The Muggleton Inn, Maidstone

Oh dear! what has happened to Wetherspoons principles?

When they first came about they had strict policies regarding age, clientele, beer quality and service!

Today I found myself surrounded by young lager drinkers all shouting a swearing and generally being a nuisance, on another table a women has her baby on the table while her other children are running amok, whilst in another corner 3 men are clearly drunk and looked like they have been there since last night, tables have not been cleared and the whole place feels grubby!

I am able to survey all this as I am waiting at the bar to be served, the bar is packed and there only seems to be 1 person serving, ridiculous!

I finally get served and all the Cask ales i ask for are off so have to plump for a 1/2 IPA (not by choice) Its off, the smell of vinegar hits you before you even get to taste it.

I don't even bother to question the bar staff about it and I decide to leave.

Horrid!!!!

2 Nov 2009 12:34

The Hare and Hounds, Maidstone

Never been in here before, Ive heard a few things about it though, such as the last landlord trying to turn it into to an ale house but with no success, due to poor beer quality or no ale at all!!

new people have it now and I'm told still serve real ale!

I enter the pub and am greeted with 5 men all swearing and drinking lager, not a good start.

I browse the bar and find real ale pumps but all clips are turned round, I ask if ale is available and am told " No, we got smooth?" No thanks I say and decide to leave.

I cant see me going to The Hare And Hounds again even if they did have ale on, its not my sort of pub.

2 Nov 2009 12:19

The Flower Pot, Maidstone

My second visit to this newly award winning pub.

Its my first evening visit in a Maidstone pub and there a fair few in tonight quite a mix crowed but a nice friendly atmosphere with a band.

I remember from my last visit to go straight to the top bar as that is where the real beer is.

What a choice I have Darkstar Porter, its magnificent with strong chocolate flavours, then 2 pints of Gold Star from Goachers its perfect!

6 beers on tonight but there were a couple of changes so in total 8, lots of Real Ale being drunk which is fantastic.

If this is like this all the time I can see why all the other so called real ale pubs are empty.

Through my time in this pub tonight it does often feel like two pubs to be totally honest, with all the games and machines and lager down one end and the serious drinkers up the top end it sometimes feels strange and disjointed!

But apart from that I had an enjoyable evening.

Excellent!

23 Oct 2009 15:32