An expensive make-over for the Vauxhall Inn, Tonbridge

There are two pubs within easy walking distance of Bailey Towers, and by this, I mean a 10-minute stroll. Both pubs are quite ancient in appearance and form, as evidenced by the attractive, period buildings, they are housed in. Both date back several centuries, and interestingly the first of these establishments only became a pub shortly after World War II. That particular pub is the Cardinal’s Error, and I shall deal with it in a subsequent article, but for now I want to talk about the second of the two pubs, which is the Vauxhall, a former coaching inn, situated on the edge of Tonbridge and close to the main A21 Hastings – London highway.

When I first moved to Tonbridge the Vauxhall was a fairly basic and perhaps a trifle run down boozer, but it had character and a welcoming open fire in the winter. Like many local pubs at the time, it was owned by Whitbread, and back in the mid 80’s was the perfect place to take the family dog to, after she’d had been exercised around the nearby fields. Several years later, Whitbread sold the Vauxhall off to a small, and recently established pub company, who had a handful of pubs scattered across West Kent. The pub was extended to the rear and also joined to a former stable block, that was originally a “stand alone” building.

This effectively trebled the Vauxhall in size, with the original part of the pub forming an extended bar, whilst the rear extension, plus the old stable block acting as the main dining areas. The real open fires were replaced by fake, gas-fuelled "log-effect" fires and the place re-opened as a "Chimneys" restaurant.  Dogs of course were no longer welcome, so I too decided that my custom was not wanted either and took myself elsewhere. In 2012 the Vauxhall returned to the Whitbread fold and became a Chef and Brewer pub. It was a pleasant enough place to go for a quiet drink, even though prices were on the dear side, and as far as dogs were concerned, we had lost our hound 10 years or so previously.

Since then, I’ve had a pretty much indifferent association with the pub, as had my wife primarily, because the Vauxhall was chosen by her group of friends as a convenient meeting place. I’m right in saying, that pretty much every time she’s come back disappointed. She’s also convinced that the pub is haunted, because things are continually going wrong there. Somewhere along the line, the pub passed into the ownership of Greene King, leaving Whitbread to concentrate on running the Premier Inn, situated at the rear of the pub. If you can put up with the traffic noise, the Premier makes a good base for those visiting the area and wishing to explore it further.

Apart from last weekend (see below), my last time of dining at the Vauxhall was in July 2023. Matthew and I ate there at a time when Mrs PBT’s was feeling poorly. I won’t go into too much detail about that, but you can read more about it here, should you wish. That evening, whilst there was a reasonable number of customers in the pub, it wasn't exactly heaving. Also, as most of the diners were already there when we arrived, Matthew and I ended up being the last to leave. The quality of the food was good, and I enjoyed a chicken and ham hock pie, served up with mash, vegetables, and gravy. Matthew went for his usual choice of a burger.

Moving swiftly on, last Sunday, Matthew took me to the Vauxhall for a Father's Day. It was the first weekend that the Vauxhall had been open since closing last month for a major renovation ahead of the summer season. If the reports are true, Greene King spent a six-figure sum, on a facelift designed to achieve a new look inside, with new furnishings to modernise it while honouring its “rich heritage”. This was a bold, and possibly a brave move too, given it was Father’s Day, although I’m guessing that Mothering Sunday, is THE special occasion when families enjoy taking their mother out for lunch, to show appreciation and express gratitude for their mothers.

It was a bold decision by the Vauxhall management to reopen during over such a significant weekend, although I’m not certain that it was the right, or indeed the wise one. Our mid-afternoon arrival was probably after the peak lunchtime period, but the staff were obviously still adjusting to the changes, brought as a result of the makeover. Space management seemed to be a challenge, and whilst Matthew and I were waiting to be served, I overheard a staff member expressing concern about running out of glasses. In actuality, it seemed the problem was not a lack of glasses, but rather that no one had collected the empty ones and loaded them into the dishwasher. A more obvious issue seemed to be lack of space behind the bar counter, as the expensive upgrade hadn’t addressed what must have been an issue prior to the makeover.

I was left thinking what had the money been spent on, as apart from the chintzy-looking furniture, not much seemed to have changed. Being a warm day, many customers were sat outside, so the pair of us had little difficulty in finding a seat. The beers on sale were the obvious duo of IPA and Abbot, plus a new one for me in the form of a golden ale brewed specially for Chef & Brewer, called, rather unimaginatively Golden Nectar. This 3.4% abv offering was pleasant enough, although it’s no Taylor's Landlord, or Fuller's London Pride, but it was in good condition. I can’t say how much it was, as the round was Matthew’s “treat”.

In summary, I am unlikely to be returning, and whilst she wasn’t present, I doubt that Mrs PBT’s will either, given her previous experiences of the place. As for the bad vibes surrounding the place, the pub, rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl who was brutally murdered nearby in 1901. You can read the full story here, should you wish.