Entertainment in Romford

If you want to see a show during your stay in Romford, the Brookside Theatre is a tiny 160-seat studio theatre that punches well above its weight with its programme of full-scale theatre productions, live music, comedy stars and celebrity shows. Past in-house performances include productions of The Woman in Black and Sweeney Todd. The spooks don’t just come from the actors, though; there are reports that the Brookside Theatre is haunted!

Alternatively, you can make your way to the Queen’s Theatre in nearby Hornchurch, which attracts bigger shows than the Brookside thanks to its larger capacity of 500 seats. It curates an excellent programme of theatre, and famous names such as Sir Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith have taken to its stage.

Check out our Premier Inn hotel in Romford (Mercury Gardens).

The most popular sports option in town is a trip to the Romford Greyhound Stadium to have a flutter on the Romford Dogs. It’s one of only two dog tracks left in London, and one of just 21 left in the UK. It’s an entertaining way to spend an evening, and you can watch your bet from the bar if you don’t fancy standing out in the cold and the rain. The stadium hosts six race meetings a week. You can visit on Friday and Saturday evenings, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and Monday and Thursday afternoons.

The alternative for footy fans is to watch Romford FC play a home game at Brentwood Town. The non-league club, in its original iteration, was founded way back in 1876. While it has never reached the lofty heights of the Football League, it enjoys an enthusiastic following, and tickets are cheap, so it’s worth trying to catch a match during your stay.

When it comes to live music in Romford, as well as checking to see what’s on at the likes of the Brookside Theatre and the Queen’s Theatre, there are a couple of pubs that have built reputations for hosting local live music. Try the Golden Lion on the High Street on the weekends, the bar at The Sun on Fridays and Saturdays and last but not least The Lamb on the Market Place, which hosts karaoke, DJ nights, live bands, open mic nights and jam sessions throughout the week.