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Picture of The Three Mariners
Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Sunday, 1st December 2019
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The Three Mariners, Gillingham

509 Lower Rainham Road
Rainham
Postal town: Gillingham
ME8 7TN
Correct details

Served areas

Reviews of The Three Mariners (Average Rating: 5 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The Three Mariners

Located a short drive out of Rainham town centre, close to the Riverside Country park on the Medway Estuary, this is a simple pub that seems to be leaning a little towards a food-led venture at present. You enter into a carpeted front room with a short banquette under the front windows and standard tables and chairs elsewhere. The walls and ceiling are painted in an off-white shade with fake looking dark wood beams criss-crossing them in a bid to make the place feel much older than it really is. A nice brick fireplace to the right had a small table with all the track and trace stuff on it positioned on its hearth, whilst to the left there is a partially intact partitioning wall that screens the servery, although a large section of the wall has been knocked through and filled with a ship’s wheel, so the bar area isn’t as dak and dingy as it might otherwise have been. This worked well in the current climate, as the staff were able to cordon off the access points to the bar at either end of this wall, ensuring customers couldn’t approach, as per the Covid restrictions in place at the time of my visit. The bar counter has the same white painted, fake beam crossed frontage found throughout the rest of the room, complimented by a dark wood bar back topped with a large cross beam that bears the pub’s name. Unsurprisingly, the room has been decorated with all sorts of nautical themed odds and ends, including pictures of the eponymous three mariners, photos of ships, a set of oars and plenty of model boats. There’s also a large pump clip collection to one side of the bar, where a few slot machines can also be found. A TV was mounted on the rear wall but remained switched off throughout our visit with music quietly playing in the background instead. It looked like there might be a second room tucked away behind the servery somewhere, but the restrictions on movement meant I didn’t get a chance to check out that theory. There is a surprisingly large garden to one side of the pub, part of which is a patio space next to the back door and the rest of which is a broad grassy area, with ample shelter, metal garden furniture and picnic benches available.
We came here hoping to grab a bite to eat for lunch and were met by a somewhat gruff barman who mildly berated us for turning up without a reservation. Judging by the number of free tables outside, I’m assuming this is because they have limited capacity in their kitchen at present, but he found us a table indoors and we enjoyed a hearty, and very good value, meal. This was washed down by a decent pint of Harvey’s Sussex Best, which was available along with Youngs Special and Sharps Doom Bar, with a real cider occupying the final handpull.
This seemed like a very down to earth place with basic pub amenities, a pleasant nautical theme, cheap food and a nice beer garden. The service could’ve been a bit more welcoming, but once settled in, the other staff were very polite and friendly and whilst the beer range was unadventurous, my pint was at least in good shape. Worth calling in for a quick pint or bargain meal if you’re in the area, but not one to make a big detour for.

On 20th August 2021 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Three Mariners

Traditional pub retaining two separate bars, a lounge / restaurant to the left and a busier general seating / dining area to the right, with the main counter in a narrower and partly opened-out space in between. All four handpumps on that counter in use, offering Doom Bar, London Pride (£3.80), Youngs Special and Old Rosie cider.

On 30th November 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


E TA left this review about The Three Mariners

Depending whom you ask, there are various candidates for who the Three Mariners were - Drake, Frobisher and Hawkins are the most likely candidates given that the pub dates from Elizabethan times, these are certainly the three shown on the pub's sign.

The original structure is visible in places, though some of the timbers are new and/or fake, and the various fireplaces have been fronted by much more recent fittings. Two bars, known as Port and Starboard have awful flooring which is unsympathetic to the rest of the building as is the tv screen. There is an outside area and a huge carpark, and the restauant next door, The Barn, used to belong to the business too. There is a friendly, if slightly thick, pub dog, a welcoming landlord, although the locals are a bit cliquey.

There is usually a guest ale, but the Otter had just run out when I arrived so I had a pint of Courage Best as that was the best thing on offer. The business has had its ups and downs in recent years, but it is definitely open now and it is worth dropping in if passing. I would include it in a Rainham crawl.

On 24th March 2012 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3272 recommendations about 3237 pubs]


View more reviews of The Three Mariners (7)
External web links for The Three Mariners

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Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Rainham (Kent), 1.03 miles, 19 min walk (show)
Gillingham (Kent), 3.05 miles, 58 min walk (show)
Newington, 3.97 miles, 1 hr 16 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for The Three Mariners, Rainham
20th Aug 2021, 14:39
Review submitted by Pub SignMan
 
1st Dec 2019, 14:02
Picture submitted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off approved

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 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Bar Billiards : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Beer Garden : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Car Park : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Darts : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Jukebox : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Karaoke : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Micropub : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Pinball : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Pool Table : No last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 24 March 2012 by David McNally
  • Real Cider : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
  • Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 20 August 2021 by Pub SignMan
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