongside a busy road, so not ideal. My mid-week visit found a good, friendly bunch of locals in, and I got a nice welcome from the barman, who encouraged me to take a seat and order from my table. The beer boards listed a good cask range comprising Only With Love Halland Oatmeal Stout, Elusive Skyline Drive, Harwich Electric Palace Cinema, Big Hand Seren. Wobbler Apprentice and Good Chemistry Full Circle. A similar number of beers were available on keg including brews from Mad Squirrel, Leigh on Sea and Abbeydale among others. As if all this wasn’t enough, no fewer than thirteen cider and perry options were also listed. I tried the Halland Oatmeal Stout (£4.20) which was in great condition - one of the best kept pints I’ve had all year. This is a great little micropub in an area not really associated with good pubs. I would definitely recommend this one to anybody looking for well kept beer and a friendly bunch of locals, but it does suffer a little from its popularity and could be uncomfortable at busier times. With the Ship just across the road, there’s a good double header to be had here, making it worth the trek out here on the Elizabeth Line.