Old Ash Tree, Chatham

Official site of The Old Ash Tree - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Old Ash Tree - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Occupying a rather grand site on the A2, the Old Ash Tree was previously known as a music venue from the 1950s onwards, evolving through jazz, country, disco and rick phases at various time. During the 19802 it was knows as OATS (Old Ash Tree Sounds), a phase which was thankfully short lived. It was also a favoured haunt of bikers, including the Kent Hell's Angels, but is now simply another down-market John Barras gathering place dominated by tv screens and cheap food-and-pitcher deals. The building remains impressive, sitting in its own grounds complete with large car park and a purpose-built pavilion for smokers. There are a variety of gaming machines, some quite juvenile, which enable those in the age range 7 - 70 to have a good time. Staff were unfriendly and waiting times were unnecessarily long. There was only one ale on, Bombardier, which was much too cold and rather tasteless. I'm not sure I'd rush back just now, but give it a few years and I'm sure it'll change for the better again.