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Good Beer Guide
Heritage Pub

Unicorn, Canterbury

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Comfortable 1604 pub near the historic Westgate, with an attractive suntrap garden. Bar billiards is played and a famous quiz, is held weekly on Sunday evening. There are three changing beers, often from Kent microbreweries. Beer updates are posted on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Food is good value, with a '2 meals for £12.50' special offer on selected days. Sporting events (not Sky) are televised unobtrusively. Good range of bottled beers, mainly from Kernel and Hopdaemon. The garden bar is open in good weather.

Information for this venue is provided by the Canterbury Herne Bay & Whitstable Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Premises Comment
Operator
Local Authority
Canterbury District (B)
Last updated
04/06/2024
Last surveyed
08/02/2019
Pub ID
CAN/4215
Asset of Community Value

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed status: II

A pub for some centuries but note that the timbering on the first floor was part of an interwar remodelling. This is when there was internal refitting too, for example, the counter in the two front bars (which have now been amalgamated): the wall panelling is in similar style. The seating may also be part of the same scheme. At the rear left is a pleasant small panelled area with a bar billiards table. All areas have timber ceiling joists and beams, some very old, others probably interwar. The interwar work may be related to the takeover by Alfred Leney & Co. in 1924 or Fremlins in 1926.

General information about historic pub interiors

A pub since 1664 and was owned by Flint & Sons Brewery of St Dunstans, Canterbury taken over by Alfred Leney & Co in 1924 and then to Fremlins in 1926. It has timbering on the first floor added in the 20th century.

Vestibule entrance has two doors but the two front rooms are now knocked-together. The interior has suggestions of 1930s and postwar modernisation. The central bar counter has an attractive sloping front with projecting ribs and appears to date from c1930. There is panelling all round in a similar style to the counter, but in the left-hand side the panelling is topped by a delicately-carved cornice-shelf: this part also has genuine old beams. The bench seating in the front parts also have some age and may date from the same remodelling. Fairly non-descript bar back.

At the rear left is a small area with a bar billiards table and has panelling on the walls some of which loks old (but may be from elsewhere?). At the rear right behind an old brick fireplace is a small room with a dado of post war panelling.

General information about historic pub interiors
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Opening
Food
Monday
Noon-23:00
Noon-14:00 & 17:00-20:00
Tuesday
Noon-23:00
Noon-14:00 & 17:00-20:00
Wednesday
Noon-23:00
Noon-14:00 & 17:00-20:00
Thursday
Noon-23:00
Noon-14:00 & 17:00-20:00
Friday
Noon-Midnight
Noon-15:00 & 17:00-21:00
Saturday
Noon-Midnight
Noon-20:00
Sunday
Noon-23:00
Noon-15:00
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Current beers

This Pub serves 3 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Unicorn, Canterbury

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Facilities
Sports TV Sports TV
Not Sky
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Live Music Live Music
Garden Garden
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Ask permission
Games Games
Bar billiards
Newspapers Newspapers
Real Fire Real Fire
Smoking Smoking
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Kentish Pip
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
LocAle LocAle
Cask Marque Cask Marque
Transport
Close to bus routes (200m)
Stagecoach: 21, 400, 401, Uni1, Uni2
Nearby Station (200m)
Canterbury West
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