I remember The Moat in Wrotham as a slightly dark and dingy place with a rickety old rope climbing course out the back for the kids. Well, outside has clearly been the subject of one of the most stupendous garden transformations and inside there’s a lovely golden glow about the place now and a warmth it struggled to achieve previously. There are still a stack of chunky beams, plenty of exposed brickwork and more than enough of that particular shade of green they love to paint pubs that has you fearing for your wallet - but it all feels very homely.
Stepping up to the impressive brass-topped heavy wooden bar I perused the pumps and pulled out a tenner, rather than a fiver, as I was sure the larger note would be needed to cover the cost of a pint of Amber Ale from Bexley Brewery but I needn’t have feared, a blue note covered it. I further noted this successful local brewery, now only producing gluten-free beer, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. There was a good smattering of heavy booted builders in by late afternoon and they, like all those in the occupied areas, were treated to a candle burning brightly in the centre of their table.
The larger group of workers reckoned one of their number had been ‘unfortunate’ enough to lose his job earlier that afternoon and were enquiring whether the main man at the bar, Paul, had any vacancies for a pot washer? He was quick to reply that whilst he was happy to deliver their beer to them the idea of actually employing one of the.