Station House, Tonbridge

A bigger than expected pub, with the front part looking like it's been opened out in the last few decades, while the next area has trussed beams and a skylight, suggesting it was built that way; a modern extension behind that leads to the garden. The whole impression, from the full hight windows at the front to the sun trap garden at the rear, is of welcome light in what could easily be a gloomy space. This is emphasised by the bar counter being in an unlit area and being in dark stained wood with dark Wedgwood blue to waist height. If the hand pumps were to receive a bit of metal polish they might gleam, but they've got no chance as it is, so I swerved the unattractive London Pride and went for a half of Guinness, which was thoughtfully poured by the young barman and was not as cold as it can be, so top marks for that (£4.70/pint). There is a pool table in one of the front window areas, and another in a side room on the left, where there is also a dartboard. A 19th century map of the area, centered on the pub, has a prime position below the skylight; intriguingly there's a model of a 17th century pirate ship on a shelf just below the beam. I wonder why. The background music is unrelenting, unignorable but at least it's fairly cheerful. I would recommend a visit here for anyone who misses their train at the nearby station.

Visited 09/02/26. Visited previously 09/08/21 No cask. Two handpumps, one dispensing LPride had the cup over the handle rather than the clip being turned round, the other handpump absent clip. Keg offering of Guinness, Stella, Carlsberg, original and dark fruits SB, Moretti, Fosters, John Smiths, K1664, Cruz and Amstel. The closest pub to Tonbridge station and amazed not been in here owing to a missed train for about 5 years. It is a T-shaped venue from the frontage, carpeted apart from a bare boarded section at the rear before the exit to the small well-manicured beer garden. There is a pool table to the left of the entrance, and regular tables and chairs either side of the front, with a runway to the rear, apart from the bar counter, with a boarded skirt along its front and longer service sides along the right-hand wall in the front to mid-part of the venue. There is a ceramic tiled area on the left-hand side beyond the end of the bar counter hosting a dart board and old-style arcade games machine. A couple of pillar-based tables in the middle of the runway with then some booth tables on the rear right-hand wall. Quite a few TV's on the walls and plenty of advertising for upcoming sporting events shown live on the screens. The sport shown whilst I was here had no commentary the sound provided by a mixed pop bag. Pretty run of the mill station pub.