The Five Bells Inn, Ashford

Away from Smeeth and Brabourne Lees, across some open country at the foot of the North Downs. A whitewashed corner pub at the entrance of the straggling hamlet,it has been on the edge of my awareness for ages, knowing that there are some grand pubs over that way-The Tiger or the Bowl. We visited on a rare sunny May Saturday lunchtime, some marquee or gazebo was set up in the garden, together with the impedimenta of a forthcoming barbeque.Entering, we were met by the laid back atmosphere of a slightly bohemian mid seventies pub refurbishment:bare (old) brick, exposed studwork,open fire and a wealth of cushions on the bench. To one side was a little shop, selling artisanal fare:this also doubled as a dining area.Moving on, the pub narrowed in front of the bar, before widening into an area largely laid up for dining. I was very excited to see that the house beer, Brabourne Velvet Stout, appeared to be Goacher’s Crown Imperial Stout:in any case I’ve never seen a stout as house beer, and it was delicious.This was followed by a spring wheat beer from Kent Brewery. My beloved Golden Braid from Hopdaemon was listed as coming next. The food was not too fiddley-decent helpings and sourced locally:as I recall, I enjoyed a smoked mackerel from Hythe. The staff were charming and jolly, seeming unphased by our group or a large party at the other end of the bar. One word of warning:one needs a degree in higher plumbing to work the taps in the bogs. An excellent pub which is set to become the hub of its community.