A few thoughts as we move into April

Without a shadow of doubt, I picked the wrong week to have off from work; certainly, in view of the un-springlike weather we’ve been experiencing, but it was one of those take it or leave it situations. As with many companies  the carry-over of unused annual leave, into the new holiday year, can cause problems. I’m not sure why this should be, but Inland Revenue rules permit the carry over of a maximum of five days, so the sensible thing is to use excess leave before the start of the new holiday year. It isn’t always that simple, as I found out, because whilst I usually manage to carry a few days over, I took my eye off the ball, and this year ended up with more than the magic “five days."

So, like quite a few other people in the company, I’ve been compelled to take the excess off, under a "use it or lose it" arrangement. W/c 27^th March, represented the last possible week before the start of the new holiday year, and seeing as we have now reached both astronomical, as well as meteorological spring, I was optimistic at getting out and about. I certainly had plans to get some more outdoor walking under my belt, and had also planned a few pub visits, or other days out.

There is also quite a lot of work that needs to be done in the garden, but all of this planned work, or nearly all of it, was scuppered by cold temperatures, rain, and high winds. By way of compensation, I’ve caught up with a few jobs indoors and have also written several blog posts, which covered recent visits to the new facility for By The Horns Brewery, at Salfords, Surrey, plus my mid-week trip to Norwich. The latter included a visit to the Woodland Cemetery, on the outskirts of the city, where my parent’s ashes have been laid to rest, but it also allowed me to renew my acquaintance with Norwich itself, and especially some of the city’s pubs. My car goes in for its MOT today. It is also due a service, but as I’m planning on upgrading my vehicle, and trading the current one in, I’ve put the service on hold for the time being.

It’s back to work on Monday, but only for three days, and with Easter on the horizon, and the potential prospect of better weather, there’s every chance of getting out and about to enjoy both the garden and a few pubs. The start of Easter, will see the annual Good Friday Ramble, organised by Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA, and providing it stays dry, the walk and subsequent pub lunch will afford the opportunity to catch up with old friends. 

The aforementioned pub stop, will be the Darnley Arms, in the village of Cobham, near to Gravesend. It’s claimed to be the oldest pub in Cobham, and I’m fairly certain I’ve been there before – I will know for sure once I get there. I don’t know yet, the exact route we shall be walking, but after looking at the map it’s likely to include a section of the North Downs Way, which should bring back a few memories. It's a slightly longer route than has been the case for many years, although not quite a return to the ten-mile rambles that characterised the walks in the late 1970's, when the idea first took off.

Finally, this afternoon, I took a drive to a well-known DIY store on the other side of Tunbridge Wells.  I needed to pick up a few support brackets for the guttering that I am fixing onto the summerhouse. There wasn’t a desperate requirement for these fixtures, rather a desire on my part to get out of the house. So, with Matthew accompanying me, there was an excuse to stop for a quick pint on the way home.  We headed for the Chafford Arms in the village of Fordcombe. It’s a pub I’ve attempted to visit on a couple of occasions recently, but without success.

Would things be different this time around? Or would I, once again, be disappointed? Last time around, we’d been unable to find room in the car park, but on this occasion there were spaces available. We got out from the car and walked up to the pub. “Lounge Bar, or Public?” I said to Matthew. “Not bothered” was the response. I tried the door to the latter, and was surprised to fin it locked, so undeterred we walked round the corner. There aren’t any lights on, my son pointed out, and sure enough the door to the other bar was locked shut, as well.

It was 3.30pm, so we concluded that the Chafford must close for a period, during the afternoon. We returned to the car and drove off, looking for another pub to quench our thirst, and ended up, not for the first time, at the Spotted Dog, on the other side of the Medway valley. It was quiet inside this lovely old inn, but at least it was open. Even better, there was Goacher’s Gold Star on tap at the bar, alongside Harvey’s Best and Larkin’s Traditional. Whilst ordering our drinks, I asked the bar manager whether she knew what opening hours were kept by the Chafford. She wasn’t sure, but a couple of drinkers standing at the bar were rather more forthcoming, claiming the pub was a law unto itself as far as its opening hours were concerned.

Pub opening times, and whether or not they are adhered to, are a regular topic that crops up on blogs, forums, and other places for online discussion. At the end of the day, they are a matter for individual licensees, although it does makes sense, with certain provisos, for pubs to adhere to their publicly stated opening hours. According to What Pub, the Chafford's opening times are 11am – midnight, apart from Sundays, when it doesn’t open until midday. The website advises people to phone first, whilst stating the pub is closed Sunday night and all day Monday, so which is correct?  

I’ve gone somewhat off topic, so will end this piece now, but in the meantime, despite my opening salvo about our unpredictable climate, let’s keep in mind the adage "there is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!"