Ivy League

Well, as you might have guessed, I made a second attempt at visiting the recently refurbished Ivy House, in Tonbridge. I’m pleased to report my quest for liquid refreshment was successful this time, and I also managed to sit outside on the raised patio area at the front of the pub.

Matthew accompanied me, as we both had a few bits of shopping to pick up, so it was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived at the pub. This was my first time inside the Ivy House for a couple of years, as the pub had lain empty for at least a year before the essential remedial work was completed and the refurbishment could then begin.

The pub was scheduled to open at Easter, but the pandemic of course put paid to that. Instead the Ivy underwent a sort of “soft” opening,  as a means of trying out its food offerings, which were sold online as pre-ordered takeaways for customers to collect. Knowing the track-record of the pub’s owners, I knew the food would be good, but I was itching to take a look inside and see what beers the Ivy would be stocking.

Two of the outdoor tables were occupied, but there were several more that were free. Each had a number, plus a QR code, but it the absence of further instructions, we tentatively poked our heads through the door to see what the score was. This is the trouble with post-lockdown pub regimes – they all  appear to be different.

We approached the bar, but not before following the instructions to scan the larger QR code on the wall and enter our details for the government’s “world-beating"  track and trace system. One problem, not knowing the pub’s Wi-Fi code in advance, my phone couldn’t connect to the internet; not without me switching to 4G and using some of my data allowance.

I’m not sure it worked even then, although I imagine my phone number at least was captured by the system. We then approached the bar which, as previously, is on a lower level. The barmaid was behind the ubiquitous Perspex screen; boy, how I wish I’d invested some money in Perspex sheeting, prior to this pandemic, I could have retired as a wealthy man!

The girl behind the bar was quite chatty, which is always a good sign, and patient as well, but what happens with those customers who don’t possess a Smart Phone? The two cask ales were Harvey’s Sussex Best and Ruddles Bitter.  The latter was rather a strange choice, in my view, so I went for the  Harvey’s of course. Young master Matthew opted for a pint of Beck’s.

Our hostess said that business had been quite brisk since reopening as a pub, with a steady trade, plus one or two former regulars from the old days putting in an appearance. This sounded like good news but having bought our drinks, we felt obliged to move away from the bar and make our way outside.

I would have liked a proper look around but knowing how this is frowned upon in many pubs because of obsessive Covid compliance, thought better of it. What I did notice was the former two-bar layout had been retained, and there was what looked like an indoor dining area leading off to the right.

As mentioned earlier, there were several table free outside, so we found one where we could watch the comings and goings, whilst soaking up some of the early autumn sunshine. My Harvey’s was very good and worthy of a 3.5 NBSS. I don’t know what Matthew’s international lager was like, but he enjoyed it, nevertheless.

One slight disappointment was the absence of Pilsner Urquell from the lager line-up. The Czech classic had been a welcome feature of the pub’s previous incarnation and was one of its more redeeming features. Still, it’s early days at present, and who knows the original golden pilsner might make an appearance, once the pub and its trade become more established.

A couple who had been sitting nearby, upped sticks and left, but several other builder-types then appeared. They all seemed to know each other, but as they weren’t above half dozen in number, they wouldn’t register on pimply little Matt Hancock’s “rule of six” radar. It all seemed encouraging, even if it is still early days, and the regulations  associated with Covid compliance don’t enhance the atmosphere in even the most welcoming of pubs, so fingers crossed.

To sum up, the Ivy House has been given a much needed makeover, but not so as to ruin its essential character. Unlike the previous two versions, when it presented itself as a “dining pub” or even a "gastropub," it has returned to being a proper pub, and not only is that to be applauded, it is also a most welcome addition to the local drinking scene.