Two distinctive and separate drinking areas with comfortable seating, wood panelled walls and an amazing chandelier consisting of brown beer bottles. Since the change of management in late 2016, and again in February 2020, the pub seems to have got its mojo back! It's buzzy and lively with live music every Friday or Saturday, karaoke on Wednesdays, open mic once a month on a Thursday, quiz night Sundays.
Historic Interest
The cottage forming part of the premises is believed to be one of the earliest in Crayford.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
Mid Victorian pub, extended to the rear in 1936 by Reffells of Bexley. The main entrance leads to a lobby which was formerly the off–sales section. The counter and hatch for this is still extant. A door to the R leads to the former public bar. The corner door to this is now disused. The counter probably dates from an interwar refit which may have occurred when the pub was extended. The L hand door leads to the former saloon bar. Here the counter front has fielded panelling. The walls also have fielded panelling, though it is unclear how old it is. The two rooms are connected at the rear via a third room. There’s an island servery – here, the bar back looks new.
Two-storey pub of brick and render, it was extended to the rear in 1936 by Reffells of Bexley and retains a number of fittings from 1936.
The main entrance leads to a lobby with 2/3rd height panelling and an intact former bottle and jug still with its counter and hatch but with later additions of two glass-fronted cabinets. Formerly, three separate rooms around a centrally placed servery but they are now linked together.
The left-hand door leads to the former saloon bar. Here the counter front has fielded panelling. The plainer finishing of the current saloon (to left) suggests this was once the public bar, having a pool table today. The walls also have fielded panelling, though it is unclear how old it is. The bar back comprises panels with illuminated signing for both brewery and pub name - similar to 1950s and 1960s refits - though the former is later, having replaced earlier ownership details when taken over by Shepherd Neame.
A door to the right leads to the former public bar. The corner door to this is now disused. The current public bar has a dartboard within - a notable feature here is a newer 'chandelier' made from old brown beer bottles - which suggests a swap between public and saloon bars has occurred at some time. Current saloon also features similar 2/3rd height panelling with a fireplace (though modernised), an open wooden staircase and fielded front panels to the bar counter from the interwar refit. An impressive brass plate above the bar top acts as a bank of sixteen light switches individually labelled in a named sequence.
The two rooms are connected at the rear via a third room (part of the extension) which has a another fireplace with herringbone brick infill and there is a mixture of modern and aged panelling, the former predominating at full height. In the 1980s, the Great British Boxer Lennox Lewis lived at the Arms and was known to have trained and boxed there.
This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 2 regular beers.
Crayford Arms, Crayford