The Brickmakers Arms, Maidstone

The Brickmakers Arms is a U shaped backstreet boozer that was populated with a handful of friendly locals during my visit late last Thursday afternoon. To the left of the bar are a pool table and some old tatty sofas and to the right is a dartboard. Either end of the bar are large plasma screens which were both off, but Sky Sports is advertised in the window. There is a jukebox on the wall that was playing sporadic random songs. The bar is stocked with standard draught and there are three hand pumps that were drawing Lytham’s Amber, Fuller’s London Pride and Woodforde’s Nelson’s Revenge. This would probably be my local of choice if I lived in the area.

This back street corner pub dates back to at least 1840 and was originally called the Bricklayers Arms, the slight occupational name change taking place in the 1870’s. The interior consists of a solitary knocked through carpeted room that wraps around the central bar on both sides. One end contains a pool table and the other a darts area. The fixtures and fittings are fairly run of the mill with a few old pub pictures being the one thing that caught my eye. To the rear is a function room that was being used for a band rehearsal during my visit although the pub itself doesn't have any specific music or entertainment programme although there was a flat screen TV. I wasn’t expecting much, if anything, from the beer range but there were 3 ales available – Sharps Doom Bar, Shepherd Neame Late Red and the seasonal Nelson Santa Salvo, the last good value at £2.80 and good quality. What set the pub apart from the usual anonymous off the beaten track boozer was the the welcome from the landlord and the smattering of regulars at the bar engrossed in a “when I was young” style conversation who made me feel like I’d been coming in there for years. The Brickmakers isn't a pub that likes to announce itself to the world but prefers to keep itself to itself with little fuss or commotion and that in itself is probably one of its biggest assets. It doesn't try to be trendsetter, a restaurant, music venue, cinema or sports arena, just a social neighbourly community hub and the place is all the better for it.