Padrino @ Royal Victoria & Bull Hotel, Rochester

This L-shaped high street bar must be the scabbiest, smelliest bar in the historic part of Rochester. Full of work-shy coffin dodgers, it reeks of puke outside and bleach inside. Having swerved around the NHS wheelchair to get through the door, we trod carefully around the inert superannuated revellers to reach the apathetic moron at the bar to find there was no real ale - indeed they didn't seem to understand the concept of beer. We didn't try going through to the back as that seemed a step too far. Don't bother. No, really - don't bother.

Official site of the Rochester Bar, with menus - www.rochbar.com

Due to the outside décor and advertisements for cheap food and drink one could be forgiven for thinking that the Rochester Bar is owned by Wetherspoons. Once inside this L shaped pub any thoughts of it being a Spoons soon disappear as this venue is aimed at the younger drinkers of the area and they seem quite proud of their extensive (Jager) bomb menu. There is a standard draught selection available from the bar and I ended up with a half of Fosters from the very friendly staff as there is no Guinness in here. There are plasma screens throughout for showing Sky Sports and there is another bar at the rear of the pub to compliment the front bar when the pub gets busier, which I’d imagine happens late on weekend evenings as it wasn’t very busy at 19:30 on the recent Saturday evening I visited. There is a jukebox and some random pop music was playing at a reasonably acceptable volume. I think that there are pubs in the area more suited to my mid thirties age range and when next in Rochester I will stick to them.

Official site of the Rochester Bar, with menus - www.rochbar.com