By early evening the light is going and the walkers are coming off the riverside paths around Hall Place, heading back towards the village centre. Bexley's evening is a quiet one: a meal, a drink in a traditional pub, and a train home rather than a long night of bar-hopping.
This is a suburban corner of south-eastern Greater London, and its nightlife suits people who want a calm, low-key evening — a proper pub, a club match, a meal — rather than a big-city club scene. If you are looking for late-night dancing, you would generally travel into central London; if you want a relaxed local night, Bexley and its neighbouring districts serve that well.
Where to go out in Bexley
1. Bexley Village (Old Bexley)
The historic core of the area, sometimes called Bexley Village or Old Bexley to distinguish it from the wider borough. It is the natural base for an evening out here: the parish church of St Mary, with its unusual octagonal-cone spire, gives the centre its landmark, and the surrounding streets are where you would settle in for a meal and a drink.
Suits an early, unhurried evening. Bexley railway station connects the area with London Charing Cross via Sidcup and with Gravesend, and local buses link it with Bexleyheath, Crayford, Dartford, Sidcup, Welling and beyond, so you can go out without driving.
2. Bexleyheath town centre
Just to the north, Bexleyheath is the larger town centre for the borough and the place to head if you want something more substantial than the village. The sources note a large Wetherspoons here, which makes it the most straightforward option for a casual drink in a busy setting.
Suits a group night out when you want choice and volume rather than character, and it is easily reached from Bexley by bus.
3. The micropub circuit
Small, single-room pubs have taken hold in this part of south-east London. The sources record micropubs in Eltham, Blackfen, Sidcup and Crayford — all within reach of Bexley by bus or train.
Suits drinkers who prefer a short menu of well-kept beer and conversation to a loud, standing-room-only bar. Plan your route in advance, as these are spread across several districts rather than clustered in one street.
4. Traditional pubs in the surrounding neighbourhoods
Away from the town centres, the wider area keeps a stock of traditional pubs of the kind that have survived in the suburbs. Sundridge Park, a small neighbourhood to the north in Bromley, is singled out in the sources for retaining well-liked traditional pubs, including the Anglesey Arms, the Prince Frederick and the Red Lion.
Suits a quieter, seated evening with good ale. Note that these are some distance from Bexley itself, and that the source describes them as they were at the time of writing rather than confirming they trade today — check before you travel.
5. Club sport and clubhouses
Local sport is part of the evening and weekend culture here. The Old Dartfordians' War Memorial clubhouse on Bourne Road, home to the DA5 Club, serves both the Dartfordians' Rugby Club and Cricket Club. Bexley Cricket Club and Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club are both based on Manor Way, with the hockey club also playing at Hurstmere School and Erith School.
Suits anyone who would rather watch or play a match than sit in a bar. If you are in the area for a fixture, the clubhouse is the natural place to spend the rest of the evening.
6. Welling and Charlton for football
For an evening or afternoon at a match, the sources point to Welling United and Charlton Athletic. Charlton play at The Valley in Floyd Road, and Welling United are among the semi-professional sides in the lower divisions.
Suits a football crowd and a pre- or post-match drink nearby. Both are a journey from Bexley rather than a walk, so check fixtures and travel before committing to an evening.
7. The riverside and Green Chain walks
Not a night out in the conventional sense, but part of how evenings here are spent. The Green Chain Walk begins at the gardens by the Thames Barrier and continues into the south-eastern suburbs, and the Thames Path follows the south bank from Greenwich to Erith, mostly paved with some gravel and rough sections. Three walking routes pass Hall Place: the Shuttle River Way, the Cray River Way and the London LOOP.
Suits a long summer evening or a bright winter afternoon. Time these for daylight — the paths are not lit for night walking.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not record specific dining or closing times for Bexley. What they do show is a pattern typical of outer south-east London: an evening built around a pub or a clubhouse rather than a late-night venue circuit, with the last trains and buses setting the practical end of the night. Bexley station runs services to Charing Cross via Sidcup and to Gravesend, and buses connect the area with Abbey Wood, Bexleyheath, Bromley, Crayford, Chislehurst, Dartford, Eltham, Erith, North Greenwich, Sidcup, Thamesmead and Welling — so check your last connection before you settle in. If you want a night that runs into the small hours, plan to travel into central London.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Halloween — 31 October
- Guy Fawkes Day — 5 November
- Remembrance Sunday — November
- Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day — 24 to 26 December, with a substitute bank holiday on 28 December
- New Year's Eve and New Year's Day — 31 December and 1 January
- Carnival, Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day — February
- Valentine's Day — 14 February
Note that the end of daylight saving time in late October brings the evenings in early, which changes how a night out here feels.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a big club scene in Bexley?
No. The sources describe drinking in Bexley in terms of micropubs and a large Wetherspoons in Bexleyheath, with traditional pubs in the surrounding neighbourhoods. For clubs, you would generally head into central London.
How do I get to and from Bexley in the evening?
Bexley railway station has services to London Charing Cross via Sidcup and to Gravesend. Numerous Transport for London bus routes connect the area with Bexleyheath, Bromley, Crayford, Dartford, Sidcup, Welling, Erith, Eltham, Abbey Wood, Chislehurst, North Greenwich and Thamesmead.
What is there to do in the evening if I do not drink?
You can watch club sport — the Old Dartfordians' clubhouse on Bourne Road hosts rugby and cricket, and Bexley Cricket Club and Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club are based on Manor Way. Football is available at Welling United and Charlton Athletic. The Green Chain Walk and the Thames Path are options in daylight.
Are the pubs listed here still open?
The sources describe them as they were at the time of writing and do not confirm current trading. Check before you travel.
Decide whether you want the village, the town centre or a match, check your last train or bus, and plan the evening around that.