Havering is the most easterly of the London boroughs, and in many ways it feels more like Essex than London. More than half of it is green belt, with farmland, country parks and marshes, and its towns, Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster among them, look east towards Brentwood and Southend as much as west towards the city. Minibus hire Havering customers book reflects that, with nights out in Romford, stag and hen dos, weddings at Upminster and Hornchurch venues, school trips, and runs to Stansted, Southend and the other airports.
The borough has the M25 running down its eastern edge, with junction 28 on the A12 and junction 29 on the A127, and the A13 along its southern side. From our base in SE1, Romford is about an hour outside the rush hour, and Upminster about an hour and ten minutes.
Minibus hire Havering for nights out and stag dos
Romford's South Street and the area around the station are the borough's main nightlife, and our Romford page covers them in detail. Hornchurch's Station Lane and the High Street have bars and restaurants too, and Upminster has pubs and restaurants around the station.
Stag and hen groups often combine an activity in Essex, such as paintball, karting or clay shooting, with a night out in Romford or central London. One vehicle and one driver for the whole day keeps it together. For nights out, we'll collect from homes across the borough and plan the drop-offs at the end of the night, from Collier Row and Harold Hill to Rainham and Upminster.
Weddings in Upminster, Hornchurch and the country
Havering has a lot of weddings. Upminster's churches, the old windmill and the Tithe Barn, the golf clubs and hotels around Hornchurch and Harold Wood, and country venues just over the border in Essex all host ceremonies and receptions.
We'll plan a loop that collects guests from their homes or hotels, drops at the ceremony, takes them on to the reception and brings them back. Many venues in the green belt are down country lanes with no public transport, so a minibus saves guests worrying about who drives. Our Upminster and Hornchurch pages have more on local venues.
Schools, theatres and the country parks
Havering has a lot of primary and secondary schools, and they book us for museum visits, swimming, sports fixtures and residential trips. The Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch produces its own shows, including a popular Christmas pantomime, and draws school groups from across east London and Essex.
The borough's country parks make good outings. Havering Country Park, near Havering-atte-Bower, has the giant redwoods of an old estate. Bedfords Park has a deer enclosure and views over the Thames estuary. Rainham Marshes, an RSPB reserve on the river, suits school science trips and birdwatching groups.
Harold Hill, Rainham and the edges
Havering's outer estates and villages are spread out, and buses between them can be slow. Harold Hill, to the north-east, has a large estate and a lot of young families, and community groups there book us for days out and youth club trips. Rainham, to the south, sits by the river and the marshes, with a village centre around its Norman church. Havering-atte-Bower, at the northern tip of the borough, is a small village on a ridge with views across Essex.
For groups spread across the borough, we'll plan a pickup route that collects from two or three meeting points rather than every home, which keeps the start time sensible.
Stansted, Southend and the airports
Havering is close to two airports. Stansted is about forty to fifty minutes from most of the borough, via junction 28 or 29 of the M25 and the M11. Southend is about thirty-five to forty-five minutes, out along the A127. London City is about forty minutes along the A13, and it suits business trips to Europe with a small team and their bags. Heathrow and Gatwick are both an hour and a half or more, round the M25.
For early flights, we'll suggest a pickup time with a margin, and for arrivals we'll check the flight on the day.
Gallows Corner and the A127
Gallows Corner, where the A12 meets the A127 just east of Romford, is the borough's most notorious junction. Its old flyover has had restrictions and long-running works, and queues build quickly at peak times. The A127 towards Southend and the A12 towards Brentwood both slow down in the morning and evening rush. Minibus hire Havering groups book for an early flight or a wedding start time is planned around Gallows Corner, with a margin built in.
The M25 between junctions 28 and 30, near the Dartford Crossing, can also back up badly, and an incident there affects the whole east side of the borough.
For minibus hire in Havering, call 020 7183 0567.