retiredmartin

December 2025. Ashford. Kent.

The journey from Sheffield (Home 1) to Rye (Home 3) ticked into an 8th hour as we pulled into Ashford International, which I’ve seen far too much of these last two months.

36 minutes between trains, too long to admire the art trail,

so I felt compelled to seek solace in Spoons. Grief, it’s a miserable walk into town.

Given the other GBG entry is a dull sports bar in the entertainment complex, the County Hotel is probably as good as Ashford gets (bar the craft bar, and I’m not drinking 10% Imperial stouts today, thank you).

This was, of course, the first UK hotel to implement robot service,

but there appear to be some AI design flaws looking at that.

The design of the carpets will divide opinion, too.

On my last visit this Spoons was falling apart, literally,

but today it looks neat and tidy and dull, rather like the East London Cowcatcher (NBSS 3).

Actually, not too bad, but a bit “grapefruity“, even for me. I must ask Will for the proper word for “grapefruity“.

Still, £2.10 a pint (lost my vouchers), can’t complain.

I searched in vain for the memorial to Kent Paul. Perhaps it’s this big stone.

An hour later I was being greeted by Mrs RM, who’d made me this lovely chicken curry.

Come on, you’d pay £6 for that in This & That.