The Dering Arms, Ashford

I’ve known this pub for years, back to the time when it had an elderly landlord and a rather good juke box. Our farming group used to meet in the back room:now it is rather swish with a grand piano and some impressive hi-hi kit. Perhaps more a restaurant than a pub-Jim buss is a first rate chef, and knows his fish.However this is a simplistic view: at its heart, this is a public house with a proper bar,flagstones and open fire. As a beer drinker, one could find the Dering rather frustrating:a bank of beer engines selling but one beer. However, I often find that one excellently kept beer is worth a barfull of ordinary. I’ve always loved Goachers, and the House Ale on our recent visit was profoundly English,earthy and deep like a great Midland river. Stone built,a nineteenth century hunting lodge, with the characteristic round headed windows associated with the Dering Estate. Handy for Pluckley Station. Unique and excellent.