Larkin's Porter at last, but there's a slight sting in the tail

I’m feeling rather pleased with myself, because exactly a week after the release by Larkin’s Brewery, of their iconic Porter, I managed to track some down, and at the first attempt as well. Larkin’s Porter is a winter seasonal, classic, brewed to a respectable strength of 5.2%, and packed full of roasted coffee and chocolate flavours. It is a beer that is eagerly sought out by its many devotees, of which I am one, but to add a hint of rarity, and increase the sense of anticipation, brewery owner and Larkin’s founder Bob Dockerty, waits until Bonfire Night before releasing it to an appreciative audience.

So, for me to have stumbled across it, within a week, was something of a scoop, especially as I knew others had failed. I know this, because on my rail journey back from Oxted, the previous weekend, I had bumped into a group of CAMRA friends. They too had been out walking and had joined the train I was travelling on at Penshurst. They had hiked up to the Rock at Chiddingstone Hoath, ostensibly in search of some Larkin’s Porter, but after drawing a blank, headed down to the Castle, in Chiddingstone village. This was despite some rather good Green Hop Ale, also from Larkin’s being on sale at the Rock.

They were out of luck at the Castle as well, but such is the pull of Bob Dockerty’s porter, that I fancied a go at tracking it down myself. My friends and I were rather surprised by its non-appearance at the Castle, given the pub’s proximity to Larkin’s Brewery, and in previous years (2020 doesn’t count), the beer was regularly on sale there. Fortunately, an opportunity came up on Friday, for me to visit the Rock, so I decided to see if I would have better luck than my friends.

The opportunity involved calling in briefly to my workplace, to borrow a sack-barrow. We had an old washing machine, that had been gathering dust under one of the work-surfaces and wanted to get rid of it. The idea was to leave it on drive and wait for the local “travelers” to pick it up on their next scrap metal, scavenging run, but it was rather heavy to maneuver out on my own. This is where the sack-barrow came in.

Knowing that the Rock is open all day on Fridays, the thought struck that I could call in at the pub, on my way home, so after collecting the barrow and loading it into the back of the car, I drove up to the Rock. It never ceases to surprise me just how far away the pub is from Chiddingstone village. Heading in a roughly southerly direction, the road climbs steadily up into what is known as the High Weald. The journey is not a problem when traveling by car, but I recall several walks to the Rock, when the road seemed to go on forever. After cresting a hill, and thinking you were nearly there, a long straight stretch of road would open up, followed by yet another climb.

I arrived at the Rock, shortly after 3pm. There were several cars in the car park, but I managed to find room for my vehicle, without any problem. I was a little apprehensive, not so much by the thought that the porter might not be available, but by the news my friends had told me a few days before.

The unwelcome story is the Rock is operating on limited opening hours. These are, open all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but the pub is then closed for the rest of the week (Monday-Thursday). I didn’t quite grasp the reason for this, but as my friends pointed out, and I couldn’t help noticing either, the landlady is heavily pregnant.

There was a rumour that she was looking for someone else to take on the pub, but in the meantime, understandably wanted to take things a little easier. A notice on the front door leaves little doubt as to the revised opening hours, but leaving the landlady’s situation aside, my friends and I are quite concerned over the Rock’s limited opening hours, as it always seemed to do a good trade at lunchtimes, no matter what day of the week.

Stepping inside, it was encouraging to see a couple of groups of people sat around the bar, there was a couple relaxing in front of the fire, and shortly after I arrived, two more ladies popped in. The good news of course, was Larkin’s Porter was on tap, and very good it was too. Priced at £4.60 a pint, it was, as I posted on Untappd, “Pure silk in a glass.”

Given its 5.2% ABV I could only have the one, but as it is a beer for careful and contemplative consumption, rather than swilling, this was not a problem. I was content to just sit there and take in the atmosphere of this lovely old, and most traditional of country inns, whilst banking on its current trading situation being only temporary.

With its floor of well-worn bricks, its various nooks, and crannies, plus the stove blazing away in the hearth, a visit to the Rock really is like stepping back in time, the only concession to modernity being the installation of a large and rather imposing wood burner, to take the place of the previous open fire.

Dogs, as well as people, have always been a feature of the Rock, and Friday’s visit proved no exception, with several large canines wandering off occasionally, from their owners sat at the bar. As I have said before, it is a pub used by country folk, many of whom spend all day working outdoors. I wonder what they will do, or where they will go during the four days in which it is closed?

Please don't spill the beans!

I received an email yesterday morning, from CAMRA HQ, which is a copy of the press release, planned for on 12^th November. The communication celebrates the publication of the Good Beer Guide 2022, which hits the bookshops tomorrow - Friday. The release takes pain to point out that the news is under embargo until one minute after midnight on 12^th November.

Hand on heart, I can categorically state I am not going to spill the beans about what the release contains, even though to my mind, it contains nothing particularly sensational or noteworthy. The release of what is now the 49^th Good Beer Guide, is obviously an important moment for CAMRA, even though the major milestone won’t be until next year, when the GBG will celebrate its half-century.

I am not giving much away by saying that the guide contains some interesting statistics, which don’t detract from its main purpose, which is to direct users to the cream of the nation’s pubs, bars, tap-rooms, and clubs. There are 4,500 of these and the fact that any of them appear at all, is testament to the hard work put in by local CAMRA branches, across the country, in managing to collect, assess and collate the necessary information during a time of lockdowns and other Covid-related restrictions.

As to be expected, the message contained in the press release, is written with a forward-looking and optimistic tone. Again, it doesn’t shy away from the main purpose of the GBG, although if I’m honest, it does gloss over the enormous contribution that all CAMRA branches make towards the success of the Guide.

I know, from regular contact with members of my former branch, that an incredible amount of work goes into the production of the GBG, with surveying and then selecting those pubs worthy of entry.  The work doesn’t stop there as a considerable amount of checking and proof-reading, is necessary, before the Guide can go to press. This vital contribution, from members – who are all unpaid volunteers, is an aspect that the CAMRA bigwigs often overlook, and one that has long been one of my main beefs with the Campaign.

I received the press release, despite the fact I am no longer a CAMRA member, after resigning from the organisation exactly two years ago! The Campaign has obviously not updated its data base or mailing list, which doesn’t seem a very wise or responsible thing for any subscription-based organisation to do.

Although unlikely, there remains a possibility that a number of unscrupulous ex-members, people potentially with an axe to grind, might just be tempted to cause the odd bit of mischief by breaking the news embargo. Of course, one could argue that as the same email will have been sent out to most of CAMRA’s 180,000 members, the chances are that one or two of them might just spill the beans, intentionally or otherwise.

As with any event of this nature, timing is of the essence, and an element of surprise not only helps the story but adds a sense of excitement to the proceedings. I’m probably reading far more into this than is actually there, but it would be a shame if someone out of sheer spite, decided to take the wind out of the sails behind the Guide’s official launch, by raining on CAMRA’s parade.

There is one particular I can reveal, without doing any of the above, as it is one which I am sure comes as no surprise to seasoned CAMRA observers. That news item is, the Campaign seems as obsessed as ever with new breweries. Amazingly, their number has continued to rise, despite the hardships of lock-downs plus the trials and tribulations affecting the licensed trade.

This makes no sense given the many issues which affect the UK economy, ranging from supply issues to lack of staff. Whilst the UK government’s foolhardy and damaging hard Brexit, is responsible for many of these issues, well-meaning but ultimately naïve people seeking to flood an already over-crowded beer market, aren’t exactly helping things either.

CAMRA would, in my opinion, be better off concentrating its efforts elsewhere, but to all those looking forward to the new Guide, and to visiting some of the pubs it recommends, good reading, and happy hunting!

Footnote: I won’t be investing in a physical copy of the Guide, come release day, although there’s every chance I will purchase the updated app version. 

 

(I was only) 34 miles from Farnham

As hinted at in my previous past, on Sunday I embarked on an attempt to knock off a further section of the North Downs Way (NDW). Regular readers will know I have been walking this long-distance footpath, piecemeal, since the summer of 2017, when I joined with a group who were walking alongside a mutual friend, who was in the closing stages of completing the trail.

Well life sort of got in the way, as it has a habit of doing, with Mrs PBT’s hospitalized at the start of 2018, and then the pandemic in 2020. Both these major, adverse events scuppered  plans laid down for completing the NDW, but having walked two or three sections with friends, I decided the best way of finishing the trail would be to fill in the gaps, and then start heading westward.

In May, and as a test for the new pair of boots I'd treated myself to at the phased end of the last lock-down, I completed the final gap, which was the section between Wye and Charing. This left me free to concentrate all my efforts into reaching Farnham, the town on the Surrey-Hampshire border which is the official start of the NDW.

Things still didn’t run smoothly though, as in July a knee injury forced me to abort my walk from Oxted to Dunton Green, at the eight-mile stage. I finished the final two miles of that leg, last month, walking with the aid of a knee brace, so feeling emboldened, I decided that a longer walk was in order.

I chose the eight mile stretch of the trail, running eastward from Merstham station to the large chalkpit to the north of Oxted. This was my starting point, for July’s partially completed walk, and whilst the distance wasn’t huge, I was still a little apprehensive, when I set off yesterday morning.

The village of Merstham is easily accessible, being just one stop north of Redhill, by train, and following an early start, I arrived there shortly before 9am. Exiting the station and following the guidebook towards the start of the trail in Quality Street. Unfortunately, there were no tins of mixed chocolates and toffees to be found, but a street of attractive and mixed-style houses, greeted me instead. There is a connection to the confectionery, which the following link will explain, although you will need to read right to the end.

Of rather more interest were the vintage cars I observed, passing through Merstham, as part of the annual London-Brighton run. There were quite a few people lining the streets, watching these carefully restored old vehicles chug by. I paused briefly to take a few photos, before making my way through the churchyard of St Katherine of Alexandria, and back across the A23.

A long and gentle climb then
followed, out of the village and past some very desirable looking properties, followed by a sharp turn to the right and a tunnel under the M23 motorway. A much stiffer ascent, through arable pasture then ensued, but once at the top, the view back towards Redhill was worth every step of the climb.

From there on, the route clung to the top of the escarpment, through some very attractive countryside, the only downside was reaching the Harrow at Chaldon, an hour and a quarter before opening time. This was doubly disappointing as not only is it the only pub on this stretch of the NDW, it also receives a good review and write-up on What Pub.

I continued on my way, as the open countryside slowly gave way to woodland, interspersed with the odd secluded property. This really was one of the most pleasant stretches of trail that I have walked so far, a feeling that was enhanced, in sheltered spots, by the surprisingly warm early November sunshine. It was still quite chilly in areas exposed to the stiff south-easterly breeze, so I was glad of quilted, winter coat worn on top of my fleece.

There are a couple of viewing points along the way, at breaks in the trees, giving vistas south towards Greensand Ridge and the High Weald of Ashdown Forest in the distance. I stopped at one of these, at Caterham Country Park, sitting on a bench to enjoy my sandwiches and take on some much-needed water. The views certainly were stunning, but all along this entire stretch of the NDW, one is never far away from the M25.

The motorway follows the line of the hills, approaching quite close at times, and whilst this doesn’t spoil view, there is no escaping the incessant traffic noise. The Caterham viewing point seemed very popular with dog walkers, cyclists, and families with their children, all enjoying the unexpected warm sunshine, but after departing, I passed through more areas of beech wood, as the route slowly descended towards the equally noisy A22 trunk road.

Crossing this busy thoroughfare by means of a footbridge, there was an equally long ascent back onto the ridge, at the top of the escarpment leading towards Oxted. Again, this was mainly through semi-open woodland, culminating at the summit of Gangers Hill which, at 780 ft, is the highest point along this section of the NDW.

Having gained all that height, it was rather galling to have to lose it a short distance further on. Here the trail descends towards the bottom of the escarpment by means of a long and steep flight of 111 steps. Fortunately, there was a handrail, which I made full use of, along with the extra support afforded by my walking stick. It was still hard on the knees, but once at the bottom it was just over a mile to Chalkpit Lane, and the end of this section of the trail.

I still had more walking to do as it is a mile and a quarter from NDW, down into Oxted and the station. Although there was time to spare before my train southwards, to Edenbridge Town, there wasn’t really time to look for a pub and sink a pint. A coffee though was in order, and following the ticket collector’s suggestion, I called in at the adjacent Spoons - Old Oxted Inn and grabbed a takeaway flat white.

Arriving at Edenbridge there was yet more walking. There are two stations in this small Wealden town, constructed by separate rail companies and following different routes. The one I’d arrived at is on the line that runs south from London to East Grinsted and Uckfield, whilst the other station is at top of town, on cross county line between Tonbridge and Redhill. With no buses running on a Sunday, the last thing I felt like was 20-minute hike up to top station. It wasn’t as if there was time for a pint.

On the plus side my knee held up, so the investment I made for elasticated knee support was worth every penny. I’d also knocked off another eight-mile section of the NDW. I have now followed the trail westwards from Dover and Canterbury, as far as A23-M23 corridor.

According to my guidebook there are just three more sections, and 34 miles remaining until I reach Farnham. Depending on public transport connections I might stretch that out to four, but whatever happens, after four quite turbulent and “interesting” years, the end is now almost in sight.

 

A few thoughts at the start of November

It’s been rather quiet on the beer front, this past week or so, especially after the excitement of a trip to London, and the old codgers bus outing, that I attended a week ago, but I've been keeping myself busy in other ways.

It’s a month now since I switched to part-time working, and whilst it took a bit of time to get used to my new work regime, I’m really enjoying the additional free time.  I’m also enjoying not having a department to worry about, with the itinerant problems involved with managing staff that crop up from time to time.

It also means that for the first time in over 15 years, I am free to book annual leave without clashing with other department members or worrying whether there’s sufficient staff available to provide the cover expected from a quality control department. Whilst on the subject of annual leave, Mrs PBT’s and I are looking at another cruise for next spring. It will be a much longer one this time and one that ventures quite some distance from these shores.

So, a new role and a new challenge, but it’s one I’m really getting into and enjoying along the way, as well.  The week after next, I’m booked on a three-day safety management course, which will formalize my new role and enhance my knowledge of the subject.

I have also taken charge of matters affecting the site, such as the fire and intruder alarm system, air-conditioning, pest-control, and other areas concerning the buildings and car parking areas. Last week I was dealing with the estate agent, responsible for letting the residential property next door, regarding some overgrown trees that are encroaching on our premises, and I have also been arranging the uplift and safe disposal of some heating oil, left by the previous tenants of an adjoining unit which we acquired, just before lock-down.

All exciting stuff, and the best thing is there’s something different every day, and the other work-related news is that starting next month, I will again be changing the days I‘m in the office to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. This decision was prompted by recent findings of not many businesses in the hospitality and licensed trades being open at the start of the week. So far better to swap my rest day from Monday to Thursday and enjoy a long weekend that begins on Wednesday evening.

I discussed this point with Pub Curmudgeon, whilst in Stockport last month, and it was partly in response to his point about Monday (and quite often Tuesday as well), being dead days for lunchtime pub-going, that prompted me to request a change. Fortunately, the firm said yes, so if there are any Proper Days Out scheduled in for a Thursday, then I can attend, without resorting to precious annual leave.

So, what about the beer?  I still haven’t managed to track down any Harvey's Old, but with it being Bonfire Night, Larkin’s Porter will be making a welcome appearance in local pubs. It was certainly old ale/porter weather on Thursday, with a bitter cold north wind making it the coldest day of the year since early spring.

Temperatures had warmed somewhat by yesterday, allowing me to get on with some outdoor jobs. These included replacing three broken windowpanes, in the roof of my rather neglected greenhouse, with some cut-to-size, clear polycarbonate sheets, that I pre-ordered from the same company I used earlier in the year, when I replaced the cracked and yellowing acrylic panels in the summerhouse.

I had, at one stage, toyed with the idea of demolishing and removing the greenhouse altogether, but I’d spent a lot of time refurbishing it, back in the mid-90’s, when we first moved into our current property. I’d installed staging, constructed from lengths of reclaimed timber, along three sides, as well as fitting a movable shelf at a higher level, to increase capacity.

The greenhouse only really fell out of use, at the beginning of the noughties, when I became tied up with running our off-license business, seven days a week. Being a timber-framed construction, the
wooden sections running at gutter height, will need replacing, but that job can be done piecemeal, along the way. So, with a little bit of expense, plus a bit of time, the greenhouse is now water-tight and ready to see service from next spring.

Why am I telling you this? Well, the reason is when I was working five days a week, weekends were the only time during the winter months that I could get outdoor jobs sorted. But with other mundane, but obviously essential domestic tasks, such a shopping, cleaning, washing etc., requiring at least some of my attention, there wasn’t much time for outdoor projects, or gardening in general, during that part of the year.

Now, having doubled my free time, all the outstanding and niggly little jobs are slowly getting done, as are some of the more major projects. The song, “What a difference a day makes,” might well have been true, but adding an extra day makes an even bigger difference.

I’ve a walk planned for tomorrow - weather and knee permitting, and on Monday James the Sweep is coming to sweep our chimney. Once that’s done, we can light the log burner and start utilising the large pile of logs we’ve accumulated over the past couple of years. With the recent hike in energy bills, the ability to keep the ground floor of the house cosy and warm, at minimal cost, is something not to be missed, especially with winter fast approaching.

That’s all for now, I’ve got a few jobs to finish off outside and then after tea, I might crack open a bottle or two of porter.

To infinity & beyond - the old codgers bus trip to the fringes of Sevenoaks

Although I am no longer a CAMRA member I still keep in touch with friends and acquaintances from the local branch (West Kent). I am also still on the mailing list for their newsletter, and it was a piece in the latest one that caught my eye.

The news was branch members would be resuming their occasional trips out by bus, the purpose of which was surveying/visiting outlying pubs on the fringes of the branch or those in locations that members rarely visited. Bus would continue to provide the mode of transport and seeing as most of the active members are of pensionable age, most also possess Old Codgers bus passes.

As I now fit into that category, and no longer work on Fridays (and Mondays), joining in on one or two of these jaunts has now become a distinct possibility.  The group had a trip planned for last Friday, taking in Dunton Green and Hildenborough, which are village suburbs of Sevenoaks and Tonbridge respectively.

With the bus times and joining arrangements set out in the newsletter, all I needed to do was turn up on the day, but for the record the itinerary involved catching the 402 Arriva service which runs between Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks. We would then use one of the GO2 buses that run between Sevenoaks bus station and the large Tesco Superstore at Riverhead.

This latter would allow us to visit the Miner’s Arms at Dunton Green, which is just a 5-minute walk away. Coincidentally I had been in Dunton Green 10 days previously, at the end of my “catch-up” walk along the North Downs Way. On that occasion I had called in at one of the village’s other two pubs – the Duke’s Head, on the assumption that it was the better of the two pubs currently open.

That turned out to be a mistake, as I will recount later, but after allowing plenty of time to walk along to Tonbridge Castle, for the 11.27 bus, it ended up being cancelled. I’d bumped into a couple of friends (both now retired) in the High Street, and not knowing at the time about the cancellation had decided to board the bus a stop earlier. There would also be a couple of people boarding in Tunbridge Wells, and it was then who alerted us to the issue.

It was a case of the best laid plans going astray, but also a day when there were three cancellations affecting the 402-bus service, which is supposed to run half-hourly.  Arriving 30 minutes behind schedule at Sevenoaks bus station, did indeed mean a change of plan, but nothing too major. Knowing there would be a later bus to Tesco, gave us the opportunity of having a quick pint in the town, and where better than the Anchor.

The latter is an old favourite and a long-established town centre local. Barry Dennis has been running the Anchor for over 40 years and is Sevenoaks’ longest serving licensee. He told us later that he holds that distinction for Admiral Taverns’ as well. The six of us were greeted like long-lost sons, as we stepped across the threshold, and you know with Barry that his sentiments are always genuine.

There were a couple of cask beers on tap, with the promise of a third to come, but we had to explain why we wouldn’t be staying too long. No matter, Barry sat down for a chat with us anyway, and even bought us all a top-up half. Wantsum Imperial IPA was one of the cask offerings, but I went for the No.3 West Coast IPA from XT Brewing. The latter is a new brewery from Buckinghamshire, and based on the above IPA, a rather good one. Pale, hoppy and packed with Chinook, Columbus, and Cascade hops from the American Northwest, this was a beer that did what it said on the tin.

It was interesting, and encouraging to learn from Barry, how trade at the Anchor was recovering post-Covid. The re-opening of the Stag Theatre opposite, had certainly helped, although the footfall and patterns of trade still hadn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. Barry remained optimistic, and I feel he is right in this, but with a bus to catch we couldn’t stay to discuss the issue further.

A quick saunter back to the bus station
saw us boarding the GO2 bus down to Tesco, followed by a short walk along to Dunton Green and the Miners Arms. Set in the middle of the village, the pub was built for the Irish navies constructing the nearby railway - hence the name. Looking at the pub from across the road, the first thing that struck me was the restored Edwardian sign, with its reverse relief, gold-leaf lettering, advertising “Kidd & Sons Fine Ales, Stout & Porter,” a reference to the long-departed, former owning brewery.

Stepping inside too, provided another pleasant surprise, with one long bar counter, running virtually the entire length of the bar. Renovation work was taking place both outside and in, and from what I gathered, the Miners is under new ownership. There was a friendly welcome from behind the bar, and with beers from Tonbridge, St Austell and Old Dairy on offer, there was something to please everyone.

I opted for the Über Brew from Old
Dairy. Pale, refreshing and hoppy, and served in good condition as well. With pint in hand, I followed a few of the others for a look outside.  We were all surprised at the size of the pub’s garden, and also at the work that was being carried out. Much of it seemingly related to providing outdoor drinking space during the period when Covid restrictions were first lifted. The two, tropical island style huts, complete with thatched roofs, are quite substantial structures and definitely worth a second look.

I don’t know whether it was the sudden influx of six thirsty blokes, or the mention of updating the Miner’s What Pub entry, but the landlady produced a platter laden with hot nibbles, of the chicken nugget, onion rings and chip variety, all of which were gratefully received and wolfed down with relish. Whatever the reason, it was a nice touch, but all things come to an end and there was another bus to catch and another pub to visit.

The GO2 bus took us back into Sevenoaks and it was then a case of boarding the next 402 service towards Tunbridge Wells. We weren’t going that far though, and instead alighted a short distance out of Sevenoaks, as the road climbs up, past the fringe of Knole Park and towards the summit of Riverhill. There, on the right-hand side of the road, is the White Hart, an attractive old coaching inn with an imposing double-frontage.

Because of its location, this Brunning & Price outlet is the type of pub one could drive past without ever stopping, and for many years I did just that, but despite its upmarket credentials, and emphasis on food, the White Hart is certainly a place well worth pulling over for. Its open plan wood-floored interior is set on several different levels and is divided up into many cosy and tucked away corners.

For a number of years, the pub became the default destination for my company to entertain visitors, of an evening. This particularly applied when we had directors, and other senior members over from our parent company, in Japan. It WAS a good place for entertaining and the food was always of a high standard, but the beer invariably was disappointing.

The main fault was the use of sparklers, the devil’s own device when it comes to spoiling good beer – especially southern ales such as Harvey’s and Long Man that were not designed to be served in this fashion. Being a northern-based chain, it was probably second nature for Brunning & Price to be using sparklers, but their use invariably meant short measure, as well as a pint with the stuffing knocked out of it.

On Friday I was delighted to see they were no longer in place, and that full measures were the order of the day. The pint of Harvey’s Best that I had was good, once it had warmed up, as it was served at far too low a temperature. However, those who had the Brunning & Price house beer, believed to be brewed by Manchester’s Phoenix Brewery, were disappointed, as was the friend who tried the American Pale from Lister’s. The comment was it reminded him of the beer from a certain long-standing brewpub, close to Norwich station, and straight away I knew what he meant.

The White Hart is what it is, and that Friday afternoon it was proving very popular with quite a mixed set of people. It is obviously well-run and staffed by pleasant and highly trained individuals, and as such you can’t fault it, but unlike our next and final point of call, it is not a local.

The Half Moon at Hildenborough, just a few stops further on in the direction of Tonbridge, is very much a pub that exists to serve the local community. Set back from the road, this white-painted, pebble-dashed pub is currently next to a major construction site. This follows the relocation of the Volvo car dealership, that had stood there for many years.

Internally there is an island bar with drinking and seating areas on either side. There are plenty of exposed beams and wood panelling, most of which are painted in Pub Curmudgeon’s favourite colour of grey! It must be over 30 years since I last set foot in the pub, that time being when I worked in Tonbridge, back in the early 1980’s. It was one of the few Whitbread pubs stocking Fremlin’s Tusker – a fine, premium strength beer in its day, but one which suffered from lack of promotion.

On Friday, Harvey’s Sussex Best was the sole cask ale, and very good it was too. Being served at a slightly warmer temperature, it was an improvement on the pint I had at the White Hart. Most of our party sat down on the comfortable chairs to the left of the bar, although being peckish a couple of us ordered some “comfort food.” My cheesy chips were excellent value, and prodigious in quantity, so much so that I ended up sharing them around.

Being an unofficial CAMRA fact-finding trip, one member of the group spent time chatting to the landlord, with the aim of updating the pub’s rather sparse, current entry on What Pub. He discovered that the Half Moon is a real community local. We could see plenty of evidence of this, from the Halloween decorations and the TV sport being shown in the opposite corner, so it was good to see the effort the licensees are putting in. Perhaps the new houses, being constructed next door, will provide additional customers.

The 402 bus back to Tonbridge, was affected by the same “operational issue” as two others, earlier in the day, but apart from that the day was a good opportunity to visit pubs not normally frequented by the branch. It also provided ample evidence of the resilience and bounce-back of four quite different, but interesting pubs.