The Robert Pocock (Wetherspoon)
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Photographs of pub sign and frontage are © Copyright David Anstiss and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.
Visits Details
11 Jan 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Curry time to soak up the beers and to keep the internal heat going in stoking the fire. A shame this Spoons' heating system had failed and when I asked a staff member who brought me my curry as we were being blown cold air from the ceiling on my mid-evening visit. It was, to make matters worse, a bitterly cold and frosty evening. Surprisingly still full of punters in spite of no heating in the place!
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3 | 5.00 |  | Good head and lacing on this Ramsgate premium pale ale. A pleasantly bitter mouthfeel with a dryish aftertaste. |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
04 Jan 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Time for a curry to warm me up with after the trot back into Gravesend from Iron Pier's taproom in Northfleet. Busy as always for my mid-evening visit but marginally less lively than the two earlier trips just before Christmas. A table near the main bar was secured and the usual curry order placed and so as to also soak up those earlier beers. Fast service and delivery of my chosen food.
Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 |  | Good head and lacing on this Southwold pale ale. A touch of citrus in the first hit. A dry bitterness in the mouthfeel and some fruitiness lingering. |
Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
21 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Time for a curry to soak up some of those Christmas-themed beers. Busy for my mid-evening visit but managed to share a table with a couple already there.
Daleside - Santa's Progress | 4.20 |  | Reasonable head and lacing on this golden ale from Harrogate, north of Leeds. A first hit of bitterness followed by a dry, malty and fruity mouthfeel lingering. |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Exmoor - Exmas | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Salcombe (formerly Quercus Devon) - Island Street Porter | 5.90 | Not Tried | Nearly went for this Devon bitter porter instead and which reads that it has just a hint of sweetness but an aroma of Black Forest gateau. |
14 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Heaving would be an understatement! That explains why some others visited were not that busy. Only in for the food and a beer to wash it down with before a final stop at The Compass again. We were the advance party back from Northfleet on foot, leaving two at The Earl Grey, and now ready to tuck in and I cannot fault the Spoons' curry for something filling!
Rudgate - Evil Elf | 4.00 |  | Plenty of head and lacing in this pale ale which was lightly hoppy. It had a dryish, fruity aftertaste which aided washing the curry, rice, poppadoms and naan bread down! |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Hobgoblin Ruby Beer | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
02 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
7th visit of the day and hunger pangs needed to be sorted and so curry time. Busy as all Spoons are and for mid-evening visit. Not so busy to not get served straight away and table literally close to bar and so did not need to recount the table number to remember.
Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Hobgoblin Ruby Beer | 4.50 |  | Superb choice, a ruby beer, to accompany a ruby murray, a curry. Not a lot of bees & honey, as in money, was needed for this good beer and curry thanks to Tim Martin. Good head and lacing and on the beer that is! The ale had its own spiciness to accompany the food and maintained a bitter mouthfeel throughout. |
Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
13 Jan 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Late afternoon brief visit awaiting a bus.
Brewster's - Hop a Doodle Doo | 4.30 |  | A sour bitterness and lingering aftertaste |
Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Kelham Island (probably brewed by Thornbridge now) - Pale Rider | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
Theakston - Old Peculier | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Nelson - Shipwrecked | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
14 Aug 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit.
Kelham Island (probably brewed by Thornbridge now) - Pale Rider | 5.20 |  | In fine form |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Lancaster - Black | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
07 Nov 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit.
Wantsum - UXB? | 4.60 |  | Good condition but a rather sickly raspberry porter |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Old Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Lancaster - Blonde | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Two Bays | 4.40 | Not Tried | Apparently an oaked pale ale |
25 Oct 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit.
Marston's - Old Empire IPA | 5.70 |  | |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Prescott - Grand Prix | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
Boss - Brave American IPA | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
28 Aug 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. Still the silly signs telling people to get away from the bar once served.
Whitstable - Winkle Picker | 4.50 |  | OK |
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Port Stout | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Scorcher | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow Bells | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
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