Setting the scene for a welcome, south coast break

Late last Friday evening, I returned from a most enjoyable and eagerly anticipated short break on England’s South Coast. The break involved an overnight stay in the West Sussex town of Chichester, although seeing as there’s a rather attractive cathedral at its heart, perhaps Chichester should be described as a city. Perhaps its compact nature is more applicable to a town but whatever the description, Chichester is the county town of West Sussex.

My visit to this cathedral city, involved meeting up with legendary pub man Stafford Paul, whose intention was to spend a couple of days escorting two visitors from the United States around the pubs, and other delights of this compact Sussex town. The visitors from across the Atlantic, were Dave and Joan Southworth, who are regular visitors to these shores, sometimes in conjunction with Dave's brother Dick. This time around, Dave and Joan would be spending a month in the UK, and for the purpose of the visit had based themselves at a rented cottage to the south of Chichester. Paul had invited me to join the group for this two day, exploratory visit.

The idea for such a meet-up, had come from Stafford Paul, who had joined the couple, last year on a "Proper Day Out" in the city of Lincoln. Also present at that early autumn pub “exploration” trip was none other than Retired Martin, pub-ticker extraordinaire and someone who must surely hold the record for the number of pubs he has visited in the United Kingdom. This achievement came about as the result of his ultimately successful quest to every pub in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

After learning the Southworth’s intention to visit the English South Coast in mid-February, Paul arranged to meet up with them, and kindly suggested that I might like to join the group. Paul subsequently went ahead and booked three nights’ accommodation at the Chichester Inn, an historic pub in the heart of Chichester. After a bit of necessary prodding from Paul,  I too booked a Thursday night stay at the same inn, which would allow two days to visit both Chichester, and the neighbouring naval city of Portsmouth.

My son Matthew and I visited Chichester at the start of November 2023, which meant I was reasonably familiar with the town’s layout, and its pubs, but as far as Portsmouth was concerned, that would be a new location. But not completely new, as I had passed through Portsmouth in the summer of 1969, in order to take a ferry across to the Isle of Wight. That trip was as a member of a youth group, that was visiting the island for a walking holiday, staying overnight at a couple of the IOW’s Youth Hostels. I was only 14 at the time, so pubs weren’t of much interest to me, but I was quite keen on striking up a relationship with one or two of the girls in the party.  This involved nothing more serious than holding hand, plus a quick kiss and the odd cuddle. My endeavours were reasonably successful, although looking back I feel a little uncomfortable about unceremoniously ditching one young lady, after discovering that a more attractive looking, and slightly more mature girl, had the hots for me.

The things we do when we’re young, but my other interest was music, pop rather than rock, as my tastes back then were a little unsophisticated, to put it mildly. So the news that Bob Dylan was to play the Isle of Wight Festival as his comeback gig, following that motorcycle crash, sort of passed me by, and the fact that the event was taking place some distance from where we were staying, meant there was little chance of getting to see the legendary musician. The fact that I missed Dylan’s comeback live performance wasn’t lost upon life-long, Dylan fan Dave, during our subsequent conversation, but those were the circumstances, at the time. Besides, it’s unlikely that a group of youngsters, in their early teens could have gained admission to the festival.

As for the walking holiday, we started with an overnight stay at Cowes, before heading inland to the heart of the island. We ended up at the seaside resort of Sandown and Shanklin, where there was another youth hostel – spoiler alert, there’s only YHA hostel, remaining on the IOW! It was a week of glorious sunny weather, with nothing in the way of rain, and some wonderfully refreshing sea air. The freedom of wandering through some beautiful, and unspoilt countryside, with other young people, the same age as me, was something to behold, and whilst I have seriously digressed from the main story, I couldn’t resist slipping in that nostalgic look back, even though I failed to see Bob Dylan.

Moving swiftly on, and getting the narrative back on track, Portsmouth acted as both departure and arrival point for that trip across to the Isle of Wight. The outward journey saw us arriving in Cowes, whilst the return crossing of the Solent, saw us departing the island, from Ryde. I remember walking along Ryde pier, presumably to board the vessel taking us back to the mainland, whilst Crosby, Stills & Nash’s first UK hit, Marrakesh Express, was playing from a nearby radio. The other point of interest was the journey over from Portsmouth had been by hovercraft, whilst the return trip was by hydrofoil. Both crossings were much quicker, than by conventional ferry, but the latter was far less noisy than the hovercraft. We were also able to see out of the window without our view being obstructed by spray, from the curtain of air that raised the vessel off the water and allowed it to skim at speed, across the surface of the water.

Other memories of Portsmouth are confined to a visit to Admiral Nelson’s historic flagship, HMS Victory, plus a boat trip around the harbour undertaken by a friend and I, which allowed us to see part of the Royal Navy flotilla moored up there. During our time on the south coast, I was happy for Stafford Paul and Dave Southworth to act as guides. Both of them had visited Chichester previously and Dave had also visited Portsmouth. I travelled down to Chichester, by train, from Tonbridge, on the Thursday, and returned from Portsmouth the following day, also by rail. As mentioned earlier, the trip involved an overnight stay at the Chichester Inn, for both Paul and me.

I opted for the cross-country rail route, taking advantage of the Tonbridge-Redhill link, which allows connections with a number of mainlines heading south, away from the capital. Avoiding London meant a considerable reduction in rail fare, and by using my Senior Rail Card I was able to purchase a period return for the bargain price of £21.75.  After changing trains at Redhill and again at Three Bridges, I arrived in Chichester shortly after midday. I particularly enjoyed the journey through Sussex, from Three Bridges across to Arundel, where the line follows the gap in the South Downs, cut in prehistoric times, by the river Arun. Despite the lack of recent rain, the river seemed fairly full and was close in places to the top of the banks. The fields too, were waterlogged in places, and as we approached the village of Amberley, memories of walking the South Downs Way, came flooding back.

That section of the SDW walk took place in 2009, when with my friend Eric, and I had walked the middle section of trail from the "Jack & Jill" windmills, at Clayton, to Petersfield, just across the border into Hampshire. As the train journeyed through the Arun gap, I'm sure I recognised the footbridge across the river, and could see the footpath disappearing up the steep scarp slope of the South Downs. That was certainly a steep climb, and one that seemed to go on forever before we reached the top of the hills. 

After an overnight stay at the excellent Sportsman pub in Amberley, we ought to have been suitably rested, but I can still remember us, huffing and puffing up that hill! Enjoying the views from the window, are one of the main attractions of train travel, and this was a recurrent topic of conversation between Stafford Paul and I during our time in the two south coast towns. The memories the train journey brought back, and that I’ve just described are priceless, although I trust I haven’t bored readers too much, by recounting them!

My train pulled into Chichester station, shortly after midday, and I then made my way to the pre-arranged rendezvous at the Fountain, in South Street. The pub is owned by Dorset brewers, Hall & Woodhouse, and was the same pub that Matthew and I had visited, on our 2023 trip to the city.  It seems a convenient place to beak the narrative, before continuing, next time with the main event, which of course was exploring the pubs of both Chichester and Portsmouth. 

Credits: Isle of Wight Map:  Kelisi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Pub photo - Dave + two Pauls - Joan Southworth

 

 

 

 

 

The Return of the Native - Thomas Hardy’s Ale makes a comeback

Thomas Hardy’s Ale is back in the UK and arriving on bars and speciality beer shop shelves, near you, from this week. This quintessential Barley Wine will be finally available on the UK market again thanks to an agreement between Italian distributor Interbrau Spa, and James Clay & Sons, the new official distributor for the United Kingdom. This is what the headlines were proclaiming the other week, but the story that precedes this announcement, and the 50 years of history behind this classic beer, is even more fascinating.

Before going back to where this all started, let’s take a look at what was happening at the end of last year. It was back in December 2024, that blogger and peripatetic master brewer, Ed Wray described on his site, how he’d been fortunate to participate in the brewing of the latest batch of Thomas Hardy’s Ale. Widely regarded as one of the greatest vintage beers ever created, Thomas Hardy’s Ale was a legendary beer, with a pedigree going back to 1968. For those not old enough to remember, Hardy’s Ale was originally brewed, at the now, sadly closed Eldridge Pope brewery, in Dorchester. It was a special and rather strong ale, brewed to celebrate one of Dorset’s most famous sons, the writer and poet Thomas Hardy.

The year 1968, saw the 40th anniversary of Hardy’s death, and to commemorate the event, some prominent members of the Dorchester Society founded a cultural association, the Thomas Hardy Society, to promote the author’s works. It was clear from Hardy’s writing, that he appreciated a decent drop of ale, and in his novel The Trumpet Major, he describes the local Dorset, Strong Ale, as follows:

“It was of the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset; free from streakiness of taste; but, finally, rather heady. The masses worshipped it, the minor gentry loved it more than wine…”

Poetic licence, of course, but amongst the Thomas Hardy Society’s associates was a member of the Pope family, who owned the town’s Eldridge Pope brewery. The group approached Eldridge Pope and asked the brewery to produce a beer that matched Hardy’s description, above. The brewery went ahead, and came up with a sumptuous, and dangerously strong, barley-wine, weighing in at an impressive 11.7% abv. Amber in colour, sweet, syrupy, and awash with English hops due to the generous dry hopping, this was a beer designed with aging in mind. Therefore, the first batch had a label on the bottle stating, “This beer will improve if kept lying down at 13°C, and will last at least 25 years. DO NOT OPEN BEFORE JULY 1969.”

Designated a “celebratory beer,” Thomas Hardy’s Ale seemed destined to be a “one-off” until suddenly, in 1974, production resumed again. It was then brewed virtually every year until 1999 when production ceased. Eldridge Pope blamed high production costs, for the beer’s demise, but in the meantime, the bottles brewed at Dorchester had developed a cult-like status because of the complex nature that the vintages took on over time. It was claimed that at ten-plus years, Hardy’s Ale starts to resemble a fine Madeira or a port rather than a beer, with flavours such as apricot, fig, pipe tobacco, molasses, umami, and leather all sharing the stage.

Hardy’s Ale was originally packaged in pint-sized bottles which sold for a whopping one pound, a substantial sum of money in 1968! Packaged in numbered and vintage-dated bottles and given the predisposition of this Barley Wine to age in the cellar for decades, the “one off” brew of 1968, became a highly sought-after collector’s item.  When production began again in 1974, the beer was packaged in much smaller “nip” bottles, making the product easier to handle, and much more appealing to collectors. Beer enthusiasts from all over the UK, and indeed the world, began filling their cellars of with bottles, from each vintage, and this tradition continued right through to 1999 when Eldridge Pope discontinued production, again blaming rising costs. As an aside, the brewery itself closed in 2003, apparently due to “serious financial difficulties.”

At the beginning of the new century, Thomas Hardy’s Ale began another chapter in its long and illustrious history, when American importer Phoenix Imports, arranged for Devon based O’Hanlon’s brewery to produce the beer. Unfortunately, history seemingly doomed to repeat itself, and this third incarnation of Hardy’s was short-lived, with production only lasting from 2003-2008. The cause again was high production costs associated with the beer, which requires copious amount of malts and hops, an ultra-long boil, and a lengthy maturation time. It was around this time that I lost touch with what was going on with Thomas Hardy’s Ale, although some years previously, I’d purchased a bottle of the 1991 vintage. This was the year our son Matthew was born, and we decided to lay down the bottle for keeping and open it on his 21^st birthday. Spoiler alert, the bottle didn’t age well.

Next on the scene was specialist brewer and Italian beer importer Interbrau, who took ownership of the brand in 2012. It was Interbrau co-owner, Michele Vecchiato, who was inspired to rescue this great beer, explaining, “We can’t accept that one of the most important beers would be lost forever. We discovered Thomas Hardy’s Ale in 2008, which was the time when O’Hanlon’s decided to stop the production.” Michele had been thinking about importing the beer, only to discover that it wouldn’t be possible. This was the spark that inspired him to brew Thomas Hardy’s Ale at Interbrau. A brewing team was assembled in England, and three test batches followed until the final result met Interbrau’s expectations, and bottles could be shipped off to industry insiders for a sneak peek. The first vintage of Thomas Hardy’s Ale from the new owners, was released in 2015, and their commitment to such an important beer in British brewing history has ensured that it will be enjoyed well into the 21st century, and hopefully beyond.

We are now approaching the latest chapter in the story of Thomas Hardy’s Ale, and over half a century later from its first release, the reborn beer is now being produced at the Hepworth’s Brewery, in Sussex. under the guidance of the iconic brewmaster Derek Prentice. This is where we catch up once more with Ed Wray. Thomas Hardy’s Ale is finally available again on the UK market, thanks to the collaboration between the Interbrau and long-established, beer wholesaler, James Clay and Sons.

Thomas Hardy’s Ale vintage 2024 is now available in numbered and vintage dated 25 cl bottles as well as 10 litre key-kegs, and I managed to catch some on draught (key-keg) at Tonbridge Fuggle’s, last weekend. The beer was certainly attracting a lot of interest, although quite sensibly, Fuggle’s were only selling it in half, or third of a pint measures. With an abv of 11.3%, it was definitely a beer for sipping and savouring, but not surprisingly has already sold out. I’m pleased then, that 56 years after it’s first appearance, I was finally able to taste and enjoy this legendary beer, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Fuggle’s are able to get their hands on another keg of Thomas Hardy’s Ale, before too long.

Jennings to brew again!

After the last week’s bad news, regarding the insolvency of By the Horns brewery, there’s more than a glimmer of good news on a different front concerning the re-opening of a recently closed brewery. It’s a story that appears to have come out of nowhere and concerns the re-opening of the former Jenning’s Brewery at Cockermouth, Cumbria, in the heart of the English Lake District. Jennings was a much-loved independent brewery, that slowly lost its freedom and its identity after a series of takeovers and mergers, so let’s first take a look at what happened in the run up to the closure of the brewery. Mick Knapton, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>

Jennings Brewery was founded by John Jennings Sr. in 1828, in the Cumbrian village of Lorton. His son was also involved in running the brewery and the concern was later passed on to his three grandsons after the death of Jennings Sr. The business prospered and grew in size, eventually outgrowing the Lorton brewery. With an eye to the future, Jennings moved to nearby Cockermouth in 1874, where there was more room for expansion. The brewery remains there today, at the foot of Cockermouth Castle, surrounded by the Rivers Derwent and Cocker.

In 1887, the brewery went from being a family-owned business to a public limited company, which enthusiastic locals were happy to buy shares in. This ensured that when the last member of the Jennings family died, the company kept its local identity; a situation that lasted for the next 100 years.  Jennings won multiple awards across the years, with beers such as, Cumberland, Sneck Lifter plus Cocker Hoop, and in 1999 the latter brew received the ultimate accolade of Champion Beer of Britain Bitter at CAMRA’s Great British Beer festival.

Jennings brewed successfully as an independent company until 2005 when the brewery and its pubs were purchased by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries Ltd. In 2007, W&D changed their name to Marston's, after acquiring the Burton-based company because the Marston’s name was much better known.  In 2009, Cockermouth suffered serious flooding which badly affected the brewery as well. The floods had an enormous impact on the business, forcing Marston’s to implement flood safety features and barricades throughout the site. Further changes came for Jennings in 2020, when it became part of the Carlsberg group, following the merger of Carlsberg and Marston’s. This was closely followed by the Covid pandemic, which sounded the death knell for brewing at Cockermouth. The brewery closed its doors for the last time in November 2022, bringing to an end 194 years of brewing in the town. And there the Jennings’s story might well have ended, were it not for a recent development.

Enter two local business owners, Kurt Canfield (CEO of specialist engineering business Delkia) and Rebecca Canfield (Proprietor of wine and spirits company Wine and the Wood). The pair acquired the brewery for an undisclosed sum, at the start of February, and will take ownership of the brewery site, with the intention to resume brewing Jennings beer once again, at Cockermouth. The deal involves the transfer of all rights to the Jennings trademarks, intellectual property and recipes. Bottled beer, bearing the Jennings brand, will continue to be brewed by Carlsberg Britvic until March 2025, following which beer production will transfer to Jennings Brewery Limited.

Rebecca Canfield, explained that she had long cherished the Jennings Brewery site, adding that preserving the heritage of the brewery and the maltings, was of utmost importance to her and her partner. With almost 200 years of brewing history at Cockermouth, the one element that really attracted the couple to the project, was the fact it has its own well. Ms Canfield stated that the pure, Lakeland water drawn direct from the castle well, was integral to the brewing of Jennings beer, and acted as the “secret ingredient” which gives the beer its “distinctive Cumberland flavour.” 

Kurt Canfield stated that the project the pair had embarked on, was an ambitious endeavour which will benefit the entire community. He added that there are plans to enhance the site while respecting the history and the heritage of both the brewery and the maltings. Unsurprisingly, given the time that both buildings have stood idle, certain critical repairs are necessary, and there is much to do to restore the Cockermouth brewery to its former glory. But with a small, but passionate team around them, focussed on bringing that heritage back to life, the Canfields remain confident of bringing back the great beers that Jennings was once known for.

The new company, set up by the pair, is set to create seven new jobs in the Cockermouth area, covering Head Brewer, the brewing team, plus the sales and marketing departments. Chris France, the founder of specialty beer retailer Beer Hawk, is joining as managing director of the new, Jennings Brewery Limited. David Bodily, head of properties and facilities at Carlsberg Britvic, said the Danish brewing giant was pleased to have closed the sale of the business to two new local owners, who are looking to preserve the brewery’s heritage. He finished by saying, “The brewery occupies a unique location in Cockermouth, and we wish Kurt and Rebecca every success for the future."

In the meantime, I’m sure there are lots of details still to be sorted. For a start, is the brewing equipment still in place, as normally, following a closure, the “wreckers” will be sent in, to strip out everything of value. Reading between the lines, we must assume that essential parts of the plant are still intact – mash tuns, coppers, fermenting vessels etc, plus ancillary items such as refrigeration and cooling equipment.

We must also assume that the new owners have done their homework, diligently and methodically, otherwise they might have bought the proverbial, “pig in a poke.” Assuming then, that everything is as it should be, and that brewing can recommence at Jennings, we must wish the new owners, every success with their new venture, and look forward to enjoying Jennings Lakeland Ales, on future visits to the Lake District.

Final note, much of the information regarding this most welcome of developments, came from an article that appeared on the Food Manufacture website, which you can read here. Also, there are few photos to illustrate this post, primarily because I have none of my own. My last visit to the Lake District was over 40 years ago, so there are certainly no electronic photographs taken by me. The ones that I did manage to find, are library ones, reproduced under a “Creative Commons” licence.

 

 

Letting go of the horns

The beer world woke up to some sad news earlier this week, with the announcement that By the Horns, one of London’s original craft beer names, has entered liquidation. The company, founded in 2011 by Alex Bull and Chris Mills, started with a five-and-a-half-barrel kit in Summerstown, south London, before moving production out in 2021, to a new site at Salfords, in Surrey. With the potential to produce 12,000hl a year, the company was confident about its trading future.

Unfortunately, circumstances over the last year led to its demise, as joint founder Alex Bull explained. “During Covid we were okay, we did a lot of online business and when the leases were up at our old site, we saw the opportunity to build a production unit, and it was all working. Then 2023 hit and so did a lot of turmoil. We decide to take the lease next door in a calculated gamble to push volume up and we had good sales, but then every kind of cost soared and pinned us back because we couldn’t pass it all on to our customers.”

The collapse of two companies that BtH worked with didn’t help, as between them Flavourly and Bier Nuts, owed £50k. Readers will probably remember Flavourly, a company that did well out of lockdown, before collapsing into insolvency. A further problem arose when Sainsbury’s removed BtH from their shelves, despite being a top 10 seller. According to Alex, this was because another large beer company wanted to double their shelf space with Sainsbury’s. Volumes dropped to 6,000hl and following a rent review on the second unit, cost increased by a further 30%.

An additional hit came the following year following delays by a major supermarket buying teams in deciding which BtH beers they wanted to stock. The final straw was the collapse of Union, a company which the BtH contract brewed for, adding a further £50k of debt, so last November the company in specialist to advise on options. By the Horns ceased trading on 22^nd January and entered liquidation on 3^rd February. I learned the news through the West Kent CAMRA Beer Chat, Whats App group, as one member works for a local Hop Factoring company, which supplied hops to the brewery. I found the demise of BtH particularly sad, because I had not only visited the brewery a couple of times, but also because I rather liked their beers.

In May 2017, I joined a group of West Kent CAMRA members on a tour of south London, with the purpose of presenting certificates to a number of breweries that had received an award at the previous year’s Spa Valley Railway Beer Festival. By the Horns was one of these, so we called in at the company’s original brewery, which was located on an industrial park, somewhere between Earlsfield and Tooting.  After its foundation in 2011, the brewery had expanded into adjoining units on either side of the original, which allowed room for a tap-bar, plus a bottle shop. The expansion also created space for a function room, plus additional storage facilities

By The Horns seemed very much a part of the local community, and several of the beers had a London-themed name. These included Diamond Geezer, Lambeth Walk, 2 Tone London Lager and Wolfie Smith, the latter being a reference to the 70’s sitcom, "Citizen Smith,” starring Robert Lindsay. The brewery tap was ticking over nicely when we arrived that afternoon, and after a welcoming beer or two, we were conducted on a tour around the brewery tour. This was followed by the presentation of the certificate. I wrote at the time, that I wasn’t overly interested in the technical data, such as brewing capacity etc. so after the tour, I remained outside enjoying the fresh air, the sunshine, and the excellent beer.  

Six years later, in March 2023, a slightly smaller group of us visited By The Horns Brewery for a second presentation, although by this time the company had moved out of London and were now based in the Surrey village of Salfords, a place not to be confused with the with the similarly named city in Greater Manchester. We travelled across to Redhill by train, from Tonbridge, before changing platforms and switching onto a Gatwick-bound, Thameslink service. It was then a short 5-minute walk from Salfords station to the brewery, which was housed in a new industrial unit, on an industrial estate to the west of the main London-Brighton rail line.

The move out to Surrey took place in 2021 and was a direct resulted of increased demand for BtH beers. The company commissioned a new production brewing facility, which included an enlarged, and significantly upgraded brewhouse. The company claimed the new site allowed them to brew all their beers in the most consistent way possible. The BtH brand also underwent a refresh, which gave it a much more contemporary feel.

Somewhat ominously, I wrote at the time, “Where is all this beer going?”  BtH have a serious piece of bright and shiny, stainless steel brewing kit, churning out umpteen varieties of different beers, all packed in gaudy-looking can, by the caseload, more to the point where is it being sold? Export perhaps, because beers from By the Horns have been conspicuous by their absence in local supermarkets and off-licenses, and right up to the point of the company’s collapse, I still hadn't seen any of their cans on sale locally.

Reading between the lines, BtH went for growth (they had to find some way to fill that large mash tun, and that forest of conical fermenters). I’m no business expert, but I imagine that chasing after the contract brewing market, is precarious and fraught with pitfalls. It seems that BtH also fell foul of the fickleness of supermarket buyers, with almost predictable results. So, farewell By the Horns, your beers will be missed by this drinker, even though they were rarely seen just 35 miles away from the brewery!

 

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.