If you are looking for a pub that's just that little bit more special, and consequently a touch…read morepricey, go to The Beacon. It has long been a favourite of mine for Birthday dinner and drinks. If said Birthday happens to fall in Summer then it's even more perfect as there is a beautiful terrace garden that has the vantage point of being perched on a hill that overlooks the whole of Tunbridge Wells. The perks of this view are not restricted to the Summer Sunset, spending a Bonfire Night at the Beacon is an amazing experience as you look out onto a night sky full of fireworks from the town below. The building is beautiful, the food splendid and the view grand. I have been with groups of friends and family and never experienced any child phobia. There is a large grassy area, albeit a bit of a slope, if youngsters want to run around, but no play area is provided. It also has its own car park so no worries there for the designated driver.

Should you ever find yourself in Turnbridge Wells, beware the man in the top hat and outmoded…read moremonocle. He IS not the Monopoly man, despite his good charm and offers of free parking. Don't be fooled by his casual grace. He is a crook and a deviant of the highest order. With his quick feet and a mean set of alligator arms, he's a force to be reckoned with. The shark sauntered in while my brother and I were devouring bacon rolls (which were delicious) and pints in the darkest corner of the pub. Having spent the past hour frantically calculating the exchange rate, we were exhausted by elemental math and decided to throw caution to the wind. No amount of savings was worth this aggravation. Money is money...right? Fat and drunk is how we expected the evening to end, bank accounts be damned. Without even so much as a greeting, the scoundrel sidled right into our booth. Several quick platitudes later (which we could barely decipher through his garbled accent...English? Not any English that I've ever heard) and he was ordering food & drink like a man possessed. As his tab grew exponentially, so did our excitement. Dressed well, affecting a posh accent, and pontificating on his various business ventures, we were all but certain that our tab was paid. His temperament was even relaxed enough to bear the brunt of several jokes about his mangled teeth. Dear Diary...Jackpot! Our attitudes grew lofty and so did our ordering habits. I'm fairly certain we sampled everything on the menu. I excused myself to use the water closet as the Monopoly man slipped away from our table, slammed the door, and scampered off into the fog-laden evening. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure we heard a faint, girlish giggle as the sound of dainty footsteps echoed down the alley. Inebriated, distended, and lethargic, I approached the bartender to inquire about our bill. He shrugged, I shrugged... "What was that?" I asked. He said, "That was £220." "What about the Monopoly guy? Surely he picked up the tab...what with his dapper attire, wanton ordering style, and his stories of fortune." The tender replied simply, "No such luck my kind Yankee. Cornwallis' Revenge strikes again."

I've walked & driven past here so many times but, until tonight, I'd never had a drink at the Royal…read moreOak. I simply had to pay a visit to see TWs second best band, Weapons of Acoustic Havoc, play their first gig here. It's heavily panelled and rather large, I understand they do a good food offering but I was most impressed with their ale selection. OK, Harveys is the (excellent) regular in these parts but they also offer Larkins and a have a couple of guest ales available. They did two Dark Star bitters that were really well kept. The young barman was well informed about 'em too. I think they rotate Hobgoblin on occasion. This is all good, there aren't enough places doing unusual pints in TW for my money. Hard to say much more but I'll return for some chow & update accordingly. Friendly with potential. Three stars!

Since a change of management, the food and atmosphere have improved…read more Friendly staff and a fantastic ever changing menu make the Royal Oak well worth a visit. I particularly enjoyed the original choices for vegetarian meals; a demonstration I believe of culinary flare.

Amy & I celebrated our marrage at the barn which couldn't have been better…read more The staff were very friendly and extremely organised, going out of their way to make sure everything flowed effortlessly. This put us both and our guests at ease to enjoy every moment.

For years I've been solely going to The Barn on Friday or Saturday nights, when it's generally…read morepretty heaving and you'd be very lucky to get a seat. The plus' being for me that it's over 21's on weekend nights and a perfect half way stop when travelling up or down the hill that is Mt Pleasant. I have, however, recently tried The Barn during a sunny weekend afternoon and for the first time sampled the delights of it's lunchtime food menu. I am, to say the least, impressed; the garden is a sun trap, and a definite addition to my Pub Garden Summer Faves. The food was also perfect for a lunchtime bite. I had a couple of items from their Tapas menu, but they also have a range of sandwiches and burgers, and the neighbouring table were digging into a large bowl of mussels, which looked delicious. The drinks aren't the cheapest you'll find in the area, so I was also pleasantly surprised by how cheap the food menu was. Most main lunch courses were around the £4-6 mark, which for the look of the size of those mussels seemed pretty damn reasonable. I was also served a Pimms with more than just a single strawberry in the way of fresh fruit, which is always worth an extra star in my books.

James Cluskey, events coordinator for Hadlow College…read moreSouthern Events provide a professional service throughout and have delivered an excellent experience, from consultation and support to explore ideas, to delivery of a 'Top Notch' event. Our guests leave fantastic feedback which is why, when I am planning an event my first call is to Tom at Southern Events

From the owner: Southern Events are the party people, anything from birthdays to a festival, we have done them…read morebefore and we will do them again! We can offer you the full package from marquees through to furniture hire, venue decoration and even bar/ catering options. Have your own supplier for something.... no problem we are happy to work along side other suppliers as well as offering the full package. Talk to us today about how we can assist you with your event.

I'm sure I speak for us all when I commend the town planners for this one. Who needs another boring…read moreold row of Regency terraces when you can demolish 'em & give us both this premier live venue and beauty spot? Not me, I'm sure.

Solely notable performance at this place was Gangster Rapper Coolio's appearance in 1996 preceeded…read moreby Rod Hull and Grotbags appearing in pantomime about six years previously. There is no particular reason why this place should attract big acts. Everytime I've been know to visit it's more so borne the semblance of my old school assembly hall. Nonetheless a little more variety in production and a more liberal attitude to the bookings could create a much more flourishing venue. Being out of the London loop is no excuse for a venue with such potential to underperform - which from a brief look at it's current programme it clearly is Good luck!