The Rose Inn, Southend-On-Sea

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Rose Inn

Latest Visit (11/8/26):

A return visit to the Rose Inn in Bournes Green, almost 2 months after my finding it closed. This time I found it open. The car park has cameras and lots of warning signs. So, make sure you enter your car registration into any of a number of consoles, if you happen to drive here. There are in fact car parks on both sides of the pub.

The pub has received a renovation of sorts during a short period of closure. The main bar area now has turquoise coloured seating and grey or white painted wainscotting. Walls are painted green or brown. There is foliage on the beams and walls, with the odd picture on the wall too. Despite this, the rotting front door seemed a bit unsightly. The bar also had a TV which was off, with loud music playing instead.

At the bar, there are 2 sets of 3 handpulls. Greene King IPA & Abbot were duplicated across each set, with a spare handpull on each too. Ciders are from Thatcher's, with the pub stocking Haze and the 3 fruit ciders.

Food appears to be a mainstay with Thai cuisine now offered. In addition to the bar area, there is a much darker and nicer decorated dining area. Outdoors, there is a drinking area adjacent to the one car park and there is a children's climbing frame. Kids are also allowed indoors. Meanwhile, monthly live music is promoted.

The assumption when you arrive is that you'll be dining and perhaps we may have enjoyed this place more had we tried the Thai food. However solely as a pub, this doesn't hit the spot.

Initial Visit (15/6/26):

It's a good 15-20 minute walk up to this pub in the village of Bournes Green from the Bournes Green roundabout, where most buses stop. However, the more infrequent number 14 bus does stop right outside. That would have been great could I have worked out where to catch it from in the city centre.

After a long walk here, I soon found myself taking a long walk back. An empty car park was not particularly encouraging, whilst a sign on the door announced they would be closed yesterday and today. The closure is confirmed on social media and is apparently because new owners are about to take over. Lucky I didn't come a day or two earlier either, as they were running down the beer stock. Whether the pub does re-open tomorrow or any time soon remains to be seen. I will keep an eye out and try it again in the near future, as and when it re-opens.

On 14^th August 2026 - rating: 4
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