Ahead of paying the place a visit, a little bird told me wrinkly folk have been flocking to the seaside in Birchington for years ahead of falling off the perch.

So, walking through the door of The Powell on The Square I wasn’t altogether surprised to discover both Mrs SD and I dragged the average age down considerably.

A band was in full swing, knocking out a wide variety of covers ranging from ELO and Huey Lewis to The Stereophonics and Stevie Wonder.

A number of ancient revellers, several with multi-coloured dyed hair, were defying their years and boogying along at an alarming rate.

I’m a massive fan of live music in pubs and pensioners with patriotic hair deserve to have fun too, though I was reassured when I recalled the defibrillator in an old yellow phone box outside.

Inside the pub felt a little like a wedding venue but with a lot more plastic stuff and some truly bizarre decorations – have you ever seen a swan’s head mounted on a wall, dressed in a tutu?

Mrs SD said there were some very interesting objet d’art but it all felt very cheesy and slightly OAP home to me, particularly given the Darby and Joan clientele in situ when we walked in.

There were a couple of beers on tap, but one was London Pride, which regular readers will know I’m not a great fan of, however, the other offering was a celebration pint called Jubilee, from the nearby Wantsum Brewery. This 4.3% golden ale is a terrific one-off light and well balanced beer which slips down extremely easily – things were looking up.

Going for her usual, Mrs SD accepted her large glass of Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t particularly expensive but when I asked her what she thought of it she simply replied: “You get what you pay for”.

There was a large, busy dining table at the back of the pub, which we later discovered was being hosted by the pub’s owner, but there were plenty of other tables free, and Nightwatch, the band, was taking a break, so we decided to try a couple of items from the lunch menu.

And this was where things really picked up. She went for a baguette with cider battered cod and tartare with baby gem and red onion, it was served with fries and slaw.

The sandwich was incredibly fresh and tasty, as well as being good value at £6.75. I chose a tuna melt Panini for a quid less and this was also tip top. Okay, the fries were a little cool and limp but other than that it was all good.

By now the owner, who bears a considerable resemblance to Quo’s, now departed, Rick Parfitt, sporting a very jazzy waistcoat, had left his family group to mingle with punters and check everyone was enjoying themselves.

And, by the time we’d finished eating and got another drink we had also been joined by a decent number of younger folk. Whether it was for the Jubilee festivities I don’t know, but it looked as if many of the women had made a reasonable effort, the blokes though were still mainly in shorts and t-shirts.

The pub also operates as a boutique-style hotel and has several rooms, which on promotional posters, looked quite decent.

Maybe it’s because it’s a hotel, or maybe they just made a special effort with the toilets but I have to say the quality, and presentation, of the facilities is second to none – Mrs SD was almost beside herself raving about them.

There is also a good sized outside area at the front of the pub with plenty of tables, some good-sized umbrellas to guard against the late afternoon drizzle and even some powerful looking heaters.

Some folks were also going out through the fire doors to the back of the pub, either for a fag or to get fresh air, but we were advised this area was reserved just for the owner’s family or hotel guests.

I’ve already discovered a couple of very interesting micropubs in this little corner of Kent but I have to say the beer and food at The Powell is pretty good.

Mrs SD insists I point out she was far more impressed by the look of the pub than I was and reckons it deserves a repeat visit. I might not choose to retire here but there’s certainly enough on offer to encourage me to pay another visit.

The Powell, 11 The Square, Birchington CT7 9AF

Decor: I thought it was bizarre and a little plastic but Mrs SD disagreed completely and said she absolutely loves what they’ve done. I’m all for keeping the peace, and who knows, maybe she’s right, so… ****

Drink: The pint of Jubilee from Wantsum Brewery was spot on, well kept, well poured and very, very drinkable. The wine wasn’t bad and was certainly good value. I also tried a Bones lager from Beavertown, 4.4%, which was smooth and refreshing. ****

Food: One star off for the fries, but everything else was extremely fresh, tasty and great pub grub at a reasonable price. ***

Price: The Wantsum Brewery bitter was £4.10 and the Beavertown Bones lager £5 a pint. A large glass of white wine was £6.25. The Panini was £5.75 and the baguette just a pound more. ***

Staff: There were plenty of staff on duty and everyone, both behind the bar or serving tables, was efficient and pleasant. And, they were happy to move to sign language when the volume of the band proved too much! ****

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