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The Crayford Arms, Dartford
Crayford
Postal town: Dartford
DA1 4HH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Crayford Arms
Shepherd Neame pub which is a short walk up the High Street from the Penny Farthing.
I entered into the public bar on the right-hand side and had to do a full lap of the pub to find the real ale pumpclip on the games room side of the pub. That ale was Whitstable Bay Pale Ale.
Just a couple of other customers were in on the ground floor, with the landlord's family outnumbering us. Although apparently there was some kind of function going on upstairs.
On 13th December 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Crayford Arms
This is a mid-Victorian pub if the pub's website is accurate. It's certainly feasible that it's as old as that. The original layout can be readily discerned. The hitherto main doors on the corner are no longer used, instead the entrance is on the main road. This entrance was originally to the jug and bottle bar, and the J & B counter and hatch is still there, although of course no longer in use. Doorways to the left and right lead to what would have been the public and saloon bars. The left hand room is bare-boarded, whereas the right hand room is carpeted, so possibly they were the public and saloon bars respectively. There's also another room at the back behind the servery, which I suspect has been brought into pub use at some stage in its history. The left hand room has some fielded panelling on the walls, but I suspect that it's a relatively recent addition.
As this is a Shepherd Neame pub, there were two of their ales on - Spitfire and some Christmas ale hanging on from the festive season. Tasted OK though. I didn't see any sign of food, but there again we visited at mid-afternoon on a Wednesday. I found this a comfortable and friendly pub. It's certainly not a destination pub for the beer alone, but it really is worth visiting this one if you happen to be in Crayford.
On 20th January 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Crayford Arms
An attractive looking pub on a corner location, you enter to a small lobby where there are display handpumps and barrels. The old two room format is retained but this does link through at the rear of the island bar. Unusually what I took to be the public bar where there is a dartboard and TV is carpeted, whereas the other side is boarded. There is some decent quality wood panelling and the doors to the bars look original. Fireplaces in each room look to get some use but not yesterday as it was unseasonally mild. Stairs lead up, apparently to a function room but I didn't look. Seating under the stairs has a bit of a headroom issue, covered by a sign. There is an outdoor area to the rear.
Framed bits and bobs including beermats and a print of The Charge of the Light Brigade, a few books and some rather battered board games on a shelf towards the rear.
Friendly service and it was fun listening to some of the rather blokey banter going on between a few punters.
Shepherd Neame beers in here, three on, Spitfire Gold, Masterbrew and Hog Island (£3.70). There was a choice of a jug or straight glass. London Drinkers available.
A perfectly decent traditional pub which I would have no issues revisiting.
On 25th February 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Crayford Arms
This traditional style Shepherd Neame pub dates from around 1865 when the corner was redeveloped and one half of the corner house built there was used as a beer shop and eventually emerged as a fully fledged pub. The building was extended in 1936 and has recently had a fairly extensive face lift that fortunately hasn't detracted anything from the pub’s intrinsic character.
The exterior now has some old fashioned signage and a few barrels have been placed in front of what was the old public bar corner entrance to good effect. The interior still retains its traditional 2 bar layout with the main bar to the left of the entrance lobby and a public bar to the right. The bars are interconnected at the rear forming what is essentially an island bar.
Since the refurbishment the main bar now has a bare wooden floor and fresh upholstery but still retains its traditional ambiance. The paneled walls contain displays of framed Shepherd Neame pump labels and an open staircase leads to a function room upstairs. At the rear is a separate section that was previously designated as “bikers corner” and contained a montage of pictures of the local charity raising bikers groups that used to gather here but this has now been replaced by a toned down more traditional extension of the main bar. Beyond is a small beer garden and car park.
The newly carpeted Public Bar refurbishment is more noticeable with the old bright paintwork now kitted out in subdued and more sober shades. The pool table has gone but the dart board and TV remain, now complemented by an upright piano. There are some interesting pictures of early Crayford including some of the barely recognizable pub in Victorian times as well as a few Shepherd Neame related photos.
The bar itself can be a bit cramped when there are more than a handful of customers congregated around it. The number of hand pumps has increased from 5 to 9 since my last visit although being a Shepherd Neame tied house the selection is usually predictable. They do generally stock the seasonal offering alongside the usual regulars and occasionally have a guest beer but from my experiences this is more of a lucky dip treat than a regular occurrence. The prices have noticeably increased since my previous visit with the Amber Ale at £3.40 being a bit pricey for the area although I have never had any issues with quality. The pub was declared local CAMRA Pub of the Year a couple of years ago (albeit only because the Robin Hood & Little John in Bexleyheath were “excused” having won it for the previous 10 years).
Service has always been friendly with approachable staff and a generally welcoming bunch of locals that at one stage would have included a young Lennox Lewis who apparently used to live in the pub and probably sorted out a few “misunderstandings” when they occurred. There are regular quiz nights and live music among the entertainment options and the Greyhound stadium is nearby as well as VCD Athletic football club just a short walk up the hill.
The Crayford Arms has always been a relatively safe option for a pint and will appeal to those looking a decent no thrills traditional pub.
On 3rd March 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jennifer Crisp left this review about The Crayford Arms
PLEASE NOTE THE CRAYFORD ARMS IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT AND HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REFURBISHED - A CURRENT PHOTO HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. A Shepherd Neame pub with a good number of real ales on tap each week, this pub has new Landlords and a full schedule of events and entertainments. Last week the real ales included Betty Stogs, Merlin, Barnsley Bitter and Spooks Ale which was so popular during the Halloween parties that customers requested that it was reordered. CAMRA has honoured the pub a number of times with it's awards, most recently with 3rd place in the Bexley Area CAMRA Pub of the Year for 2011. The Arm's also has a good selection of whisky and flavoured vodka to sample. Recently refurbished this pub, opened in 1840, has the feel of a late Victorian Alehouse with a real fire, wood floors and dark walls. The Crayford Arms is a pub that encourages community spirit. Its welcome is warm and friendly and it doesn’t limit itself to simply selling drinks, although of course it does excel in the quality and range of real ales. The Crayford Arms is a community focused pub with local groups and societies meeting regularly in the newly refurbished building on Crayford High Street. Local singers, bands and entertainers perform in an intimate setting and there are often weekend events which involve families, groups and individuals. There is a car park at the rear of the pub and an enclosed and partly undercover garden. No food at the moment but this is coming next year. Thoroughly recommended but with one warning, you will be engaged in conversation with the regulars, so be prepared for a great pub that is part of the local community - a rare thing these days. The pub is on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thecrayfordarms it's website is: www.thecrayfordarms.com and it is also on Twitter and Foursquare.
On 19th November 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Johnstone left this review about The Crayford Arms
Spent many a year in here from the late 70's onwards. Had some great times when Pete was the landlord, not overly keen now.
On 25th June 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 98 recommendations about 98 pubs]