The Red Lion, Stodmarsh ~ The student-viewed three year legacy of a quintessentially quirky Kentish pub

Another restaurant/eatery/location-esque one here then, but this time it is with a bit of a difference, and for me a bit of a back story. Regular readers of this here blog, specifically the 'ABOUT ME' section, will know that though I am a Lancashire lad through and through, I am also a graduate of the University of Kent, Canterbury and thus spent three years down there. Of course, being a student I often spent time embracing some perhaps "stereotypical viewpoints" of what student life is, specifically when it came to budgeting for food and living costs etc; I was in a very fortunate position in many instances, but I was still on a budget and mostly tried to live modestly. Yet every now and again, often with the timely arrival and generous financial and logistical contributions of my father when he came to visit from up north, I would get the chance to venture far and wide into the county, discovering pieces, places, and people of Kent that I would not normally get to see. This also included several eatery gems, and the Red Lion Inn, a charming pub in the equally charming Kentish village of Stodmarsh was one of them, and the northern father and son returned there several times over three years, the most recent visit was this weekend just gone, during a flying visit to the county itself.

But I must digress firstly, as I believe this particular Red Lion to be so unique, that I must first explain a little about how we first found it, and how we continued to find it. Though the Red Lion is a widely used and very respectable name for such an establishment, it quickly became known by another name to us. Rather oddly and uncouthly perhaps, but we referred to the place as 'F**k A Snake' (apologies, but I did say it was uncouth) Now please please do not misunderstand me, this was not derogatory in the slightest. This was simply because, having met the erstwhile, eccentric yet to us very endearing landlord Robert Whigham, and having explained that my father had traveled all the way from Lancashire to visit, his response was memorably, oddly yet hilariously - "F**k a snake!" Now, if you were to Google the Red Lion in Stodmarsh and Robert Whigham a bit, you will see that his rather healthy appetite for alcohol has been published somewhat in the press, apparently reaching up to 15 pints of ale a day. This was rather obvious upon our first visit, as it was every time we visited and saw Robert since. Now I do not know what effect this had on the running of the pub (though he apparently was landlord for 15 years plus) his life, or that of those who knew him day to day, nor would it be proper of me to cast speculation or opinion. What I will say, is that each time we entered the Red Lion in Stodmarsh, about two or three times a year for three years on average as I say, Robert at the very least was quiet, polite and reserved, and at other times at the very most was incredibly inebriated but wonderfully and hilariously hospitable and welcoming. 

As for the rest of  the Red Lion - the feel was consistently a mix of the traditional, eclectic and quirky. The staff were warm and welcoming. And the food was always to a very high standard. Apologies, as I cannot give you a more detailed description of our three year history with the place, but rather understandably my memory of that time is rather obscured by the memorable personality of that unusual landlord. However he and everything else came together to present a wonderful experience; one to celebrate, and a consummate example of what the British pub is all about.

What I can report upon, is our last visit to the Red Lion, which as I say took place this weekend past. Change had occurred, profoundly and markedly. Gone were  the more traditional, old-fashioned adornments, gone was the completely at ease and laid back feel, and gone was Robert Whigham. Our first thought admittedly, was that perhaps his excessive drinking habits had finally and tragically caught up with him. Yet thankfully we were informed by a very attentive, polite and pretty young lady (who I beleive might have been April, daughter of the new owners but I am not sure) that Robert had retired finally after many long and I imagine happy years of service and that in late 2013, the Red Lion had passed into new ownership. The results of this as far as I could see and experience, included a slightly more streamlined yet still quintessentially unique and traditional feel/appearance to the pub, as well as what appeared to be a slightly more driven, passionate and ambitious workforce. Yet the overall effect was still pleasantly the same, and still pleasantly intrinsic to the Red Lion. The new staff were still warmly welcoming, the atmosphere was still wonderful, and the quality and standard of the food and drink provided was still reasonable yet reaching a superb standard in my view (I myself starting with an intruiging duck breast salad, then a superbly cooked Guinea-fowl, finishing with a deliciously moorish gypsy tart).

So yes, for me it was and is still a heartfelt thank you that is three-years in the making, to all who have served at the Red Lion, and all of those who have worked and striven to fashion it into what it is today. Perhaps to some it may not seem as special as I have described, yet to me the three year long, multi-faceted and incredibly pronounced experience of the Stodmarsh was such that I reccomend it heartily to anyone Keep up the good work! And rest assured, if I am ever again in Kent, I shall certainly be back.