The Will Adams, Gillingham

Enter to a fairly basic place with a feeling of gentle decay, the carpet is worn to the quick in places. As noted below, there’s what initially feels like a Wild West saloon look but suspect that it’s actually more supposed to be the interior of an old ship in keeping with the Will Adams theme and it is comedically child-like in execution. Of interest is the seashell bar back. The darts and pool room off right has a very nice seafaring mural, depicting the man himself. GBG listed with two on over five pumps both from Oakham and my Soundcheck was par (NBSS 3) served-up by a friendly guv'nor with a benign tremor. I was told that he was down to two cask in the summer now as, in the warmer weather and outside the football season, it simply doesn’t shift in sufficient volume – so fair enough. Apple-grapplers are maybe better-served served by the cider and perry selection. Interesting locals including one who showed me his Mexico 86 pics, having followed England out there in the World Cup back in the day (I would have been 7!). Fair pub and in the context of Gillingham it’s a must-visit. But Gillingham itself is a must-not-visit kind of place to start with.

Finally managed to visit on at least the fourth attempt, partly caused by its limited opening hours but mostly due to my inadequate research (not that it has any real online presence either). Anyway, it was good to visit this alehouse and talk to its long-term landlord (31 years and still going). Traditional, basic, two-room room layout with the bar in the front part and the pool table further back. Although there were only three of the five handpumps in us, the Broadside plus the single-hop Nectaron (£4.50) and Citra from Oakham provided some choice.