October 2026. Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Our single night at the in-laws tragically coincided with the Tuesday closure of Meows, purveyor of the best Chinese Meal for Three in the kingdom.
What does Tunbridge Wells have to offer during the diner in half-term.
I will try the White Bear one day, but the Youngs menu was predictable and expensive.
And the Fullers pub in the Pantiles had no kitchen.
In fact, very limited options for Tuesday night, that toastie in Fuggles suddenly appealed.
But what’s this ?
Mrs RM, who you’ll recall ticked all of Tunbridge as a 17 year old tearaway before heading to Uni and digs in East Ham and Acton, had a vague recollection of the Compasses.
Yet to grace the Beer Guide, but Greene King certainly going for it with a 25% discount for the CAMRAs on their exciting beer range during Cask Ale week.
You know me well enough to appreciate that I don’t recognise the concept of “dull beer”, but goodness me it’s a shame the Abbot was off.
Still, the IPA and the almost identical house beer were VERY GOOD, cool and tasty,
and the young staff who outed me as a CAMRA by the simple act of my asking for cask were a delight.
It’s a pleasant, rambling pub, perhaps a few too many large tables for the solo drinker.
Mrs RM was forced to find a table for six when the smaller one had a “Reserved for Psychic Readings” sign.
I suspect my view on that mirrors Lana’s.
Put off by the prospect of “clairs” and “soul signatures” we swapped tea here for the Old Skool chippy over the road.
It’s 7pm October 27th, and STILL warm enough for Mrs RM to sit outside on the pavement table with her haddock and chips.
I suspect the Psychic reader could have told me my fate if I’d contaminated those chips with curry sauce.
