The Park Gate Inn, Maidstone

Vintage Inn on the A20 some distance from the nearest villages, but close to Leeds Castle so plenty of passing trade and tourist traffic. The original building has been extended several times to leave a variety of dining areas and rooms, plus a little general seating by the bar. Semi-traditional furniture and decor, as you would expect from the chain. Beer garden to one side. Three of five handpumps in use, offering Doom Bar, Spitfire (£3.85) and Adnams Ghost Ship.

A basically old roadside pub that has been extended and altered over the years. I'd never been inside before, in spite of it's being a gateway to our part of Kent, and an easily found location to meet folks traveling from up country. The original age lends a kind of veracity-exposed beams, a half decent floor- to what is in effect just another corporate chain "pub",depending on cooked by numbers meals, dull beer and staff whose use of English is limited. Handy for Leeds Castle, the A and M 20s, it could with a bit of love be a reasonable country pub;for now , however, it seems tired and formulaic.