Last I heard, The Powell pub had closed down after it stopped taking hard cash and had subsequently been boycotted by the grey brigade living out their retirement in Birchington.
Mrs SD and I were passing on our way to a restaurant in Margate but when I saw the lights were back on at this yo-yo establishment, I persuaded her we should take a look.
The doors here open and close faster than Donald Trump changes his mind, and the oldest pub in the village has had a more chequered past than a draughts board.
I last visited in the middle of 2022 and it’s closed down several times since. The last occasion saw it shut until February this year – when its staff refused anything but card payments.
There are still cubicles containing a payphone and a defibrillator outside (useful in a place with such a hefty average age) and inside everything looked exactly the same as it did three years ago as well.
It really does look as if one owner closes the door and the next simply reopens without changing anything.
However, there were shocks awaiting us at the bar: 1. The kitchen was closed as the cook was away at a wedding and 2. Wine is not served in large measures.
Mrs SD was peckish so number 1 was disappointing, but when she heard the new landlord Matt (a wine merchant) doesn’t believe there should be any more than a medium wine in a glass, I nearly had to pick her up off the floor!
The barmaids both expressed their sympathy at our rumbling tums and her enforced wine diet so we took our pint of Wantsum 1381 IPA and 175m of Spanish Sauvignon and headed for a table by the door in the snug.
Here, Mrs SD, who pays attention to such things, noted none of the furniture or the decorations have changed during the on-off, open-close history of this place.
There’s no pool table, no dartboard, no jukebox or even any TV screens but there is an interesting metal ramp, presumably to aid the access of disabled folk, which seems to operate something like a ski ramp.
I watched on in fascination as loads of customers skidded into the pub narrowly avoiding falling A over T.
That no-one landed on their rear end was a miracle, and this was in dry weather – gawd knows what it will be like if we ever get any rain, then the disabled folk will be created rather than catered for.
There were far fewer old folk in than our previous visit and the customer age base was far more varied – I noted the topic of conversation on the large table next to us moved from whether Van Dyke was good enough to allow Liverpool an unbeaten run this season to the various merits of Olivia Rodrigo, though it did return to type when it shifted to where you can buy a decent enema locally?
Putting aside the temporarily closed kitchen and wine portions, there is much to be said for The Powell reopening again (and again).
Birchington needs its oldest pub, both barmaids seem decent sorts and the younger one was particularly sparky.
The toilets look good and may be the freshest smelling yet, there was even a dab of aftershave available in a small bottle in the gents.
Okay, the wine could, and should, be served cooler and the smoke really wafts in through the door but by 8.30 on a Saturday evening it had really filled up and the atmosphere was buzzing.
Out front there’s a decent-sized seating area which spreads across the pavement and a few hardier folk were taking advantage of a cooler breeze.
One group of three had perched their hound right in the centre of their picnic table and were chatting above its head.
It had been too busy for barmaid #1 to devour the ‘wonderful’ Marmite sandwich on tiger bread that she’d brought with her but she still reckoned it would be a lot better than the crisps we were munching.
At this point, I told her I’d decided she could keep her sandwich as we were going to try the Indian restaurant up the road, Flavours by Kumar, and she asked me to let her know what it’s like.
So, I can report it’s one of the very best Indian restaurants we’ve ever tried, and in between what we chose off the menu we were also served several great free dishes.
Queuing at the bar for a second drink and discussing The Powell’s future viability, several regulars were more than happy, and speedy, in offering their views on its up and down past.
I just hope it manages to stay open longer than it has previously and continues to serve Wantsum ales, they can do what they like with the wine as far as I’m concerned.
The Powell Arms, 11 The Square, Birchington CT7 9AF
Décor: We couldn’t see anything that’s changed since we last visited three years ago and everything still feels in decent nick. I still think it feels slightly manufactured but Mrs SD approves of all the knick-knacks. ****
Drink: The 3.8 per cent Wantsum 1381 is a decent session IPA and the medium sized Spanish sauvignon was ‘okay’. Mrs SD preferred her second medium wine which was a Cortefresca rose but still reckoned both could be served cooler. ***
Price: Medium wine one was £5.70, wine number two (rose) was £6.30. The Wantsum 1381 was £4.80 a pint. I’m not sure it was right but we were charged £1.50 for two packets of Pipers crisps. ****
Staff: Barmaid #1 was on good form, despite the kitchen being closed and having to resort to a Marmite sandwich. Barmaid #2 has clearly been working here longer and even said her sister owns the building – they were both good operators. ****
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