The Eastbrook pub, Dagenham ‘feels like home’ – manager

The Eastbrook in Dagenham Road was built in 1937 and remains a grade II listed boozer today.

It is also a three star pub on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Inventory being described as having “an interior of outstanding national historic importance”.

The pub’s manager Ahmed Salek described it as having an “old school feel with wooden decor” – paying homage to its almost 90 years of history.

MORE NEWS: Dagenham boozer set for ‘complete renovation’ into pub and restaurant

On CAMRA’s website, it claims “for quality and completeness this is one of the finest 1930s pubs anywhere”.

The pub was built in 1937 (Image: The Eastbrook) Ahmed believes that it is not just the pub’s classic design that draws in drinkers but also the modern features and the homely atmosphere.

“We have two game machines, a pool table, a dart board, two bars and two function halls – it’s a big pub,” said Ahmed.

“We can fit 150 people into our bigger hall and 50 into the smaller one and we have a car park for 100 cars.

“We hold a darts tournament every Tuesday and Thursday night and we’re planning to start a pool tournament soon.”

Ahmed said there are four TV screens between the two bars where he plans to get Sky Sports for guests to watch football matches on.

Ahmed said he plans to get Sky Sports for the TVs at the bars for guests to watch football on (Image: The Eastbrook) “We like to create a family environment where kids are welcome to come with their parents,” he said.

“This feels like home – it doesn’t feel like you are in a pub somewhere.

“Our customers know us by name and we know them by name – we have a great bond with the community.”

Ahmed took management of the Eastbrook in June last year and said he has “really enjoyed” his first taste of pub life.

“I used to be a restaurant and hotel manager but I had never worked in a pub so I did my DPS (Designated Premises Supervisor) training and started working here,” he said.

Ahmed said he has enjoyed his first taste of pub management since joining the Eastbrook in June last year (Image: Ahmed Salek) “It’s a great opportunity to meet with people and it’s different to a restaurant – pubs are all about the local people and you get to know everyone by name – it’s a different feeling.”

The Eastbrook also has hotel rooms upstairs which Ahmed claimed to be getting increasingly popular since they moved to an online booking system.

“We’re also hoping to install a trampoline on top of the play area for children already in our garden,” said Ahmed.

Ahmed said he is hoping to get a trampoline in the beer garden for children in the summer (Image: The Eastbrook) He claimed the beer garden holds around 60 drinkers and will get “very popular” in summer.

He also said curry nights, held from Wednesday to Saturday each week, are a favourite of customers.

“We do really nice, very fresh grilled food and Indian food.

“These nights are very popular and we always get great feedback from our customers.”