Sat in an intensely comfortable tweed wing-back chair in a sunny atrium under a lofty ceiling and vast skylight, it felt remarkably like I had wandered into a nineteenth century novel.
Outside, The Bickley is a giant building with manicured shrubbery but inside is somehow even bigger.
The interior is simultaneously elegant and understated, with a variety of tweed, leather and wood seating, subdued green walls and historic maps and pictures across a vast – but not dinner hall-style - casual seating area.
I felt a bit like Phileas Fogg or a peripheral character in a Wilde piece.
It’s such a grand old building, I bet The Bickley’s haunted too.
The split level seating was kind of like one of those bamboozling optical illusions. I couldn’t work out how it all fitted in.
And yet, the refinement didn’t feel exclusive or stuffy.
That’s partly down to the staff – our order was taken by a reassuringly normal and pleasant young lady.
Neither was it expensive. A pizza – a thin, clearly homemade base loaded with toppings and served on a slate – cost less than a tenner (£9.95).
A handful of nicely irregular ales were on tap, including the light and zesty Bitter and Twisted.
I didn’t want to start my review with this point because it does the pub a disservice, but anyone who visits must surely be thinking it: how misleading is the name The Bickley?
For those who don’t know where The Bickley is, it is just outside Chislehurst station. A couple of miles from Bickley.
To further complicate matters, I concede that Chislehurst station is not exactly central to Chislehurst, but it ain’t bleeding Bickley.
Now, if the pub had been names after a different location it may have worked – The Manchester, for example – would have been odd but not so maddeningly misleading.
Phew, now that’s out of my system we can get back to appreciating what is a wonderful boozer.
The Bickley, Chislehurst Road, Chislehurst
How it rated:
Decor***** Stunning
Atmosphere*** Good for a date or a quiet pint
Staff**** Approachable
Drink **** A reasonable selection
Food***** A cut above pub grub. Mussels on a Monday.
Price*** Perfectly fine
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