PubsandBeer

History: Home > Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation)

Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation) (Free House)

We believe this building is NO LONGER a pub

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Whitstable - Oyster StoutExceptional1
Lincoln Green - Tuck PorterExcellent1
Elephant School (sub-brand of Brentwood) - Aussie BlondeExcellent1
Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Amethyst BitterExcellent1
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent1
Grainstore - Ten Fifty (1050)Excellent1
Dark Star - SunburstExcellent1
Summerskills - Westward Ho!Good1
Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good HeavensGood1
Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA)Good1
Orkney (Sinclair) - Island HoppingGood1
Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - Dark MatterGood1
Turners - American Pale AleGood1
Romney Marsh - Cinque PorterGood1
Harvey's - Bellowhead RevivalGood1
Harvey's - Sussex Wild HopGood1
Mad Cat - Platinum Blonde (previously Meaney's Platinum Blonde Ale)Good1
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's AleAcceptable1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7Acceptable1
3 Piers - Golden SmilerAcceptable1
Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - CoralAcceptable1
Adnams - BroadsideNot Tried0
Isle of Purbeck - Fossil FuelNot Tried0
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - SeasiderNot Tried0
Loddon - HullabalooNot Tried0
Shepherd Neame - Late RedNot Tried0
Wantsum - Miller's MirthNot Tried0
Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Man's GoldNot Tried0
Northumberland - ResALEutionNot Tried0
Burton Bridge - Burton AleNot Tried0
Picture 1. Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation), Gillingham, Kent

Visits Details

02 Dec 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-afternoon and a welcome refuge on a cold day.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA)4.10GoodSlightly flat.
Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - Dark Matter4.40GoodChocolate and blackcurrants.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Isle of Purbeck - Fossil Fuel3.80Not Tried
04 Nov 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Pre-football crowds squeezed into here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Romney Marsh - Cinque Porter4.20GoodA rather dry, black Porter.
3 Piers - Golden Smiler4.00AcceptableA somewhat thin-tasting Golden Ale.
Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Coral4.50AcceptableGolden and very bitter.
Burton Bridge - Burton Ale4.80Not Tried
15 Feb 2015 (Dosser)
Lots in enjoying quiz questions. Our first visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Whitstable - Oyster Stout4.50ExceptionalGreat beer.
26 Jan 2015 (thebrewingman)
Just after five with 5 or 6 in which our party of four almost doubled. Warm welcome.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Grainstore - Ten Fifty (1050)5.00Excellent
Lincoln Green - Tuck Porter4.70Excellent
Elephant School (sub-brand of Brentwood) - Aussie Blonde4.00Excellent
Northumberland - ResALEution4.30Not TriedOne of our party had a half and it went off shortly afterwards.
02 Dec 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 1900 hours close. Now run by just one couple so some hours have been drawn in to accommodate this. A further move round of tables and chairs - still work in progress. Now open Mon / Tue 1200-1900, Wed 1200-1800, Thu 1200-2100, Fri / Sat 1200-2300, Sun 1200-1600.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Bellowhead Revival3.70Good
Wantsum - Miller's Mirth4.20Not Tried
Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Man's Gold4.00Not Tried
15 Nov 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Late-afternoon visit immediately following football at Priestfield. Crowded, hot and steamy in here, once I found the place.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Orkney (Sinclair) - Island Hopping3.90GoodLabelled as ‘Swannay Brewery’, which confused, although an internet search reveals that as the name of the brewery premises. A nice, citrusy, Pale Ale.
Turners - American Pale Ale4.70GoodA Pale Ale, presumably with US hops, where the hops flavours could have been a little more prominent I thought.
Shepherd Neame - Late Red4.50Not Tried
27 Oct 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until pretty prompt close. Just one other couple in. I tried a third of toffee apple cider which they were drinking.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mad Cat - Platinum Blonde (previously Meaney's Platinum Blonde Ale)4.20Good
Summerskills - Westward Ho!4.10GoodMid brown English bitter
Loddon - Hullabaloo4.20Not Tried
20 Sep 2014 (ChrisE)
This pub should have been easy to find, unfortunately too many maps do not show pedestrian only streets and seem to assume that you just want to race through town centres in a car. The result was that we walked up and down the wrong part of Skinner Street and then discarded the map. The pub was busy and very welcoming, three ales were on offer although I have only listed one of them.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop3.70Good
28 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A few subtle changes - a shelf added here, a low table exchanged there. All part of getting it right.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Amethyst Bitter4.20ExcellentNicely dry
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale3.80Acceptable
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider4.30Not Tried
14 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Brief visit turned into a couple of hours. Immediately friendly welcome, conversation and (sometimes adversarial) banter. Medway has long needed a place like this. Most enjoyable evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentOnly £3 pp - cheapest Harvey's BB I have had for a long time and it was unusually on gravity too
Dark Star - Sunburst4.80ExcellentPreview pint as not on the board yet
Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good Heavens4.10Good
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Acceptable

About the Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation)

The pub sign. Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation), Gillingham, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent6
Good10
Acceptable4
Poor-

The pub is found in Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1HD.

Opened on Sunday 10th August 2014 as a micropub conversion from previous use as Benjy's second hand shop in Skinner Street at the west end of the High Street. Opened by 2 couples keen to bring the Micropub concept to Medway. Subsequently one couple exited. Small interior with seating on low and high seating. Cask beer and cider (and wines too) are served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled room. An attractive wall display of photographs shows local closed pubs plus a selection of Kent Micropubs to contrast the past from the present. Small rear yard which smokers may use. A welcome addition to Medway's pub scene. Unisex toilet to the rear. Available beers and ciders are listed on a large wall blackboard. Local CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year 2017, 2018 and again in 2020 and subsequently CAMRA West Kent Pub of the Year 2018. Local CAMRA branch Cider Pub of the Year 2016, 2017 and 2018. Moved from Skinner Street to new larger premises in Canterbury Street ME7 5TP in spring 2020. See new entry.

We have visited this pub 10 times, seen 30 different beers and tried 21 of them.

Map location

Postcode: ME7 1HD