She's In Broadstairs

Kent Micro Pub Tour Part II

Technically speaking 'we're' in Broadstairs, not just 'she's'.
But I'm not about to let that stop me using a Half Man Half Biscuit song for the title of my blog post.

"I'm on another planet, she's on the Isle of Thanet".

After dropping our bags off in our B&B in Ramsgate we caught 'The Loop' bus to Broadstairs.  A short hike through the residential backstreets from the bus stop took us into St Peter's and to the Four Candles micro pub and brewery.

Four Candles (1 Sowell Street, St Peter's, Broadstairs, CT10 2AT - web)
I'm a sucker for anything that calls itself Britain's smallest, biggest, longest, tallest etc etc.
Which is why I'd spotted 'Britain's smallest brewpub' with some enthusiasm.
This corner location was formerly a hardware shop although it has also being a florists, delicatessen and exotic meat shop at various times.  

The brewery is in the basement, taking up a space of around 3m x 3m and supplying the pub upstairs plus a handful of other nearby places.
Three of these Four Candles ales were available on our visit.  I picked the 'American Hopburst' which was a nice pint, although not bursting with hop flavours as much as the name suggested it may. 
The name of the pub, from the 1976 Two Ronnie's sketch set in a hardware store is not an unfamiliar one for Oxford folk, shared with our own George Street Wetherspoons. 

Somehow this Four Candles had a little bit of magic about it.  An appealing, small room with space for no more than around 20 persons, with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and fine beers.

Leaving here we walked down St Peter's Road, left along Broadstairs Road, then right onto The Broadway where we found a pub with a name that gets straight to the point.

The Pub (9 The Broadway, CT10 2AD)
If you think the name is a little lacking in imagination, it's located in a former off licence which, according to whatpub, was called the equally self-descriptive Offy.
The Pub is only just over half-a-year old, opening on the 3rd November 2018. 
There were a selection of real ales and ciders plus 3 taps on the wall serving key-keg beers.  On this visit all three of those key-kegs were dispensing beers by Time & Tide, from which I had a half of 'Depth Charge' a respectable 5.9% stout.
A nice feature is the record player, just inside the door, on which customers are welcome to pick the music.

Select your soundtrack - vintage hi-fi at The Pub

On such a pleasant evening, we gathered around the large table on the pavement in front of the pub, whilst a number of us took advantage of the fish'n'chip shop across the road. We enjoyed out chips and drinks whilst one of the three guys behind The Pub, Max Bell, was keen to chat to us all about all things pubs and beer.

A little irresponsible seagull feeding later and we were on the move a short distance to another nearby micro pub...

Mind the Gap, Broadstairs

Mind the Gap (156 High Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1JB)
This micro has been open since 2016, which has given them plenty of time to collect a vast amount of railway tickets to cover the whole length of one wall, floor to ceiling.

Situated in an old shop, there are two levels, with the bar being up a couple of steps at the rear and seating to the front.  The casks, five available on this visit, were located in a refrigerated unit to the back of the bar, with supermarket-style sliding glass doors for the barman to get to them.

The bar and beer list at Mind the Gap.

I stuck with the dark ale, taking the 'Cast Iron Stout', brewed by Iron Pier, who are located in Northfleet.

Continuing along the High Street we soon came to the oldest and most characterful part of the town, where our next point of call was.

Magnet Micropub (37 Albion Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1NE)
Whilst I thought The Pub was new, The Magnet was even newer, opening it's doors in February 2019 after the site was converted from it's previous use as a restaurant.
To be honest, I've been in plenty of pubs and bars which haven't been any larger than this, so I reckon the title of 'micropub' is being stretched to the max here.
But that doesn't really matter.  It was a friendly place with great chatty staff and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere on a Saturday evening.  Three hand pumps served up real ales, whilst craft keg beers were available, plus ciders and wide range of other drinks.
There were also board games a-plenty, plus shove ha-penny and table skittles. The skittles provided our entertainment as we tried, and failed, to master the technique of the bar game.

The Magnet.  Attractive.  I'll get me coat...

Leaving Broadstairs, we caught the bus and made the short journey back towards Ramsgate, alighting at the edge of town.
As The Conqueror had closed at 9pm the micro pub theme came to an end and were aiming instead for the Thanet CAMRA branch 2019 'Traditional Pub of the Year'.

Montefiore Arms (1 Trinity Place, Ramsgate, CT11 7HJ - web)
This proved to be a delightful back-street boozer, busy, full of atmosphere and deserving of the accolade 'proper pub'.
It's run by Eddie Gadd of the nearby Ramsgate brewery and it was one of their ales, Gadds 'Seasider' - a 4.3% best bitter, that I enjoyed here.
The pub is named after Sir Moses Montefiore, a centenarian who lived in the town for many years, was a former Sheriff of London and was a respected benefactor of the poor.
The Montefiore was everything you really need from a pub - friendly, talkative punters, pool table and darts, great well-kept ales and a real homely feel.

I'd decided I couldn't come to Ramsgate without visiting what was said to be the biggest Wetherpoons pub in the country. 
...from smallest brewpub to biggest 'spoons!
With this destination in mind, we headed through a very lively town centre where the music of live bands, DJ's or dreaded karaoke spilled out of the plentiful bars.

The Royal Victoria Pavillion (Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, CT11 8LS - web)

Wow!  This was a spectacular place, well worth seeing even though, technically speaking, after supping ales since the early afternoon I didn't really need a pint of 6% ABV Cattle Shed 'Cherryon Top'.

Not a micro pub.

The building dates back to 1903, a grand concert hall, designed by Stanley Davenport Adshead.  In more recent years it has housed a nightclub and casino but was in a dilapidated state, saved by the pub chain moving in and opening in 2017.
There is an enormous floor-space on the ground floor, plus balcony level seating and second bar upstairs.  The upper level also boasts plentiful outdoor seating overlooking a sandy beach.

With the clock ticking past midnight that was Day One over. 
Micro pub exploration was due to recommence midday, Sunday, in Margate.
Reports on that to follow shortly...

Returning to the scene next morning - 8am coffees in the Royal Victoria Pavillion