The Flying Horse, Ashford

The Flying Horse pages at the Shepherd Neame site - www.shepherdneame.co.uk

This is the nearest pub to home, and has been my spiritual local for some while,though I don’t partake as often as I would like. A traditional Kent timber and brick house next to the churchyard,the pub has four distinct areas served from a central bar,ranging from a sort of public bar end, with screens, to more secluded sections near the open fire.Outside, a neat little courtyard effects solace for the smoker and seasonal al fresco eating and drinking. The great strength of this pub is its role at the heart of the village: for many years it has been the natural home for all the local organisations-footballers, cricketers, bell ringers and thespians, and the new landlord seems to be continuing this tradition. Not overly cluttered, the pub is furnished in a homely manner . Similarily, the food, though we haven’t yet eaten here under the new dispensation,is locally sourced, and not fussy.It’s a Shepherd Neame pub:on my visits, I’ve been drinking a uniformly good pint of Late Red:Masterbrew and Spitfire have been available, but unsampled to date. Various glossy fonts dispense exotic lagers from unlikely places on the north Kent coast-Sheps excellent mild is available, unfortunately only in keg form. Dog friendly,I can’t really imagine Smarden without the Flier.