An Upminster pub thinks its "personal touch" approach to customer service is what keeps guests coming back.

The Recorder is spotlighting the Crumpled Horn this week - a "service-orientated" pub with some very spooky Halloween decorations. 

The boozer in Corbets Tey Road is fairly young as far as pubs go, opening in the early 2000s, but general manager Russ Crosbie says it sticks to the "old-fashioned things".

Its dartboard is a favourite amongst regulars and its weekly pub quiz is "very popular and well attended", according to Russ, welcoming as many as 100 players at times. 

The Crumpled Horn's dartboard is very popular amongst regularsThe Crumpled Horn's dartboard is a hit amongst regulars, Russ said (Image: Russ Crosbie)

The general manager said: "We are a good old English pub, so people generally come in to have a drink or make friends.

"We appreciate that people want to come and do the old-fashioned things."

The Crumpled Horn sticks to "club classics" and dance music when it has DJs in on Fridays and Saturdays, and offering a menu of "pub classics" for its older weekday demographic.

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Its Halloween decorations are spooky but its staff are friendlyIts Halloween decorations are spooky (Image: Russ Crosbie)

Russ told the Recorder: "The one thing I think we do really well is service - we are very service-orientated as a pub.

"We've got a silver generation that we serve and they love a personal touch.

"Although we are not classed as a table service pub, we do operate table service as and when we can, because that is what they love.

"We make everyone's experience as personal as we can.

"Once we get to know you, you're part of our family."

The Crumpled Horn - which gets its name from an old dairy farm in Upminster - often hosts events, such as its Halloween Spooktacular on October 31.

This includes apple bobbing, pumpkin painting and gingerbread decorating.

Russ told this paper that he would not be able to put on these types of events, or be a home for all the "classic" English pub features, without the help of his "amazing" team.

He said: "I don't think I could do this job without them.

"It just goes to show - it doesn't matter how good you think you are as a manager, you are only as good as the team that works for you."