Punch & Judy - that's the way to do it!

Last Friday afternoon I called in at the Punch & Judy in Tonbridge. Keen readers might remember this was the pub I mentioned briefly whilst writing a post about the Nelson Arms. I’d bumped into an old friend in the pub, who was enthusing about the quality of the Harvey’s at the Punch. The reason for the top-notch beer is because the landlady of the PJ has taken the bold, but quite sensible decision to slim down the range of draught beer in her pub.

Actually, a cull would be the most appropriate word, because if you want a pint of draught at the Punch, you are limited to just two beers - one cask ale, plus one keg. There are no surprises for guessing that the cask is Harvey’s Sussex Best, but more controversially the keg is Foster’s lager. Ignoring the latter, because that’s the best thing to do with Aussie fizz, her strategy of just two draught beers, means they turn over in just a few days, rather than sitting for days in cask, keg or the beer lines.

A quick turnover not only means fresh beer, but also beer that is a pleasure to drink, and the strategy is obviously working as, according to my friend Eric, the Punch is selling one of the best pints of Harvey’s in town. Determined to check this out for myself, I nipped along to the Punch & Judy, and this is what I found. Friday’s reconnaissance trip was my first visit to the pub in several years, or possibly even longer, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There was a small crowd of blokes hanging around the bar, plus a handful of drinkers sat in the middle section of the pub.

Ignoring the suspicious looks from one or two of the customers (the pub is opposite the rear of Tonbridge Police Station, I ordered myself a pint of Harvey’s Sussex, and after paying for it, took my glass along to the far end of the pub, where there is a raised section tucked out of the way. I’ve never been quite sure about the origins of this part of the Punch because it almost seems like a separate building. It is single storey, with a series of stained-glass windows that let in the light. I have a feeling that this area was possibly the club room, but whatever its origins, I have always regarded it as the nicest part of the pub.

Back to the Sussex Best, it was keenly priced at £4.70 a pint, which is cheaper than you would pay in most Harvey’s tied pubs. The beer in my glass, was excellent, well-kept, tasty and most appealing. I was debating whether to award a score of 5.0 on Untappd, but in the end settled for a 4.75. Continuing with the superlatives, the beer was full-bodied and multi-layered, with sufficient hops to balance out the malt. It was definitely one of the best pints of Harvey’s I’ve enjoyed in a long time. Eric was obviously right, and I shall tell him so, next time I see him. I only had time for the one pint, because Mrs PBTS was expecting me home for tea, but I shall definitely return.

Towards the end of my stay at the Punch, there was a subtle shift in the type of customer, and it altered from single, slightly leary builder types, to couples and others who seemed like professional people, who had just finished work, and had popped in for a relaxing pint on their way home. It’s worth recording that I've known the Punch & Judy on and off for many years, but when I first moved to Tonbridge it was called the Gardener’s Arms. 

In those days, it was a small and compact backstreet local, with two bars. Somewhere along the line the interior was opened up, a move which, to my mind, destroyed much of the pub’s character. To be fair, the place has mellowed a lot since then. The accompanying enlargement of the drinking areas, led to a change of name, although initially the pub had a different name prior to becoming the Punch & Judy. I’m struggling to recall what that interim name was, so if any Tonbridge readers are able to enlighten me, it would be much appreciated.

That’s it in a nutshell really, as apart from the Punch being a thriving community local, offering regular live music, as well as excellent beer, there isn’t much else to say. No food is available, probably because there isn’t much call, but dogs appear welcome, and the Punch has its own pooch to keep an eye on things. However, given its proximity to Tonbridge nick, there shouldn’t be much call for a fierce dog to see off any ne’er-do-wells.

Westerham re-visted - Part Two

 

After a brief, but pleasant journey over from Sevenoaks rail station, the Go Coach No.1 bus service dropped me in the centre of Westerham, opposite the town green and its imposing statue of Winston Churchill.  Churchill of course was probably the town’s best-known former resident, and this impressive sculpture of Winston, first revealed to the public in 1969, depicts Churchill in a rather thoughtful pose, with the absence of his trademark cigar. Rather than standing, Britain’s wartime PM is sitting (almost reclining), on a large block of white marble, that was donated by Marshall Tito and the people of Yugoslavia – no doubt in thanks for assistance rendered by Britain, to their country, during WWII.

I originally only planned on visiting two of Westerham’s three town centre pubs, but seeing as the bus stop was just a few steps away from the King’s Arms, it seemed rude not to call in and see what the place was like. It had been more than a few years since I last set foot inside this imposing looking pub, as on a previous visit, with a group of friends, following a walk over from nearby Crookham Hil, we’d only had time to call in at the George & Dragon plus the nearby Grasshopper on the Green.

I’m pleased to report that despite my initial reservations, I found the King’s Arms to be a pleasant and stylish hotel bar, which forms part of a large, Georgian coaching inn. It is part of the Old English Inns group and has been welcoming guests since 1700. Its 17 bedrooms are handy for those wishing to spend a few days in the area, in order to visit the some of the nearby local attractions such as Chartwell, Emmetts Gardens and Quebec House. There is a courtyard terrace at the rear, which provides a peaceful environment away from the often-busy High Street, although not really appropriate in January.

Not surprisingly, the King’s Arms has a real hotel feel to it, with reception desk, plus restaurant to right of a central lobby, plus a large bar area to the left. With Greene King IPA and Abbot on tap – nice pint of Abbot btw, I soon felt at home. The food offering looked good, but as I wrote about this in the previous post, I shan’t repeat myself here. I took my pint to rear of the room, which overlooks the garden, but following my mantra of never sitting with one’s back to the action, I manoeuvred myself up on to the raised bench, designed to complement the high “posing tables.” 

From there I had a fine view of the bar. Siting parallel to me, but a couple of tables to my left, were two middle-aged women, who were definitely “ladies that lunch.” I wasn’t ear-wigging but given their loud voices, I couldn’t help hearing their conversation. This seemed to centre around breast enlargements (boob jobs), and which of their circle/close family relations had them, and which didn’t. I presume they were talking about the female members of their confidants, but who knows! I couldn’t decipher either whether they personally were in favour of them or not, but perhaps large breasts are a bit of a thing in Westerham, as there’s certainly plenty of money floating around the local area.

Time to move on, and to something rather more sedate, and less intrusive than boob jobs, I upped sticks and headed for the George & Dragon. Located just across the road, and overlooking Market Square at the town end of the green, the G&D is another pub with plenty of history. Like its counterpart across the road, the pub has a lengthy frontage, and an equally impressive heritage. Painted in a much lighter shade of grey than the King's Arms, the G&D dates from the 16^th century, but in early 2021 underwent a long period of refurbishment, before re-opening in July 2022. It is operated under the Bel & the Dragon brand, a small upmarket pub chain purchased by Fuller’s a few years previously.

I can’t really remember what it was like previously, but the pub has a long and stretched out, interior with a raised section in the centre, which is where the bar counter is situated. There are several smaller rooms and drinking areas leading off from either side of the bar, and it was to one of these secluded areas that I retired to, once I had bought my drink. London Pride, Oliver’s Island plus a guest ale from the local Westerham Brewery, in the form of 500 Miles. Billed as a Sassenach Heavy, and also as an obvious tribute to the Proclaimers, this darkish beer is brewed as a Scottish Heavy, with touches of roasted malt for both colour and body. 

The pub interior is referred to as being in a colonial style, possibly a reference to the white paint that coats much of the walls and ceilings, as well as the oak beams supporting the ceiling.  There is a conservatory restaurant, plus an attractive terraced area at the rear, and like its neighbour opposite, the G&D has a total of 13 rooms to let. Special mention ought to be made of the Gentleman’s facilities, with the orange-themed décor, garish wallpaper, and obligatory, posh hand-wash – fragrance unknown, but not unpleasant.

It’s now time to move on to the third pub, which is just a short hop away, from the G&D. Enjoying an enviable position, the Grasshopper on the Green is another inn with coaching connections, although unlike the town’s other pubs, accommodation is not available. The Grasshopper is considerably smaller than the other two as well, although somewhat unusually in this day and age, it contains three separate bars. 

Upon entering, I opted for the bar at the front of the pub, and to the right. There seemed to be an identical bar to the left, plus a much larger one at the rear, running across the entire width of the building. Judging by the conversation and banter coming from that area, the bulk of the pub’s customers seemed to be in that bar. I didn’t go exploring the other two bars, as there was no need, although a visit to the Gents may have been advisable before boarding the bus back to Sevenoaks.

According to the write-up on What Pub, the three bars cater for a variety of clientele with the rear room housing a log fire and the Wolfe Bar catering for customers seeking live sports TV coverage. The latter must have been the one to the left, as fortunately there was no televised sport spoiling my visit. Outdoor table seating is available for “people-watching” on the green or those desperate for a nicotine fix, whilst for those seeking solitude, the peaceful garden, at the rear provides a welcome escape away from the tourists who flock to Westerham. Late January was far too cold to be sitting outside, and I was more than happy to sat in the warmth of the cosy bar at the front. A comprehensive menu includes breakfast and light bites, and the first-floor restaurant provides additional dining space, but given the limited time-frame between bus departures, I was only there for the beer – and it wasn’t Double Diamond! 

Instead, it was a choice of the ubiquitous Harvey’s Sussex Best, or Gresham Hopper, a light and refreshing 3.4% pale ale, from the rather unfortunately named, Titsey Brewery. “Titter ye not”, as the late Frankie Howard would have said, but for those who think I am continuing with the “bosoms” theme, the brewery is named after the nearby Titsey Place, which is one of the largest surviving historic estates in Surrey. The Titsey Estate Company, now own the brewery, which was originally founded as a one-man band microbrewery in 2017 by Craig Vroom. Gresham Hopper was a nice drop of ale, and I remember, back in the summer, enjoying another Titsey beer – Leveson Buck. In common with Westerham, Titsey Brewery,  have their own taproom which, in their case, is located at the highest point of the North Downs Way, with arguably some of the best views in Surrey.

As mentioned earlier, I had a bus to catch, and it was one I didn’t want to miss, as that would mean a two hour wait until the next one. In common with most of the other local bus companies, Go Coach vehicles are engaged on the busy school run, between 3 & 5 pm, ferrying hordes of lively school kids, back from their place of learning, to points closer to home. My bus arrived on time, and dropped me off opposite Sevenoaks station, where fortunately the toilets were open, rather than locked. These points are important, once one reaches a certain age. Westerham, is well worth exploring further, and come the summer, I intend combining a bus trip, with a walk across the fields, in order to take in a visit to Westerham Brewery.

 

Westerham, revisited - Part One

Westerham is an attractive town in the Sevenoaks District of Kent and is located 3.5 miles east of Oxted and 6 miles west of Sevenoaks. It borders both Greater London and Surrey and has roots dating back to before the Norman conquest. In 1227 Henry III granted Westerham a market charter, making the settlement a major player in the buying and selling of cattle in Kent; a tradition that survived to 1961 when the last cattle market was held.

Westerham’s two most famous former residents were, General James Wolfe, and Sir Winston Churchill. Wolfe was a British Army major general, remembered chiefly for his victory in 1759, over the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec. An engagement which ended French domination over much of Canada and handed control of the province to the British. Unfortunately, the battle for Quebec, cost the lives of both Wolfe, plus the commander of the French garrison, the Marquis de Montcalm.

Sir Winston Churchill needs little in the way of introduction and is best remembered for his leadership in guiding Britain and its allies to victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Churchill made his home at Chartwell, just outside Westerham, and apart from the war years, spent 40 years of his life living, and also improving this attractive, country house. Although I have walked through the grounds, at the rear of the property, I have never visited the house itself. It’s one of those situations where you never fully appreciate that which is literally on your own doorstep. One day, though!

Westerham was also home to the Black Eagle Brewery, which stood on the western edge of the town. Known as Bushell, Watkins & Smith, the company controlled 102 pubs, centred mainly on the Kent-Surrey border. It was taken over by London brewers Taylor Walker & Co in 1948, before becoming part of Ind Coope in 1959. Brewing ceased in 1965, and the site continued as a distribution depot. The brewery buildings were demolished in 1989, although the Brewer’s House remains. Yeast from the brewery was preserved at the National Collection of Yeast Cultures and is now used by the present day Westerham Brewery, which was established in 2004.

I first became aware of Westerham, after stopping off at a pub there, in the summer of 1974. I was with my father, and we were on our way back from Southampton, after dropping my sister and her friend off at the  airport. The pair were embarking on a girly holiday in the Channel Isles – possibly Jersey, although after 50 years, I can’t remember which island the girls were staying at. Our route back from Southampton, took us along the A25 from Guildford, and although not a drinker, dad fancied stopping off somewhere, for a drop of refreshment, on the way back.

I had with me, a copy of the first CAMRA Good Beer Guide, which was hot off the press that year, and dad asked me to choose a pub, near to, or preferably on our route. The General Wolfe in Westerham, seemed the obvious candidate, as this pleasant little, white-painted weatherboard pub, was right on the busy A25, a road which, back in days before the construction of M25, formed the main east-west route, to the south of London. The pub also acted as the brewery tap, for the adjoining Westerham Brewery.  After parking the car, dad and I sat in the quiet, wood-panelled front bar of the General Wolfe. I had a pint of Ind Coope Bitter which, even then, was quite rare in cask form, whilst my father had an orange juice.

In the intervening years, I made the odd visit to the General Wolfe, initially as a destination pub on cycle rides out from south London, but later as a stop off. during walks in the nearby Surrey Hills. By that time, the pub had passed to Greene King, when Ind Coope’s successors, Allied Brewers, sold off parts of their less profitable tied estate. I always had a soft spot for the place, probably because it brought back memories of enjoying that pint, with my father. In 2017 the General Wolfe sadly closed, joining another former Westerham Brewery pub, the Old House at Home, that ceased trading in 2000.

The Old House at Home, was situated on a bend, at the bottom of a hill leading into the town, as you approach from the east along the A25. I imagine financial reasons were responsible for the closure of both these pubs, highlighting the unfortunate, but continuing decline of the licensed trade. I have vague memories of enjoying a pint or two at the pub when, mainly as a result of CAMRA outings to the town, I became acquainted with some of Westerham’s other pubs.

The Friday before last, I took a bus trip over to Westerham, using the No. 1 Go Coach service, which runs daily between the town and Sevenoaks, on an hourly basis. The journey takes just under 30 minutes, and runs via Riverhead, Bessel’s Green, Sundridge and Brasted. Before reaching Westerham, the bus turns off the A25, and does a loop via the A233, into the northern part of the town. 

On the way, it passes the entrance to the present day Westerham Brewery, which revived brewing in the town, back in 2004. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a bus stop in the vicinity, which is a shame, as the newish venture features a well-stocked, brewery tap. I still haven’t visited the premises but had been banking on reaching it using public transport, rather than getting behind the wheel and driving there.

Returning to Westerham itself, I visited all three of the remaining pubs in the town centre and seeing as there’s still quite a lot to write about, I’m going to bring this post to a close, and tell you about a trio of excellent pubs, all with plenty to say, in a subsequent article.

Still pursuing that elusive pub lunch

It’s back to that old chestnut of the cheap pub lunch, or rather the lack of it! Boak & Bailey have written on the subject recently and reached pretty much the same conclusion as the rest of us - decent and affordable pub grub is no longer a given, at least in areas of the country. As regular readers will know, I have made my own thoughts about food in pubs, quite clear over the years, see “Is a cheap and cheerful pub lunch too much to ask for?” Unfortunately, it is, especially in London and the south east, where cheap, decent and honest lunches have almost vanished from the region’s pubs and bars, although this isn’t the case in other parts of the country.

Visits over the past few years to Bath, Birmingham, Burton, the Black Country, Manchester and Sheffield have demonstrated that what the rest of the country enjoys, those who live in this corner of the kingdom, lack. Unless you know where to look, that is. However, that can be difficult, at times, although the best option here is to look out for special offers, such as reductions on certain days of the week, rather than at peak times.

On Friday, for example, I spent a couple of hours in the small, and attractive west Kent town of Westerham. I visited all three pubs in the town centre, and in due course will be writing a post about my visit. For now, it’s worth mentioning a couple of promotional offers that I noticed in the Greene King run King’s Arms, a former coaching inn situated in the heart of the town. For details, see the attached photos, although being of a certain age, it’s worth highlighting the “Senior’s Menu” menu offering that runs Monday to Friday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm allowing diners to choose from a selection of smaller portion main courses. Two courses for £10, or three courses for £12.50.

Now, the King’s Arms is an imposing 17 room hotel, with a contingent of kitchen, waiting and bar staff taking care of guests’ needs. It is therefore good commercial sense to make full use of their set-up to sell a few extra meals, at lunchtimes. Not so for your town centre local though, or perhaps not even for your idyllic country pub. Last year’s post attracted a significant number of comments, including several from people in the licensed trade, which laid bare some of the problems faced by pub owners when it comes to providing food for their customers.

Apart from the obvious requirement to maintain high standards of food hygiene, the biggest issue seems to be finding, and then being able to afford, a decent and reliable chef. If you are sensible, and don’t want all that hassle, then stick to the pre-prepared stack of cheese rolls, baps, cobs or whichever bakery term is appropriate for the region. Wrapped in clingfilm, and displayed on the bar, in a basic, transparent cabinet, what could be more welcoming for punters in search of a bit of “blotting paper” to soak up some of that beer.

Alternatively, if you wish to be a little more, up-market, then why not go down the charcuterie option, as the Fuggle’s beer cafés in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells have done?  Although mainly offering a selection of cheeses and cold meats, both outlets have facilities for limited hot snacks such as toasted sandwiches and hot dogs. On Thursdays, the latter are on offer at just £6.00 each and given that the “dogs” inside the rolls are proper German Bratwursts, this is a good offer, and one I have taken advantage of several times over the past year.

Last Thursday was no exception, but what made the offer even better on that occasion, was a free pint of Larkin’s Best Bitter – itself a rare find, as I shall explain later. Fuggle’s operate a "loyalty card" scheme in both their outlets, which is exclusively for cask ale lovers. Participants are given a card, containing 10 spaces - one for each pint of cask ordered. The bar person will stamp the holder’s card, at time of purchase. Once all 10 spaces are stamped the card holder is entitled to a free point of cask. The scheme only applies to cask ale and a full pint must be ordered to acquire a stamp. There are no time limits involved, but the free pint awarded at completion of the card, must also be cask, rather than keg.

To my mind, this is an excellent way of promoting cask beer, and a nice gesture on behalf of Alex Gregg, the owner and founder of Fuggle’s. Last Thursday, Larkin’s Best was one of the cask ales gracing the bar at the Tonbridge outlet. I knew this in advance, as Fuggle’s list all their draught beers – both cask and keg, on their joint website. 

I said earlier that Larkin’s Best Bitter was a rare find, and I say this because this excellent, full-bodied beer is hardly ever seen in local pubs. Most of them prefer to stock the weaker, and to my mind, inferior Traditional, which at 3.4%, is a full percentage point lower in strength than the Best, a feature that is reflected in both the body and the taste of the beer.

Larkin’s founder, the sadly deceased Bob Dockerty, always claimed that “Trad”, as it is known in the trade, was popular in rural pubs, due to its low strength. Drinkers could enjoy a couple of pints of this beer, and then drive home, safe in the knowledge they were unlikely to fail the breathalyser. This may well have been the case, but for those times when you are NOT driving, Trad fails to satisfy and is not really the beer for those who like a bit of body in their beer. Imagine my sense of anticipation then as the barman pulled my rich, foaming, and full-bodied pint of Larkin’s Best, and I’m pleased to report it tasted every bit as good as it looked.

The hot dog too was enjoyable (see photo above), and I went for the German option which came with Sauerkraut, crispy onions, curry ketchup, and mustard. I gave the curry ketchup a miss, as I’m not a fan of tomato sauce. With that excellent pint of Larkin’s Best, it was the perfect combination for an early lunch. I’m sure that other landlords, could put on a similar offering, especially as there’s little in the way of additional expenditure, such as expensive cooking equipment, extraction and separate preparation areas required.