The Golding Hop, Sevenoaks

I came here once with my ex-girlfriend around the mid-'90s. It seemed like a good, traditional pub in an idyllic village but seems recently to have been converted into a tearoom.

Got off bus222 opp Back Lane & descended down single track Bewley La with orchards to either side and fields all around (see satellite view on gmap). Smallish pub with hop decorated bar in central section with handful of tables and small tv (unfortunately showing one of those daily antique shows), beyond to the left a separate room with a couple more tables and a bar billiards table in excellent condition (recently reclothed). To the right of the entrance, up a few steps to a semi ‘loft' area with dark wood furniture & timbered walls – I imagine this area is mostly used when busy, or for dining. There was a tiny room below the ‘loft' but it was in darkness, a veritable bolthole. Walls/shelves are decorated with brass & china plates, victorian cartoons and a horse harness has pride of place above the wood burning stove in the central bar area. On the other side of the lane is a car park and grassy beer garden with picnic sets, and this was being patrolled by the crowing pub cockerel who must be something of a feature judging by the occasional picture inside. Beyond the garden is a childrens play area with slide, swings & climbing frame. Some bench seating and weathered wood tables immediately outside the pub overlook the very quiet lane. Didn't see a food menu, but was happy to notice simple sustenance available behind bar in the shape of filled cobs/baps/barms/rolls (select according to location), something I wish a lot more pubs would do – it's often all you want with a pint. It's a down to earth place & some of the conversation between guv & regulars reflected the difficulties of such places surviving, especially with the imposition of euro/h&s regs which may not be applicable or practicable to a country pub. Four beers were served by gravity & I was somewhat disappointed not to find anything from a Kentish brewery out here – Adnams Best & Broadside, Moorhouse Black Cat Mild & Everards Sly Fox (gingery but refreshing), also four ciders – Vintage & House Rough (it was), both 7.3%, Sparkling Dry (5%), & Stowford Press. Bishop Gundulf's Morris will be appearing the eve of 03Jun. Guv may appear a little dour but he was most helpful to me with a map query. Pub closes weekday afternoons (15:00?).