December 2025. Sittingbourne.
Back to my campervan overnighter in Whitstable last week, as I leave Mrs RM in the glamour of the Spoons and nip off to Sittingbourne to tick the sort of new GBG entry our Mudgie would appreciate.
He did like his historic towns, though perhaps Sittingbourne would have appealed less.
In fact, the only blogger who’s ever said nice things about ancient “Sīdeingasburna” is (checks internet) me.
My campaign to get the town one of those little complexes with Travelodge/cinema/Loungebar was clearly successful,
but that’s clearly not bringing in tourists from Maidstone, let alone Maidenhead.
But a pedestrianised high street goes a long way, almost as long as the branches sprouting out of the roofs,
and the art down the alleys is still there.
But our Guide pub is 5 minutes sprint south, an ultra rare Sheps backstreet boozer. in the Guide.
Actually, a bit bare boards for Mudgie,
but an unimproved gem, probably best experienced a bit later than 10 minutes after 2pm opening.
The Master Brew hadn’t arrived, so Spitfire it is, the best for a while (NBSS 3.5) even if that’s not saying much.
It’s quite easy to join in a conversation about bank closures and the fact most people have no idea what “pending” means, but with Mrs RM taunting me with photos from an exciting looking Whitstable I decide to drink up and whoosh back to the station,
rather than lingering to revisit the local micropubs and stare in awe at the graffiti en route.
“They wouldn’t have been open anyway” says Mudgie.
retiredmartin 
Quite similar to another Shep’s back street boozer, the New Inn, just a bit further along Bexley Street from the Fountain in Whitstable.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.361674,1.0268268,3a,75y,238.22h,91.62t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sj-_ZRb4hyHkDIn2wFKD4HQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-1.6209435968104629%26panoid%3Dj-_ZRb4hyHkDIn2wFKD4HQ%26yaw%3D238.21723851996435!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
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…which, as we found, has quite a bit going for it:
https://www.newinnwhitstable.co.uk
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Have you checked the train times from Maidenhead to Sīdeingasburna? To be clear, I haven’t,
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… the last part of my post disappeared into the maw of that rather scary fish, but I think you get the idea.
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Just as long as it was only your post that disappeared into that fish…
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“as I leave Mrs RM in the glamour of the Spoons ”
Goodness. I can’t tell whether:
– Mrs RM is watching the group the Spoons (due to your love of music) or;
– she’s in the ONLY Spoons in the UK that the word ‘glamour’ can be hinted at
“and nip off to Sittingbourne to tick the sort of new GBG entry our Mudgie would appreciate”
And you can appreciate it for him instead.
“In fact, the only blogger who’s ever said nice things about ancient “Sīdeingasburna” is (checks internet) me.”
(slow golf clap)
“My campaign to get the town one of those little complexes with Travelodge/cinema/Loungebar was clearly successful,”
You do keep busy!
“but that’s clearly not bringing in tourists from Maidstone, let alone Maidenhead.”
I think anyone from a place that starts with “maid” is highly leery of a place called ‘sitting-bourne’. It’s a (fear of) maternal thing or some such.
“almost as long as the branches sprouting out of the roofs,”
It is at this point that I’d make some off colour remark like ‘talk about your morning wood’, but I will refrain from that for the time being.
“Actually, a bit bare boards for Mudgie,”
(looks down)
Good lord. A bit ‘bare’ of anything, for anyone!
“but an unimproved gem, probably best experienced a bit later than 10 minutes after 2pm opening.”
Ah. ‘Tis the people make the place, or some such.
“and the fact most people have no idea what “pending” means”
Makes sense. The definition of ‘pending’ is always… pending.
“but with Mrs RM taunting me with photos from an exciting looking Whitstable I decide to drink up and whoosh back to the station,”
The Spoons were doing an encore?
““They wouldn’t have been open anyway” says Mudgie.”
(slow, but reverent, golf clap)
Cheers
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I’m guessing you haven’t had the joy of visiting Sittingbourne ?
I haven’t visited any of the towns in your homeland.
But I bet you’re forming a picture in your mind !
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No, I haven’t; no, you haven’t; and yes, I am. 😎
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Photos not loading at moment on this one. I will return …
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You’re not missing anything, Lana. Think Redditch town centre at night.
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Hey it was worth the return except for willy graffiti. There’s always one …
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Sadly, so.
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