The Foresters, Dartford

Pub SignMan left this review about The Foresters

This is a simple backstreet boozer up the hill from the station, with a U-shaped interior that wraps around a centrally positioned servery. The room is carpeted throughout, with banquettes along the front and right-hand walls, mid-height tongue and groove panelling below plain uppers, and a tidy, tiled fireplace to the right with an old Courage Best mirror above. The bar has a very nice, dark wood, cantilevered counter with curved corners, an integrated, matching gantry and a chopped out, mirrored bar back. Entertainment options include a pool table and a TV screen showing live cricket with the commentary on to the right and a dartboard in a semi-screened rear room of sorts to the left. Decor is limited to a Liverpool Champions League winning photo montage and some uninteresting promotional posters, leaving lots of bare wall space, which makes the place feel a bit more devoid of character than it might otherwise have. I also noticed a beer garden to the rear, but didn't get around to properly exploring.
The pub tends to make it into the Good Beer Guide, and offered a modest choice between Wadworth 6X, Adnams Ghost Ship and Harveys Sussex Best (£4.50 a pint). A £5 minimum card spend meant that I ended up with some scratchings along with my nice pint of Sussex Best, and the barman was very friendly to a new face in amongst what was clearly a bunch of loyal, regular customers.
This felt like a proper backstreet boozer, busy minding it's own business by serving its locals some decent, well kept ale whilst looking after the occassional newcomer as and when required. The pub perhaps lacks a bit of character, but if you can look past the basic presentation, this is a decent place to seek out for a quiet pint or two.

Date of visit - 14th August 2024

On 21^st December 2024 - rating: 6
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