December 2025. Whitstable. A Proper Day in Whitstable must include oysters and beer and pashmina shops and pebbles on the beach. Mrs RM fancied something “authentic” but the seafood restaurants were both expensive and fussy looking, and you don’t really come to the Kent coast for curry. Oh, here’s an idea… The Ship Centurion is… Continue reading ALL SHIP SHAPE AT THE SHIP CENTURION
Tag: Kent
TANKERTON SLOPES
December 2025, Tankerton. Kent. A short break from pubs as Mrs RM and I head to North Kent. Don’t worry, it’s the posh bit, we’re not savages. Six (6) posts coming up from Whitstable, with a night in Tankerton, where the MoHos were circling. None of those is ours, which is a small, incognito (apart… Continue reading TANKERTON SLOPES
SISSINGHURST
November 2025. Sissinghurst. Kent. Coming to the end of our year of middle-aged National Trust membership now, but still time for a few late ticks from our temporary South-Eastern base in Rye before we ignore the requests to renew for ’26. Actually, has anyone ever completed a National Trust Handbook in a single year ?… Continue reading SISSINGHURST
MEAT RAFFLE, 10 PINTS OF FOSTERS, BABIES AND OLD BOYS, A STONE ROSES OBSESSION. LYDD’S FIRST GBG ENTRY WANTS TO BE ADORED
November 2025. Lydd. Kent. What’s that bit of land a few miles east of Romney Marsh ? “Boulogne” something something ? A small Channel Island presumably. Probably sells Butcombe, must investigate*. Just as I got to investigate Lydd (pop. 6,567) on Saturday, as it (remarkably) makes the Beer Guide for the first ever, and now… Continue reading MEAT RAFFLE, 10 PINTS OF FOSTERS, BABIES AND OLD BOYS, A STONE ROSES OBSESSION. LYDD’S FIRST GBG ENTRY WANTS TO BE ADORED
LEFFE AND SPICE BAG
November 2025. Tonbridge. Having spent the extravagant sum of £3.20 to park next to Tonbridge Castle (it was 6.43pm, they charge 8am till 8pm but kindly gave me a credit of those 43 minutes in the morning) we were going to get full value for our night out. Supper in Spoons, which seems to be… Continue reading LEFFE AND SPICE BAG
MAN OF KENT. OR KENTISH MAN ?
November 2025. Tonbridge. There’s five (5) Tonbridge entries in the Good Beer Guide this year. Southwold has none (0), Stafford only has three. One of those is the very beery Nelson Arms, one’s a Spoons, one is the upmarket craft/cask/toastie gem that is Fuggles. Mrs RM, after a challenging day, wanted that stodge-fest of a… Continue reading MAN OF KENT. OR KENTISH MAN ?
GATECRASHING A 60th BIRTHDAY IN TONBRIDGE
November 2025. Tonbridge. A day attending to the in-laws of Royal Tunbridge Wells, where it transpires all Michael wants is a front row seat at the Assembly Hall, listening to a sombre piece about Anne Frank performed by his own choral society. It’s less fun than Rosie, I’ll say that. While the in-laws stay at… Continue reading GATECRASHING A 60th BIRTHDAY IN TONBRIDGE
LURCHERS AND CHESTERFIELDS. THE BLACK HORSE, THURNHAM
November 2025. Thurnham. Maidstone. Into posh Kent and the North Downs we go, for a night in Rye before opera with the in-laws. There may be something in that last sentence to make you a tad jealous. I’m betting it’s not opera. A smattering of new Guide entries for Kent in GBG26, but our first… Continue reading LURCHERS AND CHESTERFIELDS. THE BLACK HORSE, THURNHAM
“Are you Leon’s dad ?”. MISTAKEN IDENTITY AT GILLINGHAM’S FROG & TOAD
April 2025. Gillingham. Kent. Will Adams, Past and Present, Frog & Toad. What a run of pubs* you get in Gillingham, and the Frog is a joy for those who prefer unimproved pubs of the Plough/Stile ilk. Mrs RM may not have been quite so sure of its appeal. All the action takes place in… Continue reading “Are you Leon’s dad ?”. MISTAKEN IDENTITY AT GILLINGHAM’S FROG & TOAD
IN FAIRNESS TO GILLINGHAM…
April 2025. Gillingham. Kent. Important to add “Kent”, as its namesake in Dorset is a rather different beast (and all its pubs seemingly named after animals, too). While the in-laws snoozed at the Dockyard Travelodge I tried to make sense of North Kent’s most derided town, a place folk in Royal Tunbridge Wells have never… Continue reading IN FAIRNESS TO GILLINGHAM…
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