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Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Monday, 8th October 2018
With picture contributions to 9888 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (19 more images)
Requested be closed with reason - Other: Closed according to their Facebook page
Detail Pages
Wig & Gown, Dartford
Dartford
DA1 2DX
Served areas
Reviews of Wig & Gown (Average Rating: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Wig & Gown
Nice old building, formerly a county courthouse (and other things, including a bank), set back from the now pedestrianised High Street by enough to enable a patio beer garden at the front. That said, the modernised interior has no residual character, which seems such a shame, and I only visited because I heard that the last day of trading was imminent (and you could guess, even if unaware...). I don't think that real ale has been offered since the Youngs / Wells days, so wasn't that surprised to find Brixton's Low Voltage session IPA (£5.25) as the best of the keg beers available.
On 22nd December 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Wig & Gown
After a temporary closure and a lick of paint, the old Courthouse has now reopened as the Wig And Gown. 2 ales and the usual run of keg/craft stuff. Primarily aimed at the Spoons demographic (the Flying Boat is barely a paddle away) with cheap prices and screened football which isn't much different to its previous incarnation.
On 15th July 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Courthouse
This Wells/Young's pub is housed in what was (amazingly enough) the old County Court House although it has also been used as a bank in the past. It is fair to say that it has a worn in look and is a bit tatty round the edges but it does retain an element of character and if the walls could speak, I’m sure they would have a few good stories regarding the cases that were heard and punishments meted out in its previous guise.
The impressive exterior is dominated by a large coat of arms and flagpole although the effect is slightly diminished by the numerous cheap posters beaming out of the windows and large blackboards set up outside advertising live bands and cheap deals.
The interior would have once been divided into 4 or 5 separate rooms either side of a central corridor but the left hand side containing the main bar has been opened up to create a more spacious feel. The 2 rooms to the right still have most of their separate identity, the front lounge bar in particular containing some interesting artifacts, portraits of prominent local figures, reproduction maps, the accounts for the building of the local manor house and historic pictures of town including one of the now demolished Kidds Brewery. Throughout the pub there are humourous legal quotes scrawled on the walls and annotated pictures of notorious criminals, albeit with no connection to the building or local area.
There are multiple screens for sport and the usual run of quiz/karaoke/poker evenings as well as the aforementioned live rock/indie bands at weekends. An ivy clad corridor to the rear leads to a car port that has been partly converted to a decked beer patio with trellises and umbrella covering. There are also a few benches at the front of the pub for the al-fresco types and smokers.
There are 5 hand pumps with the usual Wells/Youngs suspects but availability has been an issue in my last few visits with just one or two available and clips not reversed for the ones that are off. Nit pickers and CAMRA buffs will no doubt be unamused by frequently getting ales in lager glasses. What is available is usually pretty good quality and prices decent enough for a town centre pub.
I’ve never had any problems amongst the customer base and service has generally been fine although I only tend to use the place at off-peak times. It is certainly worthy of a couple of pints during quieter periods or as part of a pub crawl in town but it is generally aimed at the younger end of the drinking community.
On 9th November 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - Wig & Gown
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Wig & Gown - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 09 November 2010 by hondo .
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Car Park : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Darts : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Jukebox : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Karaoke : Yes last updated 09 November 2010 by Dave McNally
- Live Music : Yes last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 09 November 2010 by Dave McNally
- Micropub : No last updated 02 October 2022 by Roger Button
- Pinball : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Pool Table : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 09 November 2010 by Dave McNally
- Real Ale : No last updated 02 October 2022 by Roger Button
- Real Cider : No last updated 08 August 2013 by Roger Button
