The Red Cow, Sandwich

Pretty, if externally scruffy, backstreet pub adorned with a jumbo red cow. T shaped inside, the top right spur has bar billiards, left spur is more formal. Bar is in the trunk of the T with an attractive whitewashed tongue and groove ceiling. Tiled floor and beams, quasi country pub ambience though lacking a bit soul, it all felt very scrubbed and polished. Surprisingly large garden, backing onto the wall of the supermarket like a pub version of Burnden Park or Ashton Gate from the 90s. Three cask; the dullard’s Doom Bar with two more local choices in Gadds and Wantsum. A half of the latter's Montgomery was a bit grainy and soapy for my tastes but served very well (NBSS 4) which cemented its GBG credentials. Piped radio alongside a coterie of retired cockneys comparing notes on their run-ins with 60s gangsters (said gangsters never went Sarf of the river, apparently). A decent stop, perhaps might be better of an evening though.

Attractive old inn, just a short distance away from the town centre, with a partially opened-out interior leaving some exposed timbers to provide separation between the bar, lounge and dining areas. Also has a patio beer garden at the back. I found four of the five handpumps in use, dispensing Doom Bar, Black Sheep, Copper Top from Old Dairy (£4.00) and London Pride.

The Red Cow is to the west of central Sandwich and overlooks the Guildhall car park which in former years was the towns cattle market, which may explain the name of the pub, and you can’t miss it from the outside due to the large red cow on the front of the pub as well as the pub name. Internally it is another fine traditional decor with what looks like original black wall and ceiling beams throughout. It looks like it was formerly several rooms but now one internal space with the remaining wall beams providing divides between different areas of the pub. One section with red flag tiled flooring and an impressive brick fireplace is used for dining, another closer to the bar has a bar billiards table in situ and then the slate coloured stone floored bar room with its thin servery lined with bar stools leads out to a spacious, yet secluded external garden area. Six ale pumps on the bar and there were four ales available for our visit in the shape of Fullers London Pride, Long man Brewery American Pale Ale, Timothy Taylor Knowle Spring and Old Dairy Brewery Coppertop. One pump was unused and the final one had been Ramsgate Brewery Gadds no.3 but reversed. We tried the Long Mann and Old Dairy brews and they were well kept.