Phil Mellows on the role of the pub in keeping the kids happy during the holidays

The Holly Tree pub in Forest Gate — Ewan Munro, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

School’s out for the summer and parents face their big challenge. What on earth do you do with the children?

My advice is, go down the pub. True, that’s my advice for tackling all of life’s knotty problems, but the great thing about the pub is that it entertains adults along with the kids.

If you can persuade your offspring to demand a trip to the local for lunch you can say “well, okay then” while privately punching the air like you’ve just scored a goal at the world cup.

Of course, it has to be the right sort of pub, and if the sun keeps shining, you’ll want to be in a family-friendly beer garden.

That narrows your options considerably in this part of London, but we do have a couple of crackers conveniently bordering Wanstead Flats, where you can almost feel like you’re out in the country.

According to the Campaign for Real Ale’s guide, Greene King’s Golden Fleece in Manor Park is “handy for the crematoriums”, but hopefully that won’t be necessary.

The leafy garden out back has a dedicated family zone and plenty of comfortable seating. There’s an unusually extensive children’s menu, too.

Down the road in Forest Gate, Remarkable Pubs’ Holly Tree has arguably one of the most exciting beer gardens in the country thanks to a miniature train that runs around the perimeter with free rides for the kids.

It’s well set up for al fresco dining, too, with booths to accommodate small groups, and it boasts one of the best beer ranges in the area.

Elsewhere, to the south of the Borough Fuller’s Windjammer is a modern riverside pub within sight of the Thames Barrier. It has a sprawling beer terrace at the front with lots of space for everyone and another good kids’ menu.

But what if it rains? The Bat & Ball by Stratford’s Westfield centre could be a good daytime option for your older children at least, a giant venue with table-tennis tables, pool, shuffleboard and darts, and a food menu focused on pizzas, burgers, hotdogs and wings.

And should you find yourself enjoying the trip out as much as the kids, just don’t let them know. They may not want to go back.

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