The Hufflers Arms, Dartford

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Roger Button left this review about The Hufflers Arms

Situated in a quite uninviting no through road behind the railway station, the Hufflers isn’t generally one of the better known pubs in town. The unique pub name derives from the almost forgotten workforce of labourers who would manually haul barges along the nearby Dartford creek. The pub was listed as a beer house as early as 1764 and was originally part of a series of cottages that stood here although most have now been demolished. The pub was expanded into a second cottage in the late 18th century and by the time the First Waorld War broke out, it was one of the busiest pubs in town thanks to its proximity to the mills although now it seems rather isolated and takes motst of its trade from the local residential area.

It has recently undergone a much needed refurbishment and the old worn carpets have been replaced by light bare floors giving it a cleaner fresher look. Unfortunately most of the old photos, plates, irons, cigarette cards and general clutter has also been removed which has reduced much of the pub’s character. A few nautical instruments and a ship wheel remain and one of the old steering pikes hangs from the beamed ceiling. The basic layout is the same but, from memory, the bar seems to have been slightly shifted making it less cramped than it once was.

A pool table takes up a large percentage of the floorspace area but this is uprooted and moved when there is live music (usually covers bands) on selected evenings. There are a couple of flat screens with Sky Sports and to the rear is a reasonably tidy beer garden with views of the gasometer that looms overhead.

I have only used the Hufflers fleetingly in the past, largely due to the shocking quality of it solitary ale (Courage Best) but I was recently drawn back after reading in a local CAMRA rag that the new management had introduced a guest beer policy however this proved not to be and my latest visit found 2 hand pumps but both were reversed. The choices would have been a safe and unadventurous selection of Youngs or London Pride, not exactly what I was expecting.

It will always be a fairly basic and functional local’s pub and not much to warrant outsiders making any specific effort to visit. The bottom line is that I still have never had a decent pint in here and if my next visit doesn’t produce the goods, I doubt I will back in any great hurry.

On 28^th September 2010 - rating: 4
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