Mount Edgcumbe, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells

Up on the top of the eponymous hill in a location that makes it a bit of a nightmare to try and get to or from late at night on foot, this is a part bar, part restaurant establishment that draws punters in with promises of fine views from its elevated position. Entering from the car park, you find yourself in the right hand side of the building, which seems to b e the area dedicated to the drinkers. Here, you’re a little hemmed in thanks to the narrow walkway leading to the bar, but some sofas and tub chairs have been squeezed in and a few regular tables and chairs put in an appearance further along. An alcove to the right can be accessed through an opening in the rough-hewn stone wall and viewed through a gap that looks like it might once have been home to a fireplace. Back here, more sofa and tub chair seating can be found under the bare stone walls and this felt like a relatively comfy spot by this pub’s standards. The curved bar counter can be found to the rear left of this side of the pub and the bar has a tongue and groove counter plus a pump clip lined bar back. Tree wallpaper aims to give the interior a natural feel befitting its location, and this has been enhanced by adding a fake mounted bear’s head and nesting boxes with knitted birds to the wall. The bar curves around to the restaurant side of the building where plenty of tables and chairs compete for space under similar wallpapered walls, with some large windows looking out across the adjacent common land. A large stone pillar in the centre of the room breaks the sightlines nicely in this otherwise open plan space. Music played quietly in the background and I noticed that despite the pub’s food credentials, it is dog friendly, with a jar of doggy treats placed on the bar counter. The staff here were all very young but friendly and enthusiastic, turning the pump clips to an odd angle so that I could read them after bar blockers had obscured my view. This kind act revealed a choice of Whitstable Pearl of Kent, Romney Marsh Mellow, Harvey’s Sussex Best and 360 Session IPA. I gave the latter a try at £4.10 a pint, and thought it was in pretty good nick. This place had too much of a foodie feel to it and I wasn’t really won over by the area set aside for drinkers, especially as all the seats were taken up, leaving me stuck at the bar for want of anywhere else to go. I think this place is best enjoyed on a bright summer’s day, when you can come for a meal and enjoy the views, but if you can cope with the discomfort, at least you can expect some interesting, well kept beer for your troubles.

Imposing old building high on the Common, but well screened by mature trees. Partly opened out to leave the restaurant area closest to the main windows, a small bar area in the centre and some general seating near the entrance. Attractively furnished in a fairly traditional but distinctly upmarket style. Decent-sized patio and grass terrace beer garden for the better weather. Four handpumps on the counter, offering a good local guest-beer selection of Pig & Porter Big K, Kent Brewery Cobnut and Mad Cat Platinum Blonde in addition to the regular Harvey's (£3.80) (with the same beer also used to batter the tasty portion of fish-and-chips that caught my eye on the lunch-time menu). Well worth seeking out.

Official site of Mount Edgcumbe - themountedgcumbe.com

Official site of Mount Edgcumbe - themountedgcumbe.com