Market Place was once home to a bustling watering hole trade, with at least six pubs recorded to have existed there in the 1930s.
Today just two of these pubs remain, one of them being The Bull.
Havering Libraries’ archives point to the presence of a Bull pub in Market Place since before 1630, when it was referred to in documents as an inn “late called the Bull, and now called the angel”.
This is believed to be in reference to the Angel Inn, just off the High Street.
It is accepted that The Bull has set on its current premises after having first been established during the seventeenth or early eighteenth century, where it stood among other watering holes such as The Windmill and Bells.
It read: “R. Symonds wishes to inform Bill Carther, the Fleet Market butcher, or Jerry Donovan, that he can be backed for ten or 15 sovereigns to fight either of them.
“He is to be heard of at The Bull Inn, Romford.”
In 1865, it was leased to Octavius Coope of Ind Coope and around 1880, the pub was rebuilt for the first time.
A second application for the redevelopment of the pub was made in November 1927 where a solicitor acting on behalf of Messrs Ind. Coope, put forward plans to “rebuild The Bull, Market Place, Romford, according to modern ideas”.
Havering Libraries notes that permission was granted, and The Bull was “entirely demolished” before opening its new doors on January 10, 1929.
An edition of The Romford Times in January 1929 read: “There has been a Bull in the Romford Market Place for very many years but few modern houses can boast of the pretensions of the new Bull of which Mr Albert Charles Payne holds the licence.
New features of The Bull included a “spacious public bar and a saloon bar” both in oak, a mahogany panelled saloon lounge and a luncheon room with capacity for 70 people.
Covered parking for 18 cars was detailed to the rear of the watering hole.
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The Bull’s 64 foot frontage in Market Place consisted of Bath stone and Collier’s bricks which with “the massive doors and leaded windows, gives the house a most pleasing effect”.
The pub upkept its status of an inn into 1967, still providing accommodation for six people.
It underwent a major refurbishment in 2018, reopening in November the same year.
