Lifeboat, Margate

Until recently, a beer trip to Margate wasn’t really something that would get the discerning drinker bubbling with excitement. Some of the local pubs do however appear to have upped their game a little and the Lifeboat is certainly at the forefront of whatever pub revival may be happening. Situated in the old town near the harbour and market place, this quaint looking corner pub was previously Newbys Wine Bar and then a private & corporate function business called Bespoke before being reopened as a specialized ale and cider pub about 2 years ago. The pub is quite small and intimate and is divided into front and rear bars. The front has a sawdust strewn floor and contains a small counter to the left for ordering with an old fashioned “kerching” till that seems to permantly display a 4d price tab. The furnishings are quite basic with just a handful of stools and a couple of barrels turned into tables. A selection of games and and guide books are available and the walls have an array of old pictures and random bric-a-brac. The rear section has a couple of long tables and an open fireplace as well as the separate service counter from where the ales are dispensed. The pub is essentially a showcase for Kent breweries and wineries with all the beers and ciders being local (and no Shepherd Neame in sight!). There are no hand pumps, the ales being mounted on a rack that divides the pub into its 2 sections and the ciders are stacked up in boxes next to the order counter. Although there were 9 casks on my visit, it wasn’t clear how many were actually available with the blackboard list containing several scribbles, rubbing outs and alterations. Quality was fine albeit my ale was a little flat, a regular problem I find with racked beers. For wine drinkers, local Kentish wine is also available. There isn’t much on the food front with basic selection of pickled aggs, sausages done on a tiny grill, cheeses and pies. It is difficult not to be taken in by the pub’s charm, character and slight eccentricity and it is certainly the destination pub in town for pub and beer enthusiasts. If the town ever needed a place to act as a role model and attract the more civilized and responsible drinking fraternity, this is it.

Official site of The Lifeboat - thelifeboat-margate.com