The Bedford, Tunbridge Wells

Good solid pub with great selection of ales on the bar. Well worth a visit despite the GK badge. IPA, OSH and Abbot on the bar along with many kentish brews. loyalty card system in operation, no CAMRA discount. Superb location next to the station, makes it a first and last for the town of Tunbridge Wells.

First stop off the train and a splendid start to an afternoon in Tunbridge Wells. Despite the GK signage this is a cask ale Mecca with no less than eleven operational handpumps. A single boarded room with the bar centrally along one side, the area narrows to the rear. Mixed seating of most known types, candles in bottles, homage is paid to two local achievers, Tom Baker (Doctor Who) and cricketer David Gower. Some bookcase wallpaper plus an area with a design based on music speakers, fake exposed brick to the front return wall. The wall mounted TV was off during my lunchtime visit while music played, they do food but my table didn't have a menu so not recorded but a chalkboard offered sausage rolls for £2.50. The beer range was excellent and judging by the plethora of beer mats on the ceiling above the bar and on a back wall, changes constantly. My visit found Pilgrim Surrey, Long Man Long Blonde (£3.00), High Weald First Gold IPA plus Charcoal Burner, Bedford Steam Best Bitter, Gadd's Uberhop, Brighton Bier Mino Bier, Belhaven Grand Slam, GK Abbot and a cider, Biddenham Bushels; another plastic vessel on the bar back looked to contain another cider but I didn't see the name. My Long Blonde was tip top, a great start to the day. On Wednesdays there is 50p off a pint of cask between 5 and 8pm. Loyalty card scheme too, buy ten get one free. It was my first port of call but if it is your last, they have an iPad mounted behind the bar giving real time train information, a nice touch. They also have a bottle shop and cask takeaway downstairs called the Beer Cave. A very nice spot and clearly popular with the ale fraternity, plenty in, all drinking the real stuff.

This is a GK house selling numerous guest ales, something which seems to be on the increase throughout their estate. It's a single room with wooden floors and forms a sort of L shape. The bar has ten hand pumps which were partially blocked so I didn't get to see all the beers. I did spot GK IPA, Old Dairy Snow Top, Turner's Porter, Firebird 79, Musket Trigger, a cider and Gadd's Number 5. I went for the Snow Top (£4.50) which was excellent but expensive. This is because they have four ABV based price points of £3.00, £3.50, £4.00 and £4.50. I thought this place was pretty good, especially for a Greene King house and would gladly return.

Official site of The Bedford - www.thebedfordtw.co.uk

Official site of The Bedford - www.thebedfordtw.co.uk