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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 15:24:06 GMT
Anyone know what's happening to the 'Vic' (next to Maidstone East)? Last time I was down there (2 or 3 weeks ago), they were preparing massive blocks of concrete that looked like they might be the bases of some pretty serious scaffolding. One pub I won't miss. Only went in there once and it was like something out of a wild west film - everything went dead quiet as I went in and everyone turned and stared at me. The barman ignored me completely, and in the end I had to ask to be served - then a couple of the dodgiest characters I've ever seen inside a pub watched me the whole time I was drinking. Quickest pint I've ever drunk! According to this weeks KM it's going to be a new Ticket Office for Maidstone East. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 16:12:05 GMT
Anyone know what's happening to the 'Vic' (next to Maidstone East)? Last time I was down there (2 or 3 weeks ago), they were preparing massive blocks of concrete that looked like they might be the bases of some pretty serious scaffolding. One pub I won't miss. Only went in there once and it was like something out of a wild west film - everything went dead quiet as I went in and everyone turned and stared at me. The barman ignored me completely, and in the end I had to ask to be served - then a couple of the dodgiest characters I've ever seen inside a pub watched me the whole time I was drinking. Quickest pint I've ever drunk! According to this weeks KM it's going to be a new Ticket Office for Maidstone East. A ticket office that sells beer? That could catch on! The latest chapter in the everlasting ME redevelopment story! When I moved to Maidstone 38 years ago, there were plans afoot to build a combined station next to the snooker hall at the bottom of Buckland Hill (where those grotty flats are now). It was going to be Maidstone Central (or Town?), and have a higher platform for the Victoria service and a lower one for the Strood trains. Great idea in theory, but too far from the centre of town. Predictably, nothing happened, then the flats were built. Then there was a plan to build a supermarket on top of/next to the station (with the supermarket sharing the car park) - that's when the Vic was closed. But the bottom fell out of big supermarkets about that time, so, again, nothing happened. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 18:14:08 GMT
About time they're doing something with it. Must have been closed for the best part of 20 years now.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 20:31:25 GMT
Planning regulations.
Don't they just encourage a dynamic environment for new developments!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 23:53:25 GMT
Anyone know what's happening to the Queen Anne? It says closed for refurbishment, but, by the looks of it, it's a pretty heavy 'refurbishment" - they were taking the name off the outside today.
It was only recently taken over by new management, so it seems a bit soon for such extensive work. Maybe they are turning it into something else - restaurant, club?
I've only known the pub for a few years, so it has always been a gay pub to me, but when the new management took over they placed a big emphasis on making the pub welcoming for a wider range of customers - so presumably this indicates that the gay scene in Maidstone is not big enough to keep a dedicated gay pub going?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 23:55:46 GMT
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Post by toonarmy on Oct 7, 2017 16:52:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2017 18:19:48 GMT
Perhaps he's Irish? Funny idea of the "centre of town" too... |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2017 18:20:24 GMT
Perhaps he's Irish? Funny idea of the "centre of town" too... And PP DOES need a proof reader! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2017 17:35:13 GMT
Anyone know what's happening to the 'Vic' (next to Maidstone East)? Last time I was down there (2 or 3 weeks ago), they were preparing massive blocks of concrete that looked like they might be the bases of some pretty serious scaffolding. One pub I won't miss. Only went in there once and it was like something out of a wild west film - everything went dead quiet as I went in and everyone turned and stared at me. The barman ignored me completely, and in the end I had to ask to be served - then a couple of the dodgiest characters I've ever seen inside a pub watched me the whole time I was drinking. Quickest pint I've ever drunk! . Every time I went in that pub, it always reminded me of THE ROCK pub in the film ID. Last time I went in there was just before it closed. I was with my Aussie girlfriend and she got loads of stick over her accent! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2017 20:28:15 GMT
I was just about to add "worst pub I've ever drunk in", but then I remembered a few other highlights...
The worst pub of all was undoubtedly the Railway Hotel (next to West station, now demolished) - it failed on so many levels that I don't even want to list them. But it had some close rivals. The Bower Inn, for instance, where the landlady was so drunk she fell off her bar stool. Or the Duke of Marlborough, where they decided to close early one afternoon, just as we'd bought our drinks and started a game of pool! Or the Lower Bell, where they refused to let me use their phone when I'd broken down - in winter, with a baby in the car...
And the Albion must get special mention - only pub I've ever been jumped on (a case of mistaken identity - luckily realised just in time), also the only pub I've actually run out of in fear of being beaten up (different episode), and the only pub where I've nearly died of smoke inhalation, when the aptly named Pyromaniacs From Hell's 'special effects' went spectacularly wrong!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2017 21:30:28 GMT
I was just about to add "worst pub I've ever drunk in", but then I remembered a few other highlights... The worst pub of all was undoubtedly the Railway Hotel (next to West station, now demolished) - it failed on so many levels that I don't even want to list them. But it had some close rivals. The Bower Inn, for instance, where the landlady was so drunk she fell off her bar stool. Or the Duke of Marlborough, where they decided to close early one afternoon, just as we'd bought our drinks and started a game of pool! Or the Lower Bell, where they refused to let me use their phone when I'd broken down - in winter, with a baby in the car... And the Albion must get special mention - only pub I've ever been jumped on (a case of mistaken identity - luckily realised just in time), also the only pub I've actually run out of in fear of being beaten up (different episode), and the only pub where I've nearly died of smoke inhalation, when the aptly named Pyromaniacs From Hell's 'special effects' went spectacularly wrong! The railway hotel was the Ritz compared to the railway bell, that was around the back, behind B&Q's! I remember being with my mum and step dad and stopping for a drink there on river festival night in the mid 80s, there was an old sofa outside, with an old bloke passed out pissed on , which someone then set light to!! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2017 21:40:19 GMT
I was just about to add "worst pub I've ever drunk in", but then I remembered a few other highlights... The worst pub of all was undoubtedly the Railway Hotel (next to West station, now demolished) - it failed on so many levels that I don't even want to list them. But it had some close rivals. The Bower Inn, for instance, where the landlady was so drunk she fell off her bar stool. Or the Duke of Marlborough, where they decided to close early one afternoon, just as we'd bought our drinks and started a game of pool! Or the Lower Bell, where they refused to let me use their phone when I'd broken down - in winter, with a baby in the car... And the Albion must get special mention - only pub I've ever been jumped on (a case of mistaken identity - luckily realised just in time), also the only pub I've actually run out of in fear of being beaten up (different episode), and the only pub where I've nearly died of smoke inhalation, when the aptly named Pyromaniacs From Hell's 'special effects' went spectacularly wrong! The railway hotel was the Ritz compared to the railway bell, that was around the back, behind B&Q's! I remember being with my mum and step dad and stopping for a drink there on river festival night in the mid 80s, there was an old sofa outside, with an old bloke passed out pissed on , which someone then set light to!! Would never have dared drink in there! Bikers pub, regular fights, non-bikers/normal people definitely not welcome. S&N closed it down (and knocked it down!) because it was just too much trouble. Was an empty lot for years, now part of the MacDonald's drive through complex. The bikers moved on to the Albion - hence my various 'moments' there! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2017 21:46:09 GMT
The railway hotel was the Ritz compared to the railway bell, that was around the back, behind B&Q's! I remember being with my mum and step dad and stopping for a drink there on river festival night in the mid 80s, there was an old sofa outside, with an old bloke passed out pissed on , which someone then set light to!! Would never have dared drink in there! Bikers pub, regular fights, non-bikers/normal people definitely not welcome. S&N closed it down (and knocked it down!) because it was just too much trouble. Was an empty lot for years, now part of the MacDonald's drive through complex. The bikers moved on to the Albion - hence my various 'moments' there! I think the bikers and the metal heads have moved on from the Albion now. I was last in there just before Xmas last year and they were having a Xmas jumper making contest! |
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