Old House at Home, Maidstone

Craft Union refurb and very low prices ensure the Old House is always busy; even on weeknights when some other town pubs shut early due to lack of trade. London Pride and Doom Bar are the nearest thing to proper beer, but at considerably less that £3 a pint it’s very good value. The reason I rate this pub so high is purely down to the fact it’s the kind of place you can just wander in and fit in without trying too hard. In a gentrified corporate world, it’s just a proper pub.

The Old House at Home is a sports orientated pub with plasma screens that were showing the Ryder Cup during my visit last Friday. One of these screens was showing 3D golf and a couple of locals were watching it with the glasses on at the end of the bar. The bar is along the right hand wall and the four hand pumps were drawing London pride, Sharp’s Doom bar, Young’s Special and Shepherd Neames Spitfire. There is also a standard draught range and I found the service to be very friendly. Seating runs down the left hand side of the pub and at the rear is a pool table and dartboard. Outside the front of the pub on the path are three picnic tables and some signs advertising pub grub. This is a small friendly boozer that I could easily settle into for a few jars whilst watching football etc.