Romford has seen many pubs come and go over the years - and this week we are looking back at just a few boozers the town has lost.

Whether they have now become shops, housing or a McDonald's these buildings were once watering holes with their own vibrant history.

The most recent to close was The Pompadours in Harold Hill, shutting in 2016 but standing empty for eight years.

The long-lost pubs of Romford captured in photos

The Bow and Arrow, Harold Hill - 1967

The Bow and Arrow pub in 1967 when Mr. & Mrs. E.G. Snelling were the hostsThe Bow and Arrow pub in 1967 when Mr. & Mrs. E.G. Snelling were the hosts (Image: Havering Libraries-Local Studies)

This photo taken in 1967 shows The Bow and Arrow, in Straight Road - the last pub to be built in Harold Hill, according to Havering Libraries.

It opened in October 1964 after a failed petition by residents to build new houses on the land.

The closure of The Bow and Arrow was no less controversial than its opening, according to Havering Libraries, with residents trying to stop McDonald's converting it into a drive thru - but it closed anyway in 1997 and McDonald's opened a year later.

READ MORE: McDonald's, Straight Road, Harold Hill, reopens after refurbishment

The Bitter End, High Street, Romford - 1983

The Bitter End and Grapevine in 1983 . Part of the Ian Peaty Collection of Romford Brewery photographs in the Local Studies LibraryThe Bitter End and Grapevine in 1983. Part of the Ian Peaty Collection of Romford Brewery photographs in the Local Studies Library (Image: Havering Libraries-Local Studies)

This photo shows The Bitter End in High Street, Romford, in the early 1980s, with the Grapevine attached. 

The pub was once The White Hart - a venue for clubs, societies and civic events - and licensed premises have stood on the site since at least 1605, according to Havering Libraries.

After its closure in the mid-2000s, squatters moved in with the aim of turning it into a community venue - but it was set for auction in 2022.

The Duckwood Inn, Harold Hill - 1967

The Duckwood Inn, Whitchurch Road, Harold Hill in 1967The Duckwood Inn, Whitchurch Road, Harold Hill in 1967 (Image: Havering Libraries-Local Studies)

This photo shows The Duckwood Inn, on the corner of Whitchurch and Wigton Way, which was opened by Manns Brewery in August 1955.

At the time the photograph was taken in 1967, the hosts were Mr and Mrs Holland, according to Havering Libraries, and it was also the headquarters of Romford Rugby Club.

It stopped trading in March 2010, was demolished in 2013 and residents moved into the new terraced houses built in its place by 2016.

The Pompadours, Harold Hill - 1967

The Pompadours, Hilldene Avenue/Edenhall Road, Harold Hill, in 1967The Pompadours, Hilldene Avenue/Edenhall Road, Harold Hill, in 1967 (Image: Havering Libraries-Local Studies)

This photograph shows The Pompadours in Edenhall Road in the late 1960s, when the host was Geoff Heath who ran the pub with his wife Enid.

It opened in 1956 and Havering Libraries said its first licensee, Charlie Butcher, was a former lorry driver and darts champion.

After it closed in 2016, plans were approved to build 21 new houses on the site in 2021 - although demolition work only started in February this year.

The Marlborough, Romford - c.1980

The Marlborough, Marlborough Road / Mawney Road, Romford in c.1980. From the Romford Brewery-Ian Peaty CollectionThe Marlborough, Marlborough Road / Mawney Road, Romford in c.1980. From the Romford Brewery-Ian Peaty Collection (Image: Havering Libraries-Local Studies)

This photo shows The Marlborough in around 1980, although it first opened as The Marlborough Hotel in January 1929, according to Havering Libraries.

It opened at the same time as the rebuilt Bull in Market Place, and the name is taken from its address (Marlborough Road).

The pub closed in 2013 and has since been converted into a Tesco Express.