The Clipper, Dartford

In its former guise as the Tollgate, this was a place with a pretty poor reputation and a magnet for the less than gifted younger element in town. For whatever reasons (and I think I can make a reasoned guess), Barracuda have now relaunched the place as the Clipper with a newly refurbished interior and slightly softer approach. The basic layout is the same with a long bar down the right hand side but the raised section down the left has now been levelled although the rear section has been retained. The main body of the pub is now fully carpeted and the furnishings are a little more homely with features like the fireplace being more of a centerpiece. The rear section is stripped back pine and the patio at the rear is more functional than picturesque. The multiple flat screens have now all gone so the days of boisterous footy crowd gatherings appear to be over. Despite all the changes, it is actually hard to see any major shift in the cutomers base which was presumably the catalyst for the changes in the first place. Prices are extraordinarily cheap with a whole range of meal and drink offers pushed into your face before you even get through the front door. It still retains 4 hand pumps although the only ale available on my visit was Bombardier at £1.49 a pint (and it must be said was surprisingly good quality). The fridges still bulge with alcopops and one presumes that the place will continue to act as a cheap drink den to the town’s more unsavoury yoof before they head off to the club nights elsewhere. There wer barely half a dozen people in there the evening I called in and it is a pretty soulless place with so few people rattling around its large interior. It may attract shoppers during the daytime looking for a cheap snack and this is probably the best time to appreciate the place. New name and new image but I doubt little has really changed that gave it a poor reputation inn the past although I applaud the attempt.