The Rum Puncheon, Gravesend

A solid looking pub and although fairly smartly turned out inside this is definitely a local geezers type pub, on a Saturday afternoon anyway and that's fine with me, the atmosphere was lively and importantly the beer was well kept, Dark Star Hophead being the only choice on cask. A pub with a good feel and I would look in again.

Old world style pub with wooden floors and, as others have mention, some slightly out of place chandeliers. While very traditional, the decor was starting to look a little 'tired' but any renovation would have to be handled with care and sympathy if the place was not to lose the atmosphere it undoubtedly has. Very pleasant barman on duty for my visit with a few other customers, clearly regulars, in attendance who quickly included me in their conversation making me feel right at home. Choice of seven pumps of ale but, oddly, no 'named' brands such as Bombardier, Speckled Hen or Doom Bar ... though the ones I did try were tasty and of excellent quality. Owing to the time of year (December) I didn't venture out onto the terrace but it appeared to be large and, probably, very nice on a summer's evening.

This pub seems to have divided opinions if the three 2011 reviews are anything to go by. As noted below it is a fairly ornate wooden floored pub in an old building that extends back some distance. The chandeliers made me wonder if I had been transported into an episode of Only Fools and Horses. I turned up here at around 11:30 on a Friday morning and there was a group of old, probably retired blokes in one corner. On the bar was a bank of eight hand pumps with an interesting selection of mostly Locale ales Adnam's Herbalist, Bexley BOB, Portobello VPA, Cottage Dragonslayer, Rockin' Robin Reckless Robin, Welton's Highland Fling, Pig & Porter Big K Irish Pale Ale and Tonbridge Coppernob. I went for the Bexley BOB (£3.40) as it was a London brewery I had not tried. Sadly it was cloudy but tasted reasonably OK. Whether this is a problem with the brewery or the pub I don't know, but Bexley is a new London brewer and the first tastings of beer from breweries I now rate highly were not always good. All in all I thought this was a decent pub and would happily return. It is GBG 2015 listed.

The Rum Puncheon is an L shaped pub with an upmarket feel given by the décor that includes four chandeliers and the music that was classical. The barman was very formal and the other customers mainly consisted of couples and older gentleman. Limited draught is available and the bar supports seven hand pumps. During my Friday night visit two weeks ago these were drawing Deuchars, Adnams Ghost Ship and Broadside, Hogs Back Brewery’s Snout, Young’s London Gold, Cottage’s Royal Albert and Mighty Oak’s Oscar Wilde. I’m boring and very predictable so I went for a pint of Deuchars which went down a treat. Out the back is some seating next to the river, but one has to climb a slope to see the industrial view of Tilbury on the other side of the Thames. This place has the best ale selection of all the pubs I have been to in the area. I’m more of a backstreet boozer man, but this pub does what it does well and I would gladly return.

This may not be a great traditional pub as the emphasis seems to be on food but they do a very good range of real ales which come from most parts of the country and although I am not an expert on pubs in Gravesend I have not found a better pub in the area that does a better selection.(no doubt I will be corrected on this point)Worth giving it a go for the real ales and although I have not tried the food it did look very appetising.Handy for the ferry to Tilbury if for some unknown reason you did want to go there.

The BEST pub in the Country by a mile....