retiredmartin

Christmas Eve 2023. Tonbridge.

An impromptu Christmas Eve crawl with the lads reached its crescendo (?) as we headed back to the Tonbridge Premier Inn for an early night ahead of “Ordeal by Turkey”.

So on leaving the Station we resisted the undoubted charms of the Constitutional Club (Abbot, I think).

But, on turning the corner to head down Pembury Road, Matt suddenly said

“What’s that one like, Dad ?”.

Well, it’s a typical Kentish back street boozer, son, a place for karaoke, Chelsea on the telly and a lone Harvey’s pump.

Obligatory ’80s pop, too.

I’m sure I’ve been here at least once, but it’s indistinguishable from half a dozen other Tonbridge pubs that will never grace the GBG.

It’s great. Friendly and cheery on Christmas Eve, with a big pot of soup mulled wine on the bar.

We try to annoy the landlord by ordering a half of Guinness, but he’s incapable of being annoyed.

A bit like Mrs RM, who will be regretting that mulled wine tomorrow.

Decent Harvey’s, a Guinness that looks like it’s being served in a thimble,

and a festive treat for Mrs RM that will no doubt be available in pint measures from now due to our hard-won Brexit freedoms.

Right, it was time for bed. Christmas Day tomorrow, and you know what a fan of Christmas I am.