Queens Head, Orpington

This is a pub that I have been meaning to visit for quite a while. I've passed by on the bus when visiting other local pubs and spotted people drinking happily outside, but have never given it a try until yesterday. On arrival, there were a couple of guys once again drinking at the front. Inside, there is a bar area to the left and a separate dining area (unoccupied) to the right. Three other guys were all sat in the bar are were eating, whilst there were more punters in the rear garden. The young barmaid was busy dealing with drinks and food orders. So, it took a while to get served. However for a country pub, the real ale selection is good. Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter is the regular beer. Guests were Butcombe West Coast IPA, Bexley Anchor & Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose. Weston's Rosie's Pig was also available on handpull. I sat on one of the sofas in the bar area. A TV was strangely situated above a piano. An international football match involving Scotland was being shown, with nobody paying it any interest. There is a dartboard in one corner and a fireplace separates the room from the bar itself. A really nice pub in a quiet village that is well worth making the effort to get to.

This pub has been comprehensively described by the previous reviewer, so I don't need to add much. The attractively glazed vestibule is a delightful feature, from which the door on the right takes you into what appeared to be a dining room. The door on the left goes to the main bar area, which is still dark beamed, although when I was in there was a load of raffia like stuff all over them. The room further to the left reached via an archway (and separated by the see-through fireplace) is where there's a piano and where the dartboard's located, and is furnished with mainly sofas and and armchairs, a couple of tall tables/tall stools, and one largish table with normal chairs - which I bagged of course. There's a fairly secluded garden at the back in a nice location adjoining the church. The ales on when I visited were the Westerham Brewery pair of Spirit of Kent and Finchcock's, Harvey's Best, and Adnam's Fat Sprat. Flat Tyre Cider was also available. I had a delicious ham baguette - reasonably priced at £5 -£6 or so. There were also loads of pub classics on the menu, such as Cumberland Sausage and Mash at £9.65. This is clearly an old village pub, and was Bromley branch's CAMRA Pub of the Year according to a sign outside. This struck me as a friendly and welcoming pub, with reasonably priced food as well as a decent ale selection. It's not easy to get to - I got a bus from Bromley - but if you do come to Downe, possibly to visit Darwin's house, then you could do a lot worse than stopping off here for a pint.

Set in the pleasant village of Downe, this is a classic rural pub that merits the bus journey out from Bromley. The pub takes its name from Queen Elizabeth I following her visit to the village in 1559. You enter through some lovely bright stained glass doors into the ‘Darwin Bar’, named after Charles Darwin, a former regular whose old house you can visit just a short distance down the road. This is a smart bar full of dark wood beams and pillars which contrast nicely with the contemporary wallpaper and furniture. A pleasant dark wood servery runs along the right hand wall whilst a centrally positioned fireplace breaks up the room nicely, although I would imagine it would have previously been part of a partitioning wall that divided this space into two separate rooms. On the left hand side of the fireplace, there is an area with darts, a TV showing muted football and some sofas and high stools. Passing through a door to the right, you emerge into a second bar with a small corner servery and attractive bar back. There is a stone fireplace under a battered copper hood on the end wall and leaded windows to the front. The room leads into another similar space beyond the bar, both of which have typical pub seating which is ideal for diners and a small extension to the right allows space for a few more tables in a narrow strip with jarring contemporary decor. The rooms are decorated with nice old mirrors and photos of the village. There are a few seats available outside the front of the pub, next to the surprisingly busy road, and more in a rear garden which has a collection of colourful umbrellas strung above it and a decent sized covered area. The pub gained a bit of recent publicity during the build-up to the EU referendum when a bunch of protesters chased UKIP leader and local resident Nigel Farage out of the pub. Five handpulls offered draught Bass, Westerham Grasshopper, Bexley Howbury and Harveys Sussex Best plus one real cider. My pint of Bass was in pretty good shape and my Dad enjoyed his drop of the Grasshopper. The staff were very friendly and helpful and we enjoyed a very hearty and tasty Sunday roast. Our visit coincided with the nearby Biggin Hill airshow, so the pub wasn’t too busy as punters must’ve been put off by the dreadful traffic, but based on previous attempts to eat here, it’s best advised to book in advance. This is a very attractive pub which has done a pretty good job of incorporating modern elements without completely losing the character of the place. It has an interesting history and a pretty loyal following, ensuring a good atmosphere and I can imagine this is a very satisfying pub to have as your local.

Official site of Queens Head - www.queensheaddowne.com

Much the busier of the two pubs in Downe when I visited on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Quite a plain (but not unattractive) façade, with a refurbished interior to the narrow bar area and adjacent side lounge (furnished with leather chairs and sofas). On the other side of the entrance, another room (presumably a bar at some stage) is now a restaurant. A little patio seating out front, and a larger patio beer garden to the rear. Four handpumps, offering Doom Bar, Harveys, Adnams Ghost Ship and Westerham Summer Perle (£3.40). Overall, seems a well-run place.

Official site of Queens Head - www.queensheaddowne.com