Toby Carvery Bexley Heath, Bexleyheath

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Roger Button left this review about Crook Log

The Crook log is situated on the maion road into Bexleyheath from Welling and is part of the Toby Carvery chain therefore, as one would expect, is more restaurant than pub. There has been a pub on the site since 1605 with the present building dating from 1738 when it was initially called the Fox & Hounds. It was renamed the Old Crook Log Hotel in 1822 but the name didn’t really stick until the 1880’s. The pub was mentioned in Dicken’s Tale of Two Cities.

The front entrances are no longer in use, the rear entrance being more convenient for the large car parking area. There is also a decent beer garden. Internally, the core of the building has been expanded through a series of add ons and extensions, mostly designated for diners although there did seem to be a reasonably sizeable area for the drinkers around the main bar. The décor is cosy but contrived without there being any real focal point or eyecatching features apart from an unused double fronted fireplace.

The lack of any ales has always been an excuse not to use the place as a watering hole but they have recently introduced a couple of hand pumps although only London Pride is available, To be fair the quality was pretty good and at £2.70 a pint, value for money, in fact, all the beer prices (prominently displayed) seemed very reasonable.

As a family restaurant it fulfills all the usual requirements and whilst it suffers from a lack of pub ambience, it does now offer a little more choice for the drinkers. It is also handy for nearby Danson Park and is a short stroll from Welling Utd football ground.

On 16^th February 2012 - rating: 6
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