Black Boy, Sidcup

Built 1961/2 by Ind Coope, it is a remarkably little-altered and therefore rare post-war estate pub, providing a fascinating glimpse into the ethos of the age.

The design conventions of the period still reflected post-war austerity, when building materials were often in restricted supply, and this is evident from the surviving fabric.  It is welcoming and friendly, but not perhaps a place to take a young family or to impress a foreign visitor.

Corner-site brick built post-war pub with a mansard roof. Built 1961/2 by Ind Coope, it is remarkable little-altered and therefore rare post-war pub. The most visible change took place in c. 2000 when the gents toilet was reduced in size to create a passage to link the two bars; also, the off sales is now a kitchen. On 1920s OS maps in this area there was a Black Boy Wood, which the pub may be named after? Has Taylor Walker lanterns fixed to the two chimney blocks.

The door on the right hand (Restons Crescent) side has a glass panel identifying it as the Public Bar, which looks original. The walls in the public bar are covered in plain and cheap-looking wood panelling to three quarter height with a row of tiles all along the bottom and another on the edge of the floor. The bar counter in here has vertical fluted panelling of a distinctive 1950s style with a piece of plain wood panelling for approx a foot just below the counter top. (The large pot shelf with a plain wood panelled front and "The Boys Bar" and "Welcome to your Local" in gold script on it is wholly modern). The bar back has a mix of glass and wood shelves, and at the top is coloured illuminated signage for ‘Double Diamond’ on the left, ‘DD’ symbol in the centre, and ‘Long Life’ on the right; the lower shelving remains intact. The large brick fireplace looks original with a tiled hearth painted red in front of it. The fixed bench seating is likely to be the original.

The Saloon bar is on the left of the building with its own access door from Southspring as well as being joined to the Public Bar via a short corridor. This room is carpeted, whereas the Public Bar is not. It also has plain wood panelling on the walls to three-quarter height with a row of tiles all along the bottom and another on the edge of the floor. The bar counter front has fluted panelling of a distinctive 1950s style, with, unusually (maybe a 1950s style decoration?) plain tongue and grove panelling of a height of about a foot slightly protruding out above it. The bar back in here backs on to the one in the Public Bar and is similar in style with a space for the old till. The lower shelving remains intact with fridges sensibly placed on the side. There is signage on the top with ‘Double Diamond’ on the left, the ‘DD’ symbol illuminated in the centre, and ‘Skol Lager’ signage on the right. There is an original brick fireplace with a tiled hearth around it painted red; the fixed seating looks original.

The passage linking the two bars was originally part of the gents toilet i.e. the doorways at each end of the passage were the doors to the gents’ from each bar. Both ladies and gents toilets have no old fittings. On the corner of the pub there was until c.1978 an off sales – the now blocked-up door is on the Reston Crescent side and on the Southspring side there is what looks like a shop window also now blocked up. The space occupied by the off sales is now a kitchen with the counter removed.