White Horse, Gillingham

One of three pubs on the central crossroads, this one has a L-shaped layout with the corner entrance leading into bar. Beyond that, separate seating areas (one with high tables and the other with standard furniture) can be found at each end, along with a pool room in the angle. All quite basic, with the sports TV screens being the most notable features. A Craft Union outlet that still does cask ale thankfully, with Landlord and Proper Job (£3.05) being served from the pair of handpumps.

Official site of White Horse - www.craftunionpubs.com

Official site of White Horse - www.craftunionpubs.com

The White Horse is a bit of a shabby pub with a front bar and large room to the left that has minimal furniture and a DJ booth. At the rear of the bar area is a pool table and a couple of advertised events are the Tuesday night quiz and karaoke on Sunday nights. The bar is stocked with standard draught and one of the two hand pumps was unused leaving Young’s London Gold as the ale option. Out the back is a covered smoking area with a couple of picnic tables. This isn’t a pub that I will seek out again because although it wasn’t unfriendly there was an undercurrent that left me thinking that there are better pubs in the area.

The Wonkey Donkey, as it's known locally, is a large corner pub right in the centre of Rainham. Whiel not an elegent place, it has a reputation for trouble which is largely undeserved. It is a local pub, on teh whole welcoming and while a bit rough around the edges, no worse than many other pubs in the area. It has a large single bar with wooden parquet floors, with a function room adjacent, although on this visit the latter seemed to be being used as storage. There are the usual tv screens and gaming machines, dated furniture and loud regulars. Only one ale on, Young's Bitter, which was in good condition and well kept. The landlord was convivial and the atmoshpere was friendly. It's a typical down-market high street pub of a type which is rapidly disappearing, so it is a thing worth preserving. I am happy to drop in for the odd pint when passing or when hiding from Mrs A.