40 years, you woudn't get that for murder!

Last Friday, 15^th August 2025 was a significant date in the Bailey household - a significant anniversary wedding anniversary no less, and what better way to celebrate than to head out for a decent pub lunch. Friday was one of the hottest days of the year to date, but with no control over the weather, and not wishing to postpone our celebration, we headed out anyway. The pub we chose wasn't our first choice, for the reason I shall explain in a minute, but fortunately, the restaurant we ended up at, delivered on all fronts. 

By that I mean excellent food – well-cooked and well-presented, a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere, all combined with the benefit of a central location. Our original choice was the Plough, at Leigh, a lovely old rambling country inn, between Leigh village and Hildenborough, but the pub we ended up at was the Ivy House at the top end of Tonbridge High Street.

Before booking a table, I’d taken the precaution of checking the Plough’s website, in the full knowledge that the pub is a popular wedding venue. Unsurprising perhaps, because attached to one end of the pub, is an impressive 16^th century barn, with lots of exposed beams giving the place a genuine, an all-round rustic feel. True to form, the Plough’s website was showing the pub and the barn as fully booked both for Friday and Saturday. 

I continued with my online research, as I had several other venues in mind for our romantic meal. First up was the George & Dragon, at Speldhurst, an establishment that is one of the most historic and best-known pubs in the area. The G&D also has the added bonus of returning back into the ownership of the Sankey family, who have a long tradition in the hospitality trade as publicans, restauranteurs, and fishmongers. Then there was the two equally attractive pubs at Smart’s Hill, near Penshurst.

For those unfamiliar with the local area, these two pubs are the Spotted Dog and the Bottle House. I really like the Spotted Dog and noticed from the pub’s website that the pub has recently changed hands. The new owner has gone for something different, with the food taking on a distinct North American flavour, with a menu that is strongly influenced by the two Carolina’s (north & south). This equates to plenty of steaks, smoked meats, pulled pork, burgers etc, food that is big on flavours, and big on portions, but not really what we were looking for.

Just up the road from the Spotted Dog, and close to the top of Smart’s Hill, is the Bottle House, another fine old 16^th century inn with an equally fine reputation. It’s a pub I haven't been to for a long time, probably not since before the pandemic, but it’s always been a little more upmarket than the Spotted Dog. It’s also larger, with a brighter interior and less cramped inside, but having not had the chance to try out the pub, or indeed speak to anyone who has, I decided to put the Bottle House to one side for the time being.

Before making a final decision, I called in at the Leicester Arms, a large and attractive old pub that describes itself as a "quintessentially British Country Inn." Situated in the centre of the picturesque village of Penshurst, and virtually opposite the entrance to the medieval Penshurst Place - childhood home of Anne Boleyn, this iconic pub has gone through a major transformation under the new ownership of the Little & Large Pub Company, who have restored the pub to its former glory. With 11 stylish bedrooms, the Leicester Arms offers visitors a choice of comfortable rooms, for those in search of a romantic getaway, or just a bed for the night whilst exploring the local area. The Leicester Arms was offering a lunchtime deal of any two courses for £25, which seemed inviting, but with Mrs. PBT's preferring the Ivy House, we decided to go there instead.

With its position at what is, in effect, the gateway to Tonbridge, the Ivy started life as a toll-house, known as the Elephant & Castle. It later changed its name to the Ivy House, presumably because of the rampant ivy which covered the building at the time. Friday was hot, as I've already mentioned, but with the car park literally behind the pub, we pulled up to take our chances on a “walk-in.” According to the pub website, turn up and dine is “normally OK,” as indeed it was. 

There's a large, partially covered, outdoor eating area to the right of the pub, which is, offers plenty of shade in summer, plus shelter from the wind and rain during winter. It's semi-enclosed position can be heated using those wasteful gas-fired, space heaters during the colder months, but such considerations seemed miles away on a sweltering hot, mid-August afternoon. We chose a table as close to the entrance as possible, in an attempt to catch a cooling breeze, but despite this it was uncomfortably hot.

Having reviewed the menu in advance, I opted for the “pie of the day” after ascertaining the filling - chicken and bacon, plus the fact it was a traditional pie, fully encased in pastry. The pie was served accompanied by chive mashed potatoes, a good selection of vegetables, and plenty of rich gravy. Eileen went for the daily special, of roast lamb shoulder, served with roast courgettes and plenty of salad. I was particularly pleased with my pie, along with a quality pint of Harvey’s Best, to wash it down, all the while considering the proposed new regulations regarding drink-driving. I reflected that even a single pint may approach the legal limit, even though I did not perceive any noticeable effects.

The pub maintained a steady flow of customers without feeling overcrowded, although noticeable amongst them were several “ladies that lunch.” One woman seated behind us, had three quite lively dogs with her, plus a hubby with a non-speaking part, but the high temperatures, might not have been ideal for her canine companions. With her heightened sense of smell, Mrs PBT’s found the dogs a bit too “whiffy” for her liking, but sat with my back to the group, I personally didn't detect any odour – doggy, or otherwise.

We opted not to have dessert at the pub, as we planned instead to celebrate at home with some cakes from M & S. The store excelled itself on the pastry front, and once back at Bailey Towers, we enjoyed a couple of exceptionally rich éclairs filled with cream and chocolate. The generous layer of chocolate paired with thick cream made for a truly indulgent treat, momentarily setting aside any considerations of dieting.

Returning to the Ivy House for a moment, it was encouraging to see that the pub continues to thrive. It certainly remains a popular choice with Mrs PBT’s and her girly friends, and the group has already reserved a table for December. As the festive season approaches, our office manager has also been diligently searching for a venue for the company Christmas bash, and if the rumours are true, she’s selected a distinctive pub in Tunbridge Wells, close to the Pantiles that has recently reverted to its original name. All will be revealed nearer the time because the “C” word is the last thing I want to think about during the height of summer.

As for our wedding anniversary, Eileen and I tied the knot in 1985, which makes 40 years, and a celebration marked with a ruby. Doesn’t time fly!!