Drink 4/5, Décor 5/5, Price 3/5, Atmosphere 2/5, Staff 1/5

WHEN you have had great service Aussie style to have Chislehurst service is a bit like wading into a stream without any shoes – miserably wet and depressing.

The Tiger’s Head looks really nice and there is a lot of character with beer mugs hanging from the ceiling, exposed old beams and dried hops on the walls.

Candlelit diners make me think more of a French bistro or Waitrose in restaurant form (complete with hoity toity customers who want 14 million different types of mozzarella) and back in the old days I would say this is an abomination of what a pub should be.

But tough economic times call for tough options and a food pub is better than a boozer which is now luxury apartments.

Just one request though – whether you are serving food (or making me wait for a beer) – please smile and make the customer feel wanted.

A sign in italics at the door said food is served eight days a week.

The pub is clearly obsessed with food and it did smell very good when I was in there but putting something in italics does not make it true – there are only seven days in a week.

Beerwise there were three to choose from during my visit: Adnams, Directors and Old Speckled Hen all coming in at around the £3 mark.

Adnams was dry and refreshingly hoppy and was a nice treat in the beer garden on one of the only days of the summer.

The Directors was equally impressive being rich, fruity and hoppy.

Maybe one day I will return to see whether the food is all the other pubgoers think it is cracked up to be.

But if I do I am going to want service with a smile.