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It was somewhat predictable that the second post-lockdown pub visit I should make turned out to be the Greyhound, at Charcott. This charming rural local is just over 10 minutes’ walk from my workplace, and I often stroll near the pub on my regular lunchtime walks. Tempting though it is, I don’t often call in for the simple reason that I find I hard to stay awake at the best of times, and even a single pint could see me dozing off in front of my computer screen. This Friday was an exception, as not only did I fancy a pint of locally brewed Larkin’s, but I was also keen to see what measures licensees Richard and Fran, had put in place to comply with government guidelines.
The Greyhound reopened on Wednesday, but I thought I’d leave visiting for a couple of days, to allow the pub’s owners sufficient time to make sure all their social distancing measures were working satisfactorily. Wednesday’s weather hadn’t been too good either, with wet and windy conditions prevailing for most of the day.
Although Thursday was marginally better, Friday was always going to be the most appropriate day for my visit. After a busy morning signing off numerous batches of product, I grabbed my jacket and set off on the short walk up Camp Hill towards the tiny hamlet of Charcott.
I had no real idea of what to expect, as I had deliberately avoided walking directly past the Greyhound during the lock-down. Somehow it didn’t seem right and, if truth be known, I really didn’t want to see the pub all shut-up and empty. Until the start of the emergency situation, it had been thriving and doing a roaring trade, and that was how I wished to remember it. I was pleasantly surprised as I turned the corner of the lane which lead to the pub, as the first thing I noticed was the re-vamped outdoor drinking area at the of the building. These were roped off from the roadway, with the ropes arranged in order to guide customers towards the entrance.
There a handwritten sign asks visitors to kindly wait for a member of staff to meet them. In my case it was landlady Fran, and it was good to see her again after these past three months. I told her that I just wanted a pint and to sit outside to drink it. Given the warm sunny weather I would have sat outside anyway, but on this occasion, it felt appropriate, even though I could have sat inside, had I wished.
The cask ales on sale were Larkin’s Traditional, plus offerings from Brumaison and Whitstable. I opted for the Larkin’s and Franbrought my freshly pulled pint out for me on a tray. It tasted divine, cool, well-conditioned and at just 3.4% ABV, just the right strength for someone who’d had to return to work. I sat there enjoying my pint and the moment. Richard, the landlord stopped by for a brief chat and told me he was pleased with how things had gone so far. The pub certainly looked busy enough, not heaving, but here were plenty of people sat out in the garden area to the side of the building. The waitress was kept on her toes bringing out a selection of different food dishes for the hungry diners, but what was missing were the characters who seemed to be always present, propping up the bar whenever I visited on a Friday.
It’s still early days and I’m sure that over time, the majority of these “good old boys” will drift back. It is characters like them who really make a pub, and when they have returned and are in their rightful place, in front of the bar, we will then know that the worst of this crazy situation is over and things are returning to normal. In the meantime, it was heartening to see the Greyhound open for business once more and trading quite well, after its enforced period of closure.

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