Where to drink in Gillingham

[Phil Whalley]

Kent may like to think of itself as the ‘Garden of England’, but this doesn’t apply to Gillingham, or to its Medway neighbours Chatham, Rochester and Rainham. This is a proletarian area due its strong maritime tradition, sustaining first a shipbuilding industry and then, later, mass employment for dock workers. Alas, Chatham's docks are now of interest only to historians (the council is trying to make it a World Heritage site), while Rochester relies on luring in Dickens aficionados. However, the spirit of the Medway people remains. The area is dotted with estates and ploughed with long rows of small terraces – real people live here who take pride in their locality. This means that the backstreet boozer survives, and in these you will find friendly folk who won’t worry about your football shirt, but who will ask you about this famous club of ours and how we are finding life back in the Football League.

In terms of friendly real ale pubs, the town has suffered some sad losses and declines in recent years, but here is the pick of the bunch that remain:

If you can only get to one pub, make it the Will Adams (73 Saxton St, ME7 5EG). It’s a basic, long-roomed boozer where you will find a selection of beers, which usually includes an obscure pint from some small brewery you’ve never heard of. Importantly, it's football-friendly. Be prepared to talk about Stanley to the many Gills fans who come here for a pre-match snifter and bite. The only downside is that it’s not that close to the ground, but the Priestfield can still be reached with a brisk 15 minute stroll. Useless bit of local trivia: Will Adams was a Gillingham-born shipbuilder and sailor who, in 1600, became the first Briton to set foot in Japan.

Another excellent, friendly backstreet boozer is the Frog and Toad (38 Burnt Oak Terrace, ME7 1DR), a mere five-minute stroll north from the railway station, handy for those on the train who want to get stuck into the beer as quickly as possible. In here you will find a pint from Chatham’s Flagship brewery, as well as other guest ales, including a dark mild. If you have a bad feeling about the game and don’t want to remember much of it, the Frog and Toad also stocks a large selection of Belgian beers.

From the Frog and Toad you can head east, along Parr Avenue and Forge Lane, and have a quick look at the sea before heading for The Barge (63 Layfield Road, ME7 2QY). This is a hard-to-find backstreet boozer, but it’s roomier than the small exterior suggests, has a picturesque beer garden and will reward your orienteering skills with some excellent beer, with Kent ales again most likely. If you’ve been on the Belgian varieties, the sloping floors will be a test of your ability to remain vertical, while music fans note that the Barge has a reputation for a discerning jukebox.

Keep drinking

Phil

[Royboy39]

What about the 'Two Sawyers' on Brompton High Street?

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

What about the 'Two Sawyers' on Brompton High Street?

Isn't this too late? I thought so.