ALL THE PUBS IN RAMSGATE. No. 1 – THE HONEYSUCKLE INN

November 2024. Ramsgate.

Another GBG year, another new Guide pub for Remarkable Ramsgate.

“You’re joking – not another one!” says Brenda Mrs RM, who decides an afternoon in the caravan drinking discounted North Brewing cans beats Ramsgate in the rain.

But I love Ramsgate, so much I’ve decided to start a mini-series on the pubs, which saves me having to come up with a witty blog title involving the word “Honeysuckle”.

Regular readers will know that Ramsgate was discovered in 753 AD by American pub tourists seeking out proper Boring Brown Bitter rather than US fizz. Their journey is depicted on this completely accurate drawing at the station.

Theoretically I could have walked to my lone GBG newbie, necked a half, and sprinted back to the station in time for more ticking around Canterbury, but Guide completion means you can do what you like,

and wandering Thanet streets is an underrated joy.

I miss the Great Tree and the irrepressible Madama Scheherezade,

but Ramsgate’s backstreets are packed with neighbourhood gems like the Honeysuckle, which suddenly looks terribly familiar.

Around here, you can be confident the cask is turning over,

and since the chap in front of me orders a pint of Wantsum I sadly follow suit, even in Gaddsland.

There’s two tables free along the wall; the chap goes right to join his wife, so I go left.

“Oh, I was going to sit there” says the chap.

“Sorry, I assumed you were sitting with your wife !” pointing to a huge untaken space.

“No, the dog’s sitting there“

And so it was, bounding onto the seat. I budged up, we made a truce.

I’d forgot Wantsum was as local as Gadd’s; their Imperious an imperious pint (NBSS 4) at £3.80 in a time I hear London media writing about £8 pints.

The beer is great, the soundtrack classic jazz, the banter BRAPA-tastic; the sale of a dishwasher conducted on the phone at volume 11.

Our chap tells his daughter what he wants for Christmas.

“Sloggi tops, three times extra large“.

Daughter doesn’t know what Sloggi is, and neither did I.

But I do now.

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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.

23 thoughts on “ALL THE PUBS IN RAMSGATE. No. 1 – THE HONEYSUCKLE INN”

  1. Martin,
    Have you used Shropshire’s Honeysuckle, confirmed by my visits this year as Newport’s second best pub after Craft Union’s Pheasant ?

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    1. I haven’t, Paul, just did the Titanic, Joules and Black Country pubs on a recent overnight stay.

      I was saddened to read the What Pub text refer to “ONLY” three handpulls, but perhaps Telford CAMRA members drink 3 pints simultaneously.

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      1. I’m not sure what they do.
        The number of handpulls isn’t really relevant. The Honeysuckle does well as a “one beer is plenty” pub nowadays.
        And they’ve still got “Banks’s Amber Ale (Electric pump)” for the Swan Inn despite me having reported that it’s been “No real ale” for years.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Martin, There’s a ‘Stag & Scotch’ micropub opening later this month so you might have to return to Newport.

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  2. We walked out to the Honeysuckle when we stayed in Ramsgate. I had no idea we were doing a preemptive. Have to update my spreadsheet. At about 6% completion I’d guess. What’s the average completion rate among subscribers?

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  3. Why can’t more pubs have pretty names like this?

    Why so many revoltingly ugly ones, like The Black Dog, The Butcher’s Arms, and The Volunteer Rifleman?

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    1. Yes Etu, and rather than The Honeysuckle, The Woodbine was the name of an inter-war Wolverhampton pub that gradually got more derelict until being demolished recently. Its demise was probably inevitable after the smoking ban. Another pub on the outskirts of Wolverhampton to have been demolished recently was The Red, White and Blue and you can’t get a more colourful name than that – except perhaps the Rainbow five miles north at Coven.

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      2. Yes Etu, but why are pubs named the Printers Arms within about twenty miles of Manchester ?
        Maybe they’re the guardian of good ale.

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      1. I don’t understand it. Whilst I appreciate the cheap prices (comparatively) I feel we should be paying more. Higher prices don’t hurt crappy lager sales.

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