The Huntsman & Hounds, Corbets Tey, Upminster

Pub SignMan left this review about The Huntsman & Hounds

This is a smart Ember Inns pub in a village just outside Upminster. Like many pubs in this chain, it's a large premises with the usual chopped up, opened out interior, carpeted for the most part, but with some exposed floorboards here and there and quarry stone tiles around the bar area. The servery, occupying the centre of the pub, has a nice curved bar counter with neutral painted panels and a modern, dark wood bar back. It's not particularly easy to establish the pub's original layout thanks to countless bits of retained wall, lintel beams and even a fireplace to the left of the entrance that looks through to the adjacent seating area, all of whoch send rather mixed messages about the way the pub would've once looked. Mixed seating options have been provided throughout, including tub chairs, padded benches and loads of basic tables and chairs. The walls are all painted in neutral colours and many of the furnishings feel like they are straight out of some sort of cheap interior design catalogue. Lamps, potted plants and a few random framed photos add some life to the place, offset by many corporate blackboards listing various offers.
There were two operational handpulls on the bar, dispensing Dark Star Hophead (£4.65 a pint and in great nick) and Adnams Ghost Ship with London Pride and Doom Bar both clipped as 'coming soon'. The place was doing a decent Saturday evening dining trade, especially with family groups.
I thought this was quite a smart, well presented pub, even if it had that slightly bland, cost-cutting feel that some of these corporate pub chains suffer from. It offers enough seating for it not to feel too food-led, even when arriving at peak dining time, as I did, and some well-kept ale seals the deal and makes this worth the short bus ride or 20 minute walk from Upminster to check out.

Date of visit - 2nd November 2024

On 20^th January 2025 - rating: 7
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