Shocked SD fan Liz became so hot under the collar at prices in Cooling this week, she requested I pop along to the Horseshoe & Castle to share my thoughts.
I’d gathered up Mrs SD and the hound for moral support and first impressions were encouraging – clearly much loved, this is a well-maintained, good-looking building, about a 15-minute drive north of Rochester.
But, can a traditional village pub ever have enough fascinating knick-knacks and shaded outside seating areas to justify the £7 Liz reckons she had to fork out for a Guinness?
I wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be packed on a sunny Friday lunchtime but it was surprisingly quiet, though there were a couple of fellows sat out front and few other couples at tables out back.
Masterbrew was the only ale on draught, so I decided to follow reader Liz’s lead and start with a pint of the black stuff. My Guinness was well poured and allowed to settle by our pleasant and chirpy barmaid – it didn’t quite break the bank at £6.90 but combined with Mrs SD’s large Sav Blanc I was already £16.40 down for a drink each, fortunately the SD Hound is happy with Adam’s ale!
I also ordered a couple of sarnies, a fish baguette for her and a bacon and brie one for me.
The interior of this place is everything you could possibly wish for in an established village hostelry, there’s even a substantial stag’s head, assorted stuffed birds, wing-backed armchairs and hunting memorabilia. Everywhere is rich reds, burnished gold and dark brown wood – it looks, feels and even smells just like a pub should.
The was a free-standing log burner which sensibly enough is surrounded by a guardrail to protect anyone from falling onto the fire, though you have to wonder about the sharpness of local folk that the landlord feels the need to include a sign which reads ‘HOT!’
However, the SD Hound had already headed for a rustic area outside, so we took a seat at a large, square outdoor table to await the arrival of our lunch. The bench we chose had a lovely epitaph to Benjamin Edward Allen which simply read ‘Here he is, 1994-2021’ and once again I found myself appreciating the ability of pubs to mark the passing of loved ones, particularly those who clearly died too young.
By this stage, the four-legged fur ball seeking shade under the table had already been tracked by the barmaid and singled out for special attention – she was treated before us.
We’d already noticed the menu was on the pricey side, for instance, a salad was £21.50, so we weren’t exactly sure what the baguettes would be like. To be fair, I wasn’t over-hungry and, to be honest, it was a darned good job. And, sadly, I must also report that what we were served was greasier than I would have hoped.
A Guinness at £6.90 isn’t cheap, a lager at £6.40 is fairly hefty too, but a fish sandwich, even if it is called goujons on sourdough, for £13.95 is expensive. So, fair point, well-made Liz.
What I must balance this with is the fact that it’s a great-looking pub, inside and out, and is superbly maintained.
Should you be so inclined, you can also stay the night here as there are several rooms beyond the seating area outside at the back of the pub – there was even a sign requesting drinkers to mind their language and keep it down a little for the residents.
Unlike other pubs I’ve visited recently, there were real flowers on the tables and the hydrangeas in the garden looked a picture.
There is no pool table, no dartboard and no jukebox, in fact there was no music of any sort being played while we were in.
But if you are looking for entertainment, I did spot a poster in the gents, albeit a couple of weeks out of date, offering something as traditional as a village pub itself – Morris dancing. They do say you should try anything once but I’d have to draw a line on this one, just don’t do it or even put yourself through watching it.
Although I should say the toilets were as equally well presented and maintained as the rest of the pub.
There can be no doubt this is a great village pub and I have to presume it has set its pricing model at a level it can sustain and that will allow it to thrive. This said, and even though I have seen prices rising rapidly in many Kent pubs, I have to agree with the reader who guided me here, as many customers will find them somewhat alarming.
HORSESHOE & CASTLE, MAIN ROAD, COOLING, ROCHESTER ME3 8DJ
Décor: Anywhere with a stag’s head on the wall is going to score well. It was accompanied by a whole host of other interesting items and everything in this traditional village pub was well cared for. ****
Drink: What was available was absolutely fine, the wine was good, the Guinness was well poured and the Hawkstone lager (£6.40 a pint) was decent enough – whether they justified their costs is much more questionable. ***
Price: Liz was shocked at the price but sadly £6.90 a pint isn’t unique these days. However, £13.95 for what is basically a fish finger sandwich is very dear and £21.50 for a salad has to be questioned. *
Staff: There were obviously other staff working in the kitchen but we only met barmaid Kirsty, who was upbeat, helpful and chatty in equal measure. ****
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