Last Tuesday I arranged to meet a friend in Dartford, Kent.  We were intending to meet at the Wetherspoon’s Pub called the Flying Boat.  I had some unused CAMRA vouchers to spend and the food is cheap and edible.  However, a work colleague suggested that we try the Dartford Working Men’s Club.  I have membership of the WMCIU and I am a CAMRA member both of which enable entry to this club.  It was a good suggestion because the club has about fifteen different real ales on cask together with a range of ciders.  The bar staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and the price of a pint at about £2.60 is great value.  I can see why it has won a CAMRA club of the year award in the past.  The decor is typical working men’s club which I found quite nostalgic and comforting to see that some things stay the same.

The club is host to the Dartford Folk Club (BBC2 Folk Club of the Year 2008) and I suppose this is why the beer turnover is large enough to support such a large range of beers.  The Sunday roasts are cheap and this is something I might try in the future.  Apparently there are a large number playing bingo on Sunday lunchtimes so it is possible to turn up and get a roast whilst everyone else is playing bingo.

The beers where very good.  My favourite was Leatherbritches Return of the King; a beer special to commemorate the formal burial of King Richard the Third.  I also had a pint of London Pale Ale from the Southwark Brewery. This was not as good as the Leatherbritches beer.  Strangely the two fixed beers at the bar are Courage best and Spitfire.  Courage is one of my least favourite beers and Spitfire is not much better but they are always on tap as they are popular with the regulars.

I would highly recommend a visit to this club.  You will need to be a member of CAMRA or CIU; although I am sure you could sneak in if you have neither.

No website apart from this information site: http://www.wmciu.co.uk/kent_ciu/dartford_working_mens_club.htm