Coopers Cask, Fant, Maidstone

The ‘to let’ and ‘for sale’ signs on the exterior led me to believe that this pub was shut as I walked down the hill towards it. The frosted windows with Cooper’s Cask etched into them meant that I couldn’t see inside and I was going to write this pub off, but then I heard some dance music emanating from beyond the glass so I decided to check the door, which to my surprise opened. Upon entry I was faced by a bar with a solitary unused hand pump in the centre of it which left me feeling a little deflated. After further investigation I discovered that the bar has three sides and a standard draught range is available from the other two. Around the left hand side of the pub is a pool table and a dartboard and the right is taken up with standard seating. There is a door at the rear that gains access to a paved beer garden that houses a few picnic tables. I found the service to be friendly, but I got the feeling that this pub’s glory days are well and truly in the past. The décor is sparse and it feels like the current management are just holding the fort until someone leases or buys the pub. Hopefully it will be purchased and given a new lease of life because at the moment it isn’t worth making an effort to visit.

Called into the coopers cask whilst waiting for my tyres to be done at the garage opposite, recieved a warm welcome from the landlord graham, he recommended the sunday lunch so I visited and was very pleased with the quality.

"Cask ales" it proudly proclaims on the facade, but don't believe a word of it. Just keg Whitbread Best (£3.00) and John Smiths Extra Dull. However, it looks like it might once have been a decent pub with several interconnecting rooms around the central bar. Pool table, patio garden and a reasonably friendly barman, but don't go out of your way to try this one...