White Hart, Grays

The White Hart is a Grade II listed pub at Kings Walk, Grays, Essex, RM17 6HR.

The White Hart

It was built in 1938 for Charringtons Brewery, and replaced an 18th-century building of the same name. The architect is believed to be Edward Fincham.[1] The bar is considered by some to be haunted.[2]

It was Grade II listed in 2015 by Historic England.[1] The pub is currently closed and seeking new management.[3]

Golliwog controversy

In February 2018 an investigation into the pub was held by Thurrock Council after a complaint was made against the display of golliwog dolls around the pub.[4] The pub was raided by police in April 2023 after a further complaint about its provocative collection. The landlord, Christopher Ryley, was defiant despite national media coverage.[5][6] Ryley's wife stated that neither she or her husband were racists, and that despite reports that her husband had been seen wearing a Britain First shirt, he was not a supporter of that party.[7] The Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the raid as a waste of police resources.[8]

The Campaign for Real Ale announced that the pub would no longer be eligible for consideration for its awards, and removed the pub from its Good Beer Guide.[9][10]

The pub was later graffitied and vandalised.[11] The Heineken and Carlsberg breweries requested that the pub cease serving its products, and the maintenance company Innserve declined to continue its work at the pub. In May 2023 the pub announced its closure, citing the opposition from its suppliers and from CAMRA as the reason.[3]

References
  1. Historic England. "The White Hart public house (1427217)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  2. "Spooky Grays pub granted heritage protection". Thurrock Gazette.
  3. "Grays pub that displayed golly dolls closes after supplier boycott". BBC News. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  4. "Council to investigate pub displaying golliwogs behind bar". The Echo. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  5. "White Hart pub landlord (who claims not to be a racist) defiant: "The Golliwogs are staying!"". Your Thurrock. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  6. "Pub determined not to remove Golliwogs despite council investigation". Thurrock Gazette. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  7. "Pub landlady in golliwog row denies husband is Britain First supporter after he's pictured in group's shirt". LBC. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  8. "Suella Braverman makes views 'very plain' to police over golliwog doll seizure from Essex pub". Sky News. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  9. "Essex pub handed awards and publication ban by Camra over golly doll collection". Sky News. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  10. CAMRA [@CAMRA_Official] (13 April 2023). "Following discussions with the branch & our volunteer leadership yesterday evening, the White Hart's entry in the Good Beer Guide has been deleted & will not be submitted for forthcoming guides while the pub continues to be operated in a way counter to CAMRA's values and policies" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. Hajjaji, Danya (16 April 2023). "Essex pub that displayed golly dolls seized by police is vandalised". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2023.

51.4740°N 0.3225°E / 51.4740; 0.3225


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