The jokes started from the second I walked up to the bar and, operating in tandem, the barmaids at the Rose Inn were quick to welcome a new face through the door.

Perhaps I could, or even should, have given Kentish ale Master Brew a chance but as the Rainham locals were all on the lager I chose a pint of Singha.

Only, despite what the pump said, it wasn’t Singha at all, it was actually trendy Japanese super dry beer Asahi, and I was immediately labelled as someone with cash on the hip.

So much so, the locals looked up from their pints of Fosters, to congratulate the barmaids on a sale well-made and checked I had the wherewithal to extend my mortgage!

There were plenty of folks in at a relatively early hour on a Monday evening and, slightly unusually, it wasn’t just blokes, it seems members of the fairer sex also favour The Rose.

I don’t think it would be unfair to say I’ve struggled to find decent watering holes in Rainham, but there is much to commend here and this Shepherd Neame house is a new frontrunner.

No-one is going to deny that it’s a bit tatty round the edges, but its heart is in the right place and you’re not here long before it’s easy to see why the locals keep coming back.

The food, which was flying out of the kitchen, is very reasonably priced, the music (Tina Arena’s Show Me Heaven) was being played at a sensible level to allow conversation and there are enough fish tanks to host a small aquarium.

As well as several families and couples in for an evening meal, there were also a number of blokes in for a well-earned pint after work. I don’t think regular Charlie, taking up his usual corner spot at the bar, fell into any of these groups but he was more than happy to chat and spent a good 20 minutes sharing his thoughts on real estate.

There was an old-fashioned ‘Deal or No Deal’ fruit machine featuring various pictures of a smiling Noel Edmonds spinning round and round (whatever happened to Noel?) but it’s darts that dominate here.

There are decent-looking boards, both supported by electronic scoreboards, at the front and back of the pub. I don’t know which night the teams are in but you can tell arrows are taken seriously here at least once a week, if not more.

As I say, nothing is particularly fancy, but it’s clean and maintained well enough – in fact, it felt more homely than I was expecting with furnishings as welcoming, and as comfortable, as the barmaids.

Food was being served until 9pm and the place was busy and bustling by 7pm, with a fair number of reserved tables still to come in. I explained I couldn’t eat as Mrs SD was making a pie but I did succumb to a second pint and this time downgraded, just slightly, to a Hurlimann

Both barmaids found the time to be cheerful and chatty but it’s also clear they don’t get much downtime in the evening and bustled about making sure everyone was served and seen to.

I asked Jen if it was always this busy and she said: “Yes, most evenings are pretty hectic but it quietens down after a while.”

There was a big screen at the bar but it wasn’t switched on and both dartboards were completely ignored in favour of old-school conversation.

When I popped outside to take a look at the pub garden I’d seen advertised I found a block paved area on the right-hand side behind the car park with a few benches and several tables and chairs. The smoking area is accessed by the back door on the left-hand side of the pub and was fairly well used while I was in.

On the other side of the ‘garden’ there was an orange and black Just Eat bike but the barmaids weren’t sure who it belonged to or how often it is used.

This is very much a locals’ pub and staff and regulars alike seem extremely comfortable in each other’s company.

Sure it’s a little worn and threadbare in places but no-one really cares and, as long as they’re not the ones being bamboozled into buying the higher priced lager, then they’re happy.

The staff enjoy setting the scene and have succeeded in creating a comfortable community pub that is proud to offer decent food and drink at a decent price.

ROSE INN, 249 HIGH STREET, RAINHAM, GILLINGHAM ME8 8DR

Decor: Nobody could deny there aren’t a few tatty areas, but the bar has a homely, comfortable feel and the locals are clearly happy with their traditional high street boozer. ***

Drink: All the regulars were selecting lager and I decided not to break ranks so avoided the Master Brew. However, I was ‘tricked’ into an Asahi before shifting to a more ‘traditional’ Hurlimann. **

Price: A pint of the trendy Japanese lager will set you back a fiver, with a Hurlimann clocking in at 20p less. I didn’t discover the price of a Fosters but assume it was the cheapest lager on the list. ***

Staff: The barmaids operated like a tag team and took it in turns to both pull pints and take the mickey out of everyone in the bar. They worked hard and seemed to be enjoying their shift. ****

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