PH meet, The Woodman, Ide Hill, Thursday 8th September, 6pm!

[fatboy18]

Brilliant, look forward to it.

[seyre1972]

Hi Hrimfaxi,

Firstly thanks for arranging the meet - v pleasant way to spend a lovely summers evening, and great photos as well. Apologies for not getting the drone out - spent the evening bending IanH's ear re his RS6.

And thanks to IanH755 - I've now more than a hankering for a RS6 .... . Let's just say I can see it becoming an obsession. Just need to buy a house with a big enough drive .

Will fetch ithe drone next meet and get some photos and post up.


Cheers,

Seyre1972

[fatboy18]

Well, I don't know what's going on with this Pub?
Took the OH out thinking it would be nice to go there for Sunday Lunch. After the 1hr drive there the place was closed! FFS Car park barriers down and Security notices in the windows! Looks like the Tenants had enough and closed up
Found another pub to have lunch only to find they were fully booked until gone 4:30, Gave up and came home to some Pitta bread and Humus, polished off with Jaffa cakes!

Another total disaster pub Sunday

Edited by fatboy18 on Sunday 23 October 15:16

[Hrimfaxi]

fatboy18 said:

Well, I don't know what's going on with this Pub?
Took the OH out thinking it would be nice to go there for Sunday Lunch. After the 1hr drive there the place was closed! FFS Car park barriers down and Security notices in the windows! Looks like the Tenants had enough and closed up
Found another pub to have lunch only to find they were fully booked until gone 4:30, Gave up and came home to some Pitta bread and Humus, polished off with Jaffa cakes!

Another total disaster pub Sunday

Edited by fatboy18 on Sunday 23 October 15:16

That's a big shame I wonder what happened?
I was hoping to get another PH evening on the cards before winter truly sets in, too!

[tr7v8]

Used to meet here a few years ago when I ran the TIPEC Kent group. It was always an "interesting place" with one of our members being referred to as an ahole for having the temerity to ask where his food had got to & that was by the Landlord.
Looks like it has been up for rent according to Greene King.
https://www.greenekingpubs.co.uk/woodman-ide-hill

[Hrimfaxi]

tr7v8 said:

Used to meet here a few years ago when I ran the TIPEC Kent group. It was always an "interesting place" with one of our members being referred to as an ahole for having the temerity to ask where his food had got to & that was by the Landlord.
Looks like it has been up for rent according to Greene King.
https://www.greenekingpubs.co.uk/woodman-ide-hill

Our last meet I set up was the complete opposite, very welcoming and loved the cars.

I did hear they were relatively new, shame to hear they've gone though. Here's hoping that the next tenants are just as welcoming!

[tr7v8]

Hrimfaxi said:

tr7v8 said:

Used to meet here a few years ago when I ran the TIPEC Kent group. It was always an "interesting place" with one of our members being referred to as an ahole for having the temerity to ask where his food had got to & that was by the Landlord.
Looks like it has been up for rent according to Greene King.
https://www.greenekingpubs.co.uk/woodman-ide-hill

Our last meet I set up was the complete opposite, very welcoming and loved the cars.

I did hear they were relatively new, shame to hear they've gone though. Here's hoping that the next tenants are just as welcoming!

Obviously changed hands since I was there. Heinz I think was the LL he was a South African. It was never that busy.

[TV8]

tr7v8 said:

Obviously changed hands since I was there. Heinz I think was the LL he was a South African. It was never that busy.

Its changed hands a couple of times since Heinz was landlord, with a couple of new people this year.

[Red Devil]

tr7v8 said:

Obviously changed hands since I was there. Heinz I think was the LL he was a South African. It was never that busy.

Yes, Heinz Klose: quite a character. He welcomed car clubs. It was certainly busier during his tenure than it has been recently. He was hit with a massive rate increase by Sevenoaks District Council and that led to him giving up the tenancy.

TV8 said:

Its changed hands a couple of times since Heinz was landlord, with a couple of new people this year.

The Woodman was closed at the end of August last year for 'refurbishment' which won't have helped either.

They clearly haven't succeeded in turning it round. When a pub goes downhill (and it would appear that it has: in spades) the word soon gets around and it becomes a vicious cycle. It requires a tenant with considerable skill and experience, not to mention deep pockets to absorb the initial losses, to revive it. I reckon Greene King are going to struggle to find one. 120 covers is a huge number. I can't see that being an economic proposition tbh.

Other things which don't help are: the pub is not in fact (despite what straplines suggest) in Ide Hill at all but on the far (Sevenoaks) side of the tiny hamlet of Goathurst Common, which is barely more than a few houses strung along the B2042, and its location in between two blind bends. Blink and you miss it. Not good for a country pub which needs to attract passing trade.

I have found out that two car clubs have given it the boot this year and gone elsewhere. From a PH perspective that tells you all you need to know. I hope it can be rescued as it has so much potential and it has an abundance of parking spaces. I'm none too hopeful though. Even if GK do find a tenant it could easily turn out to be rinse and repeat.

[fatboy18]

Have to say the staff were excellent on our night out there, I had food, I ordered the mussels and was not disappointed, presentation was 1st class as was service. Great decor inside, did not feel cold at all (unlike some pubs)

Shame its closed

[Red Devil]

Fair enough: for sure you were wolfing it down in between sentences during our chat.
It would have been pretty shocking if the service was bad given our group made up the majority of the clientele that evening.

[ncs]

We've been having our TVRCC monthly meets at The Woodman for years & its been pretty up & down in that time.

Shame its closed particularly after all the money that's been spent on it as it was looking better than ever.

Keeping an eye out to see if it reopens but not holding my breath at the moment, as a result we've had to find a new home for our meets.

Nick
SE London & NW Kent TVRCC

[NiceCupOfTea]

Where are you going these days Nick?

[ncs]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Where are you going these days Nick?

Are you still on the egroup? If so details on there which I will update each month.

If not, drop me a line & I'll let you know.

Nick

[NiceCupOfTea]

I am, just don't get a chance to read it all that often (or use the TVR truth be told ). Will go and have a read!