The Flying Dutchman, Tonbridge

Traditional pub - located part-way between Hildenborough and Tonbridge - retaining a two bar layout. The busy public bar has a side room featuring the main sports TV and a (covered) pool table, but the lounge now seems to be mostly used for special occasions. Fairly plain furniture and decor, and a very basic bar snack menu. Side patio / grassed beer garden with a small brick smoking shelter. Just Harvey's (£3.50) available from a bank of three handpumps on each bar counter.

I popped into the Flying Dutchman at about 16:00 on Friday afternoon when the bar was lined with a local crowd. The only cask option available was Harvey’s Best because two of the three hand pumps were unused. A standard draught option was also present and food is available with the kitchen times being midday until 15:00 for lunch and 15:00 until 21:00 for bar meals. Breakfast is also available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 09:00 until midday and the kitchen is open for Sunday lunch from midday until 15:30. I didn’t spot a lunch menu, but the standard pub grub bar meals were priced at £5.95. There is a bar with seating in the left hand side of the pub, but this was empty and I did not visit on this occasion. The main bar area houses a plasma screen that was showing a muted quiz programme and there was some loud rock music playing. To the right is a seating area with another large plasma screen that was also showing the muted quiz programme. In this area there is also a pool table and two dartboards. Some signed pictures of professional dart players and backstage championship pictures suggest that darts is taken quite seriously in this pub. Out of a door to the far right is a picnic table strewn grassed beer garden and out the front is a large car park that sets the pub back from the busy B245. If I lived locally I would use this pub, but I’m not sure that it is worth making a special trip for.