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Licensing info (Nov 2005)- With a couple of exceptions, all the pubs listed below have applied for a variation in their licensing hours. The Kentish Gazette has published the full list of new extended hours, so to make life easier I've reproduced the relevent ones here.

 

 

o Visited Pubs:

1) The Unicorn - One of the best pubs in Canterbury as far as I'm concerned (Winer of the "Pub of the Year" accolade from Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable district of CAMRA in May 2006 and, clearly, in the 2005 Good Beer Guide). Great beer - 4 pumps - with Deuchars IPA (can life get better than this being a regular?!) a Shepherd Neame (never mind), and 2 regularly changing guests. Good locals atmosphere, and somewhere you can go for a quiet pint if you fancy it. Landlord is sound and knows his beer; the bar staff are friendly enough, and they've usually got some good tunes on the music system. Not the liveliest and youngest of places but certainly worth going for the ale - and to brush up on the bar billiards skills. Also got a small garden out the back, which gets a nice amount of sun in the afternoon :-)

2) Bishop's Finger - Sheperd Neame pub (as most of Kent is...) serving Bishops Finger (suprisingly), and a couple of other ales (one guest I think). Nice enough - lots of seating at the back and does food. Get a mixed crowd in there, particularly students as it's the west end of town. Large patio'ed beer garden with plenty of benches.

3) Westgate Inn - The first of the Weatherspoons, this one appearing a lot more enclosed. Usually heaving with students, locals and tourists - but you're guaranteed talent whatever. Cheap drinks aplenty, with discount on doubles and all the usual stuff. Typical 'spoons range of ales, with a couple of bog standard ones and a few guests (hence the 2005 GBG entry). Hoegaarden is only £2.50, so provides a cheap alternative. Lots of seating, but access to the bar can be a pain, and some staff have a habit of only serving people arriving at the bar, instead of those waiting. Very successfully went non-smoking in 2005 (although there is a small smoking patio with heaters outside), so you can enjoy a pint without stinking like an ashtray when you leave :-) Has a quiz machine, recently got a couple of unintrusive TV screens, but sadly got rid of 2/3rds of the fruities (presumably to subsidise the Sky Pub license)

4) Blind Dog - Visited on new years eve, when there was a really good atmosphere. It looks recently refurbished, with a "bar" feel rather than pub, and I don't remember any ales. Hoegaarden on tap as an expensive compromise. On one visit there was a decent quiz going on (regular weekly), and there are some stunners behind the bar if you go on the right night. Lots of seating, both social and solo tables. Worth a visit.

5) Carpenter's Arms - Tucked away down a Westgate sidestreet, this pub seems to cater for both locals and students (or maybe it's because we were in the crossover period in the afternoon...) Big screen for sport, and two (count them - 2!) pool tables in their own area, so you don't keep knocking into non-playing punters. They're also only 70p, making them the cheapest in Canterbury. Couple of standard but quite OK ales.

6) Three Tuns - The most visible pub In the St Margarets cluster off the high street, the Three Tun's looks like a decent pub, and indeed is. Couple of standard (although not only SN) beers, and a nice, reasonably-priced menu. Lots of different areas, and a couple of bars - there's also a pool table out the back. A good "Sunday lunch with the parents" venue.

7) Miller's Arms - Superb local pub - SN ales and a couple of bottled in the fridge. Split into two seated areas with a long bar in between, means you can settle in the cosier far end of the pub for the evening, or pop into the near end during a crawl. Was lucky enough to have this as my local (30 second walk) for 2 years, and it pretty much superceded the Unicorn. More expensive, but the beer is very well kept (especailly the Shepherd Neame seasonal bitters). Quality bar staff, friendly landlord+lady, a medium-sized dining area, with proper decent food (and a good bar menu, including probably the best burgers in the world) and TV (but not Sky) - so handy for the cricket, racing and teletext footy updates.

8) Beer Cart Arms - A large open-plan pub, with a long bar for easy serving (which also gives unrestricted views to check out the lovely barmaids) Has late licences a few days a week, with a dancefloor at the front of the pub. Regular entertainment in the form of DJs, bands and comedy nights, and has a pool table right at the back. Popular venue with the students, with drinks promos and cheap funny-coloured shots - and in a throwback to student days, pints come in luminous plastic glasses after about 8pm. No proper beer.

9) Scream Bar (Formerly Penny Theatre) - Scream pub, so expect the discounted student yellow card prices and lots of fixed entertainment - pool tables (recently multiplied to two), fussball, variety of games machines, big screen for sport, a mini-dancefloor and garden. Plenty of seating and comfy sofas (although some people have a tendency to sit at the small tables near the pool table, then get irate when you keep asking them to move...) Complete mix of students - but most weeks you're guaranteed to get groups of drunk girls there on a crawl, which is always amusing. Loads of TVs throughout for the footy; and the infamous Scream Burger - a quality double burger with cheese and bacon, chips and onion rings - for less than a fiver. It's a must. Update (Aug 2006) - apparently this may have yet again changed hands....updates when I next visit...

10) Simple Simons - Probably the largest real ale pub in the area, set in a nice 14th century building. There's about 10 pumps along the front of the bar, with ever-changing good-quality guests. They 're also not afraid to go for "differrent" ales, like stouts and porters, and there's a regular strong scrumpy as well. Huge beer garden out the back, which is as popular in February as it is in the summer - probably because a large part of the clientelle are overseas students (some of whom are used to subzero eastern europe temperatures) It can be quite entertaining sitting out there and hearing a dozen conversations going on in different languages around you. There are a couple of live music sessions each week, and this is often cool jazz combos. This pub would definitely be in the top 3 of those to visit, either for proper beer, or for a great night out.

11) Cricketers - From the high street this looks like a typical local pub - but inside it's got a tasteful modern decor, and I'd imagine caters for the locals with a bit more cash to spare. Couple of ales, and a large range of bottled european beers, including Chimay and Duvel (although expect to pay a premium on these)

12) Hobgoblin - Looks like a proper quality ale-drinking pub from the outside, with hanging baskets galore. Visited in the late afternoon, so not sure what the usual clientelle is - apparently it's popular with students and rockers. Couple of local beers, and loads of tables in the back bar. Stone flooring throughout. Spotted a jukebox , so imagine it gets lively in the evening.

13) Old Buttermarket - Right opposite the cathedral, it looks quite nice from the outside - just can't help feeling it looks in need of a refurb on the inside though. No beer on tap either time visited, so Hoegaarden has to come to the rescue (although proper high street prices here). Plenty of tables, and they have a nice-enough menu. Gets packed in the evening, and can take a while to get served.

14) Monument - Nice local, with quite a few TVs - a good, quieter alternative to watch the rugby/football, if you want to avoid the busier pubs (Scream, Sailor). Spitfire, Masterbrew and guest on the bar (well kept); and a dartboard and bar billiards table at the back of the pub.

15) County Hotel - Tudor Bar - Update (Aug 06) - Currently being refurb'd. There's going to be a v pricy, v classy, celebrity-chef restaurant in the hotel, and the new bar looks like it'll be equally impressive (think sliding roof...)

16) Dolphin - Very pleasant pub, mainly catering for an older clientelle and groups. Loads of seating for food (evening meals look good, nachos platter is enormous, Sunday lunch is pre-booked) - not somewhere you'd go on a pub crawl (it's probably discouraged), but nice place to go for dinner with the other half. Well kept guest ale, large range of fruit wines, and pleanty of pub board games. Large garden out the back.

17) The Swan in St Dunstans (formerly Unity) - Two rooms - a front public and rear cosy. Good sized garden out the back with plenty of benches. Couple of ales on tap - front bar looks popular with the students.

18) Jolly Sailor - Very sports-orientated, with a big-scren projector being the main feature. Feels like a young local's pub

19) Cherry Tree - Off the high street, visible by the tables and chairs outside. Needs it, as the inside is tiny, with two small rooms. I imagine it's popular with the students as it runs a happy hour every day, and bottled lagers are cheap at certain times. Couple of ales on, as well as a cider on handpump; also one of the few pubs that serves Leffe in pints. Music was very loud when we visited on Saturday afternoon, which makes talking a challenge - and apparently it gets packed in the evenings.

20) Thomas Ingoldsby - The alternatve, vast Weatherspoons (2005 GBG entry). Much more open-plan than the Westgate Inn, and far more locally. Range of ales, but have had a few dodgy pints in there. Similar service to the other 'spoons, and gets very busy. Bouncers on the door on busy nights.

23) Ha! Ha! - Late-licence pub opposite Alberrys - but at the weekend, make sure to get there before 11pm to get past the bouncer. Quite a "classy" clientelle, but the prices reflect this. Some comfy sofas and bar stools if you're lucky to get them. Haven't seen it rammed, and it's a good enough place to go for a late pint if you want music but still be able to hold a conversation.

25) Bar 11 - One of Canterbury's gay pubs (the other well known one being westbar), situated off the High Street in Burgate. Didn't see the whole place, as we were using the function room upstairs for a birthday do, but seems nice enough. Good bar service, and they do Kronenberg Blanc (albeit at £4/pint) which was quality. Very hot upstairs, but this was counteracted by the refreshingly freezing air con at the bar.

26) Bell & Crown - A small, sparsely decorated, traditional looking pub. Don't remember any ales, but do have Hoegaarden. Jukebox, and seems to cater for a young alternative crowd in .

27) Black Horse - Out of the way at the top of St Dunstans, this looked like a locals place. Quite a spacious front bar, with a takeaway Indian and restaurant at the back. Good sized beer garden with patio heaters. A few big screen TVs, so probably good for sport. Couple of good ales on.

28) Canterbury Tales - Situated opposite the Marlowe Theatre, this was a really nice place. Lots of seating, comfy sofas and tables. Food has a good reputation. Good selection of ales on tap - including Youngs Bitter, Spitfire and London Pride.

30) Loft - Late licence bar next to Ha! Ha! - which I originally thought was part of the same place. Less classy, more pricey, but do cocktails. Good serving bar at the front, with plenty of seating down the back. Has a "dancefloor", but it's just some space next to the bar with notices proclaiming it's purpose ("dance floor - no standing here" or something...) Not bad for the end of the night if you don't fancy clubbing.

36) Scribes - Projector for footy, lap dancing upstairs, pool table at the back. Enough said.

38) Eight Bells - Situated on London Road, this is a pleasant old man's local. Cosy bar, pleasant small garden and a couple of decent ales. GBG 2005 entry. Outside toilets in the form of a trough in an outhouse makes for an amusing first visit.

39) Thomas Becket - Quality pub, with a couple of guest ales. Not a young crowd, but certainly not an old man place - more your 30's/40's clientelle. Nice traditional decor, plenty of seating, and good space around the bar. Large eating area, and the food comes highly recommended - probably another good place to take the parents.

46) White Hart - Very nice pub off the beaten track. Well kept beers, stocking the full SN range, although not at the cheapest price. Plenty of seating inside, with a traditional yet clean feel. Raised eating area, and a good wine selection is available. Impressive pub garden out the back, which gets busy in the summer.

48) City Arms - Nice, modern pub, with a well decked interior and seating outside on the street. Couple of ales, which were well kept, and the menu looked very impressive and at a reasonable price. Will definitely be heading back here again.

o Visited Clubs

40) Chicago Rock Cafe - One of a few places you can end up after chucking out time. Basically, this is the one to go to if you're after beautiful girls (although you're going to have to brave a hefty queue to get in after 10pm) - which completely goes against the mantra of every other CRC in the country (ie, there's not a leopard-skin-clad 40-something in sight!) Drinks will cripple your wallet and entry is about a fiver, but it's probably the best late-night option here. Big dancefloor downstairs, "viewing gallery" upstairs with plenty of milling space, and suprisingly good bar service. Cheap bottles (£1.50) on Thursdays, although the place was quiet due to it being the summer and there being no students around.

41) Alberrys - Late licence, almost en route to Chicagos. Beware of the queue - because although it can be short, there's a strict one-in-one-out policy, so can take ages to get in (although it would seem having cleavage helps with this...) Nothing on tap, so it's bottles and shorts all the way. The small dancefloor is downstairs in a semi-claustrophic cellar, but the atmosphere is quite good and it plays a decent variety of music. Again, cheap bottles on Thursday (£1.50), but they double in price after midnight (making a cheap round suddenly very expensive. As I found out)

42) BABA, Bizz and Works - Situated opposite Canterbury East station, this is the main alternative to Chicago's. Spread over 3 floors, downstairs is mainstream, middle floor is more garagey/r'n'b, and top floor is darker. On new years eve it was terrible, with about 2 women per 50 blokes; the second visit was slightly more encouraging, but subsequent trips have been disappointing. Suprisingly the only club open on Bank Holiday Sunday (despite trying everywhere else first...). Apparently you get more trouble here than Chicago's, and the bouncers do hold a more prominent presence within the club.

o Needing another visit:

37) Seven Stars - Lively pub for theatre-goers and more students

24) Tonic Bar - Pretty modern feel, with live music and DJs.

33) Old City Bar - Nice, trendy place. Good looking bar, with pool table and plenty of space out the back

43) Cross Keys - Young, football-friendly pub

47) Caseys - I have no idea - One of the later pubs on the Canterbury crawl - Irish bar apparently...

o Pubs still to be visited:

21) westbar, 22) Two Sawyers, 29) Jaspers, 31) Marlowe Theatre Showbar, 32) New Inn, 34) Pilgrim's Bar and Terrace, 44) Flying Horse, 45) King William IV

Disclaimer: the list of pubs I've used here has come from CanterburyPubs - a great pub guide which can be found in the Links section. As such, some of the unvisited pubs may no longer exist, and there are likely to be some new ones that have opened recently - this will hopefully be remedied as time goes by.