DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Dover, March, 2021.

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 31 March, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 12 Aug 2014 (Name from)

Mash Tun

Closed Oct 2019

(Name to)

3 Bench Street

Dover

07867 982141

https://www.whatpub.com/mash-tun

Mash Tun

Above photo by Paul Skelton, 14 August 2014.

Mash Tun inside

Above photo by Paul Skelton, showing the inside of the micro pub with the licensees behind their pulpit.

Mash Tun 2019

Above photo 2019.

 

The premises used to be that of "Pier Three" and opened on the 12 August 2014 as a micro-pub.

 

From the Dover Express, 4 June 2015.

Best Kent cider cheer.

DOVER: The Mash Tun has been voted Kent cider pub of the year.

The micro-pub in Bench Street has scooped the gong after being open for less than a year.

The pub - owned by Peter and Kathryn Garstin, formerly of "Blakes" of Dover and the "Yew Tree," Barfrestone - was crowned the Dover district’s best cider pub earlier this year.

It will now go forward to the next round of the Campaign for Real Ale’s national cider pub of the year competition.

 

From the Dover Express, 24 March, 2016.

The Mash Tun, Dover.

Interview with Peter Garstin.

Kathryn and Peter Garstin

Q: Why here?

A: When Kathryn and I opened the Mash Tun in 2014 we deliberately chose a site very close to the DTIZ site now under construction in the town centre of Dover.

At the time it was perhaps something of a leap of faith as we had seen the ‘progress’ on the development drag on for more than 10 years.

However, we now have a view of the East cliffs, both the old tax office and the dreadful Burlington House having been demolished, and by Christmas we hope to be right opposite the new Marks & Spencer.

Q: What’s it like inside?

A: Most micropubs are rather Spartan in their furnishing and decor.

We took a different approach, bringing in leather Chesterfield sofas and armchairs instead of the uncomfortable high benches and tables (or beer barrels!) more commonly seen.

For those wanting to perch higher, we also have high stools and high tables at the rear of the room. And unlike most micropubs we have a courtyard garden for warmer weather with tables, benches and a grapevine and hops growing overhead.

Q: Anything to eat?

A: Although we are more than capable of running a good menu, we decided to let others do the hard work this time - we have arranged with several local restaurants and takeaways to deliver food directly to our customers in our bar.

So you have a choice of Indian, Chinese, Italian or Turkish cuisine all in one place.

Q: What’s new?

A: Last year we were honoured to receive both the District and County CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year awards and this year we were a finalist in the overall district Pub of the Year competition, while later this year we hope to install a small brewing kit in our outbuilding.

If you know a budding brewer looking to set up in Dover, give us a call!

 

From the https://www.kentlive.news By John James, 21 September 2019.

We visited 5 of Kent's best pubs according to CAMRA in one evening: Here's what we thought:-

We headed for Dover and visited five accredited real ale good time pubs in and around the town centre.

The beer lover’s manual of all the haunts in the country, the 2020 CAMRA guide, has been published.

It’s no surprise that Kent features heavily among the selections, with entries from across the county.

In the interests of journalism, we thought we’d try out a few.

But rather than re-visiting the usual suspects (your Canterburys, your Sevenoaks, your Tonbridges), we thought we’d go somewhere you might not normally associate with real ale.

Join me on this journey as I literally drink on the job.

The Mash Tun, Bench St.

The charm of The Mash Tun is that you could easily walk past it and not know it was there.

Once inside however, you'll wonder why you hadn't discovered it sooner.

To me this pub is what pubs should be.

Small, wooden and driven by good ale and meandering conversation.

Mash Tun locals 2019

The regulars.

The landed gentry of the Tun are the pint-pulling couple of Kathyrn Mary-Garstson and Peter Hamilton-Garston, both 66.

Ale's in their blood, they met in a pub after all.

Kathryn thinks the trick to running one is familiarity:

He said: "We know everyone's drinks, it saves time. People can just come in and say the usual. We're very inclusive, if you come alone you'll naturally be pulled into a conversation."

"If you serve good beer in a nice environment, people come back again."

Mash Tun licensees 2019

Landlord's Kathyrn Mary- Garston and Peter Hamilton-Garston.

The space is fitted out with boutique sofas that overlook the small altar from which Peter pours.

The walls of the pub are adorned with the crests of the different beers on tap over the years - a poignant reminder that every drink has a story?

Mash Tun beers 2019

Every beer has a story.

Onto the important stuff. Prices are reasonable with most ales costing in the region of £3.50.

The lemonade Jake quaffed must have also been a reasonable price and of considerable quality as he gave it the coveted rating of 'Good 'Zade'.

To previous pub on tour.              To next pub on tour.

 

I have heard that the pub temporarily closed in October 2019.

Only to open up again under a new name of the "Hoptimist Taproom and Bar" with a new licensee in December 2019, just before Christmas.

 

LICENSEE LIST

Last pub licensee had GARSTIN Peter & Kathryn 13/Apr/2014-Oct/19

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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