The Lifeboat, Margate

One day, an entrepreneurial cove bearing a remarkable resemblance to Nosferatu the Vampyre, who is named Julian and whose age ranges ( according to the local press ) from mid-thirties to late-eighties, decided to visit the doyen of East Kent micropubs with a view to opening one of his own.

Having been advised to do "This, This & This", our Julian promptly did "That, That & That", which resulted in the genesis of The Lifeboat, causing his erstwhile mentor to exclaim in rage "that man wasted three hours of my life!"

A broad cross section of clint�le imbibe here, and the one thing they seen to have in common is Julian-baiting. See how quick he moves when you inform him that he's given you too much change!

Whilst it is a free house, it is not a micropub by any stretch of the imagination. He has gained a reputation for the range of ales and ciders on offer, and gained 3rd place as the local Camra Branch Pub of the Year 2011, and winner of Kent Camra Cider Pub of the Year. A micropub may offer a limited selection of cheese, nuts & crisps, but not The Lifeboat. Julian makes a great deal about the provenance of his local food.

Ashmore Cheese - from the Dargate Creamery, which is 20 miles away - but it sounds like Margate. The cheese used to be served with its wrapping, so you could open it yourself AND see the price. It is now served without the wrapper and that's when you get charged "market price".

Ramsgate Sausages - sourced from a butcher which has branches throughout Kent, so being locally sourced, they should really be called either a Margate sausage, or,�if sourced at the "posh" end of town, a�Cliftonville sausage. These are lovingly cooked on Julian's Thanet-famous "George Formby Lean, Green, Grill Machine".

Then there's Mrs Moxham and her home-made produce which includes her Ripe Fig, assorted chutneys and pickles and Medlar Jelly - that's the Medlar Jelly made with a fruit that smells of rancid wine and resembles a cat's bottom.

Margate Bread from an Italian baker in Margate, Birchington Pies from Broadstairs - Julian is rumoured to have a very tenuous grasp regarding sense of direction. Still, both places are local and begin with a "B". Also on offer are "Duck Egg Dave"'s Duck Eggs - all proceeds to the R.N.L.I.,, Micky's Pickled Walnuts, Kent Crisps, produced in Kent by Quex Foods, available in four flavours, Pistachio Nuts, Cashew Nuts, AND a Partridge in a sodding Pear Tree, I shouldn't wonder!!

So with all the above on the menu, It's definitely NOT a micropub. I will not mark it on its "food". Service can be particularly lackadaisical, especially when Julian has the phone clamped to his ear - which is 95% of the time. The ales and ciders are definitely not in the "Spoons" price bracket, but the ale is generally on form. Overall, I can only give it 5/10.

26 Sep 2012 11:17

The Foundry, Canterbury

I've visited several times since the Canterbury Beer Festival last July, and always had a cracking good pint - or three - on each occasion. There are half a dozen ales on engines, an engine for cider, and some of their beers also come in the aerosol-dispensed variation. There is a selection of European bottled ales and beers, including one from our troublesome colony on the other side of the Atlantic.

The food is good and not over-priced for Canterbury. I swerved in last week and not only did I have a pint of Christmas Pudding Ale - which had strong overtones of cloves and cinnamon - I couldn't actually discern the orange that is also present; I also had a couple of pints of Single Hop Pale - Fan-blooming-tastic! A chat with Thomas, the brewer, rounded off the visit.

This pub just goes from strength to strength, and is now my favourite pub within the city walls. 8/10.

16 Dec 2011 16:31

The Waterloo Tavern, Canterbury

Absoultely vile!

All the classic clues are present for the previous post being made by the owner!

"Self-praise is no recommendation". [1853, Charles Dickens, "Bleak House".]

16 Dec 2011 15:20