Jolly Drayman, Gravesendback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Odd looking place - think British Legion crossed with a hotel - all in the shadow of the disney-esque Sikh Temple next door.
Once inside, there is a pubby feel of low ceiling, wooden panelling and nautical paraphernalia.
The beers were surprisingly eclectic - and Betty Stogs - easily the best pint taken in the three Good Beer Guide 2020 entries in town.
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This pub was recommened to me for the quality of its real ales but, unfortunately, it's only worthwhile if you are happy to accept th casual intolerance that appears commonplace. My pint well overshadowed by the crowd of old, white, morbidly-obese men with mono-chromatic tattoos who, having never grown up, appeared to take great pleasure in demonstrating their total contempt for women ('why do the c***s need to protest Trump"), liberals (F**king lefties"), gays ((F**king rainbows, f**cking shite, should be f**king shot"), the French, after a French player was brought down in the football game on the TV ("proper job - everyone should should have a frog they can kick like that"), and the classic "I'm not racist; I hate all them f**king black bastards the same"). If anyone wondered where UKIP get their support from, especially after the EDL-run Man of Kent on Wrotham Road closed down, now you know.
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Walking back towards town and its a stop in the Jolly Drayman which is in the shadow of the huge and a tad garish Guru Nanak Temple.
The pub appeared in the 2015 GBG but does not appear in the 2016 edition. A strange looking pub from the outside as it seems a mish mash, upon entering you are immediately greeted by very low beams and lots of wooden panelling, the bar has a very old feel to it.
Darkstar Hophead, Skinners Betty Stogs, Whitstable Brewery Christmas Spirit and Batemans' Rosey Nosey on the hand pumps. My pint of Hophead was drinkable.
Another quiet pub with only 1 other punter in when we first arrived , during our half an hour here the crowd swelled to at least 9 including us and the barmaid!
The well-kept front garden was quite inviting and certainly doesn’t have the height restrictions that pub does, being 6ft 4” the low beams were a bit of a challenge!
The Drayman is no more than an average pub with well-kept ale, ticked so no reason for me to return.
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Nice little pub, old y worldly feel like the old days , nice selection of ales and friendly landlady.
Shame about the words F**k off scrawled on the table though!
Will be back on the next tour of Gravesend!
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Went to the beer festival here this weekend. Twenty odd beers and some rare ones, I like this pub. It has a cosy feel to it with the low ceilings. And a sexy bar maid which also helps.
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Great traditional pub nice enclosed garden, very friendly, landlady has a passion for real ale and it shows in the superb quality and range beers.
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Great 'local' with good selection of real ales.
However, Management seem to hace reached their' comfort zone' and choice and quality of beers beginning to wane.
shame really as it is one of the best pubs in Gravesend.
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Funny story from the JD. Was there on a Tuesday night after I went to AMF. A drunk guy staggered out of the boozer, a fire engine races past, siren wailing and lights flashing. The geezer starts chasing the engine, running as fast as he can until eventually he collapses, gasping for breath. In a last act of desperation he shouts after the fire engine, "If that's the way you want it, you can keep your bloody ice creams!"
True story
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Quiet little pub set in busy town surroundings. Beer of reasonable quality. Large amounts of graffiti in locale bring tone down however
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This place has the feel of a country pub in the town, very low beams, timbered, with an unfortunate contrast of a modern bleak and austere entrance with not surprisingly the only two vacant tables. Darts are evidently popular here and the dartboard has a sign adjacent stating "Scores under eleven, 5p in the box". The food servery hatch is right next to the dartboard, could be some close calls there!
Youngs Ordinary. Spitfire, Everards Tiger and Summer Lightning on offer. The hotel section could be useful for those who over indulge?
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A strange mock old world style pub with plenty of low beams, reclaimed timbers and exposed brickwork that make you forget that you are in a building that is no more than 100 years old. The pub is now part of a hotel / restaurant / bar complex that stands on the site of the old Walkers brewery. Entry is through a glass lobby which has a few seats and a fruit machine but little character. A panelled alcove on the left as you enter the main bar houses an unobtrusive darts area and from here onwards you need to mind your head. The bar itself is quite small but the beer selection puts it in the top 3 or 4 pubs in town. Deuchars has been the only ever present on my visits and on my latest trip Bombardier, Rosey Nosey and Hopback Elf & Hoppiness made up the numbers. There is a TV in the main bar and a curiously positioned seat beneath it in an alcove. A further bar area is beyond the divide with a brick fireplace and and windows looking out into the narrow alley. There is also a small outdoors patio at the front. Service has always been good and the atmosphere friendly and relaxed. A curious place but well worth seeking out and only a short stroll from the town centre.
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Curious pub that doesn't quite know what it's about. Modern hotel entrance leads into a vague part anonymous hotel bar, part atmospheric ancient country pub setting with low beams. Indeed, part of the pub area is a modern extension, while part is an old building that once belonged to Walker's brewery. The old office building of the brewery still survives on the opposite side of the road. It's a relaxed and friendly pub which serves good value meals and generally has two or three casks from a variety of regionals or bigger micros. Condition is usually quite decent.
There's nothing special about the place, but I like coming here because it is relaxed and friendly, and I can usually sample a new beer or two.
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