The Paper Moon (JD Wetherspoon), Dartford

Rather a strange looking place at first sight especially if you approach via the right hand entrance, which has the feel of a seventies Italian restaurant to it; the slightly scruffy exterior doesn't help either. Once you're in and discover the main bar, the beams and open fires bit, the scales fall from your eyes. This is where Slaters brewery showcase their beers and very fine it all is. Five (out of six I think) beers on when we stopped for lunch on Boxing day. With friendly, knowledgeable service and delicious hot roast beef sandwiches there's little more you can ask for.

Since Wetherspoons second venture, the elegant and expensively refurbished Flying Boat, opened down the road, it would have been easy to assume that the Paper Moon would be firmly relegated to Dartford’s No 2 ‘Spoons (a disparaging title if ever there was one) however far from falling off the radar, it has actually become a far better pub in its own right. A minor refurbishment has given it a fresher feel even if it does still have that unmistakable ‘Spoons stamp of uniformity about it. Despite being a former Bank, it doesn’t have any of the opulent touches normally prevalent in such buildings and there is little to make it stand out although one interesting fact about the place is that it was designed by Sir Edward Maufe who also built Guildford Cathedral. The pub is a big supporter of local brewers and regularly stocks ales from the likes of Westerham, Nelson, Whitstable and Hopdaeman. A recent tie-up with the local Nelson Brewery in Chatham has led to an Ale (Flying Moon 4.8%) being exclusively brewed for the 2 ‘Spoons in town. There have recently been meet the brewer sessions, brewery visits and organised pub crawls as well as a popular quiz on Monday’s alongside the usual ‘Spoons promotions. The customer base doesn’t seem as unappealing as it has been in the past although there are still a few annoying people to be found at certain times (this is, after all, a Wetherspoons so it goes with the territory). Service is generally quite good although they can get too involved in their own conversations instead of serving but they are friendly and chatty once you have their attention. On the whole the pub is a more than above average Wetherspoons although it would probably only be the regulars that would really notice.