Verdigris - casual, riverside dining

I appreciate that a number of readers were looking forward to the next installment of my recent visit to Portsmouth, but I’ve a busy day ahead tomorrow, so not for the first time this week, I’m crying off on completing the Pompey article. Tomorrow I’m off on a boy’s day out with son and heir, Matthew – destination to be revealed after the event, and also when I’ve had time to write up our trip. Needless to say, the place we’re going to has some classic pubs, along with plenty of history. It’s also a relatively short train away.

What I’m doing instead, is to offer you a brief write up about a Tonbridge establishment that in many ways defies categorisation. It isn’t a pub, although it once was, in fact it this attractive looking, later Victorian building was once one of the town’s premier inns. Today, the former Castle Hotel, is a restaurant, cum-cocktail bar, combined with a riverside terrace, overlooking the River Medway. Judging by the scaffolding outside, a substantial sum is being spent renovating this attractive looking building, and not before time.

The Castle Hotel was built in 1888, following the reconstruction, and widening of the Great Bridge, across the River Medway. The first public house on the site, was constructed in 1759, by the Medway Navigation Company, a powerful organisation that controlled traffic on the river, charging tolls for vessels passing through the various locks, and for loading and unloading cargoes, such as timber, iron ore as well as finished goods. To this end, there were once numerous wharf buildings lining both sides of the river, to the east of the Great Bridge.

The Castle Inn started life as a simple beer house for MNC employees working on the river. They were paid 12 shillings a week and allowed a free jug of beer every day, but following the construction of the new Great Bridge, the old inn was demolished, and the "Castle Inn" then became the "Castle Hotel." The pub was under threat of development in early 1960’s, but appears to have been reprieved, following a change of mind by the then owning brewery, Courage & Barclay.

Things the remained much the same, and when I first came to Tonbridge, initially to work, and then later to live, the Castle was a typical Courage tied house of the period, that had seen better days. Since then, the establishment has had a varied history and for a period was known as the Castle Gold Bar. It then became “Graze”, for a while, but despite its central location on the High Street, opposite the castle, it never seemed to achieve its true potential. This was surprising given its setting by the river, with its own terraced area.

I'm not sure when the former Castle became "Verdigris", a food-focused cocktail bar, but it has definitely brought something unique to Tonbridge. Enjoy casual riverside dining with views of Tonbridge Castle and relax as you watch the world go by. The bar specializes in fine wines and cocktails, so there's no cask ale. However, the Bavarian-brewed Hofmeister Helles lager on keg is well worth trying.

The building has had significant money spent on it and, as mentioned above, is currently surrounded by scaffolding for maintenance. In its later years, the Castle was notorious for the amount of pigeon droppings on the roof and first-floor windows, so it's good to see the building finally receiving the care it desperately requires. I visited one afternoon a couple of weeks ago to have a coffee and look around. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, with an unhurried feel about the place. I found a comfortable armchair and sat, watching the world go by.

I cannot comment on the food personally, but I have seen mixed reviews. Mrs. PBT and a few of her friends dined there some years ago, before the pandemic, and comments were made about the portion sizes, but that was over five years ago, and things may have changed since then. On the other hand, a friend from CAMRA praised Verdigris highly, remarking on the quality of the food on offer. Although it might not be my choice for a full meal, despite its fine dining reputation, in the summer, it seems like an excellent place to enjoy a relaxing pint of Hofmeister by the river, watching the boats go by. It would be an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours on a summer afternoon.

That’s all for now folks, but I shall be catching up with readers, later in the week.