West Kent CAMRA Evening Social Visit to Leigh – 23 March 2022
Wednesday 23 March saw the Branch visit Leigh for a short visit to a pub and a club in the
village.
The evening didn’t start well as when four of us got to Tonbridge Station we found the 18.47
train we were intending to catch to Leigh had been cancelled and replaced by a bus. The bus finally arrived and left about 19.00 for the short trip to Leigh. Luckily, the bus dropped us off at our first venue, the Fleur de Lis pub where the two other members of our party were awaiting our arrival.
Inside the pub we found two beers available, St Austell Tribute and Timothy Taylor
Landlord. Both beers were tried by the group and whilst the Landlord was OK, the Tribute was not on best form.
We then proceeded a few metres down the road to the Leigh Royal British Legion Club.
We had arranged to visit the Club to present them with their West Kent CAMRA Certificate
for being runner up in the 2020 competition for Club of the Year. They had already received the Certificate but due to COVID restrictions there was no formal presentation. Unbeknown to the Club, West Kent CAMRA had run the 2022 competition and the Club was the winner so instead of a Runner Up Certificate we were able to surprise them and present the 2022 Winners Certificate.
Our Social Secretary, Ian Davidson, presented the Certificate to Club Steward Vikki Colley.
The beers on offer on the day of our visit were Larkins Traditional and Adnams Southwold
Bitter. The Club normally has Larkins on permanently and the other beer changes but is always a bitter around the 4% mark.
The ales were enjoyed by our small group who had been welcomed into the Club.
Vikki was proud of her small cellar and gave us a tour to show us what beers she would be
putting on after the Southwold Bitter. The first beer will be Timothy Taylor Boltmaker and she will follow it up with a Larkins Green Hop Pale. Whilst in the cellar she informed us of a few bottles of Larkins Pantiles Pride she had. I just had to take a photo and the following is the best I could get.
After an enjoyable evening four of us departed on the 9.26 train back to Tonbridge, three of
us deciding to visit the Nelson Arms , just to ensure the beer quality was up to standard.