A LITTLE BIT OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS, A LOT OF WATERBEACH…

September 2023. Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Just back from a week away from caring for 2 sets of parents and now I find a new (embargoed) GBG on my doorstep alongside the Colombian coffee beans from Pact.

Here it is;

Some folk have opted for the plain cover version. Be aware ticking that doesn’t count.

Four (4) days in Tunbridge Wells, where I suspect we’ll be spending a fair bit of Autumn. Doesn’t sound great, but at least the pubs were good. Fantastic, in fact.

I walked into the Pantiles from the in-laws, one of the dullest two miles in England.

If you though T’ Wells was all posh, take a look at the streets east of the central shopping quarter (M & S).

In fairness, they DO seem to have some upmarket mobility scooters;

That was on Calverley Road, where What Pub told me I’d find a new craft bar. Whoopy do.

Allkin Tap & Bottle is so new it’s not even on Bing Maps yet, so I’ll just tell you it’s between the Giggling Squid and Dragon Tan Chinese, which is good company.

Classy place, spoilt only by the showing of the R***y.

Future tap for a new brewery in Eridge (Paul Bailey gets first digs on that !), so at the moment it’s all keg when the lone cask pump (Burning Sky today) runs out.

I was trying to think which UK bars the Allkin reminded me of and then remembered it looked like a crafty place in Copenhagen or Tallinn.

Perhaps a tad cheaper with keg Abyss (of Lewes) Super or Cloudwater under a pint.

Hang on. What’s that unusually placed bottle next to the cask pump ?

It’s only a bottle of our favourite wild beer specialists Pastore and Il Vigneto Mela.

Growing up I always used to boast I was born in Waterbeach, home to the UK’s biggest beetroot or something. Now I say “I’m from Waterbeach, home of Pastore”, and all the young craft beer folk are in awe.

My brother-in-law was a bit in awe when I told him that a bar in Tunbridge Wells was selling beer at the equivalent of about £17 a pint. Beat that, Maidstone.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

9 thoughts on “A LITTLE BIT OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS, A LOT OF WATERBEACH…”

  2. Martin, that walk along the A26, is definitely one of the dullest two miles anywhere. It’s been made worse in recent years by the vast numbers of retirement apartments and care homes that have sprung up along that stretch of road, so much so that it’s like McCarthy & Stone on steroids.

    To my shame, I haven’t managed to visit the Allkin Tap & Bottle yet. The lack of cask has meant it’s flown under the local CAMRA radar, which is a shame, as before that disastrous lightning strike, Good Things Brewing (as the company was then known), were turning out some really good beers.

    Sorry to learn of the health issues affecting both yours and Mrs RM’s parents. I know only too well what you must both be going through, so if you are able to “escape” for an hour or two during the next fortnight, please get in touch so we can meet up for a couple of pints.

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    1. No shame at all, Paul, I’d been to Southborough recently and not been aware of it.

      The young chap said the cask from Burning Sky had sold out that Sunday afternoon (the bar opens Thr to Sun at present) and he loves cask so I’d keep an eye out.

      I nearly called you this week but as you’ll understand things have been a bit uncertain. Getting old is a sod.

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      2. Splott would have to be renamed The Bangor Slates first.

        And it’s personal between me and that kind of furniture, having mistakenly bought a “Kerala” bedroom suit.

        Stumbling around in the dark often results in things neither pretty nor comfortable.

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