The Bull Hotel, Sevenoaks

Substantial inn on the former main road to London before the A20 bypass (and the M20 motorway) were built. No doubt modified numerous times over the years, but the semi-traditional bar and restaurant areas still hint at earlier incarnations. That said, it has all been comprehensively refurbished so less character remains than the bold exterior might suggest. Just Iron Pier Perry Street IPA (£4.40) available from the three handpumps.

Whoever answered the phone on Thurs did not know whether the pub was open thru the afternoon but I was assured, since I was on my way and because the bar was busy, that I would be ok for a pint, erm, do the opening hours change daily then? Anyway, 10mins later there was nobody at the bar but a kids party was happening adjacent to it - something that would ordinarily have sent me running for the hills, but I'd come out of my way in the rain and they were extremely well behaved young people having a sort of sit-down meal bash, Ikea meets McDonalds(?) so not really a place for traditionalists or aleheads, although they did have a couple of DarkStar beers and the Hophead was ok (even tho I can get a perfect version in less travel time). Not my kind of place, but don't want to be to down on the licensees who are obviously trying hard and they have booked a N'Orleans jazz band in July & host a D-day dinner 06Jun – a more family orientated pub, I feel. Oh, & they pronounce Wrotham as Root'em out here.

Located in the pleasant Kent village of Wrotham, The Bull Hotel , Restaurant and bar is a former 14th Century Inn and one of the three remaining hostelries where you can catch a pint of real ale in the village. It primarily functions as a hotel and upmarket restaurant, but is worth popping in just for a drink as, although modernised, it still has a lot of character and there is a lot of historical memorabilia on the walls relating to the time when it was the rendezvous point for fighter pilots stationed at Biggin Hill and West Malling airfields during World War II. Internally there are two separate dining rooms laid for silver service and then the main bar area with a small area to the front for just drinking and then a larger area to the right which again is mainly laid for dining. And although the décor is now modern, there is still enough original oak floors, period fireplaces and exposed timbers to give the place a bit of character. There were two ale pumps on the bar which were dispensing a very pleasant pint of Dark Star Hop Head along with a second ale from a local brewery. We didn’t stay or eat here, and for that you are better off looking at Trip Advisor to how the Bull performs. But for a decent pint of Dark Star in pleasant surroundings it certainly did the trick.

Official site of the Bull, contains menu and beer list - www.thebullhotel.com

Official site of the Bull, contains menu and beer list - www.thebullhotel.com