retiredmartin

All the Margate pubs we visited are good, but the Fez is something else.  A small one-roomer with a hands-on owner (i.e. he turns the LPs over) and a good mix of Margate life.

In some ways I’m reminded of another labour of love round the corner. Like all the best micros, the Mad Hatter Café had unpredictable opening hours, divided opinion, and I was sorry to hear it had just closed.

The Fez is a destination pub in the same way as the Olde Vic, the Yew Tree or the Sheppey. As Newbury Tim described it last year, this is a treasure trove of kitsch and memorabilia.

The Bass sign looks even better on Tim’s site.

I don’t know how the Fez packs it all in, clever use of raised seating says Mrs RM, who I sense won’t be picking up any furnishing tips but gets the appeal.

Of course, novelty can wear off, but this felt a particularly cosy place to enjoy classic vinyl records such as, er, The Best of Hall & Oates and The Best of the Monkees.  No sign of Bad Manners in the pile of LPs down by Mrs RM’s feet, a national scandal.

And of course, all pointless unless the beer is good. And it was spot-on (Grafton & Yeovil both NBSS 3.5), even if that does seem an eccentric range.

And finally, a great pub has great toilets.  The Fez has great toilets.

And the quiz question, of course, where did I famously see a pub fez last year.