From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Rebecca Tuffin, 15 July 2020.

The Old House at Home in Pudding Lane Maidstone reopens after refurbishment.

A town centre pub has been transformed after a major refurbishment and is now open for business.

The Old House at Home in Maidstone shut up shop in February, intending to welcome customers back five weeks later after a huge makeover.

The inside before it was revamped.

But just as it was supposed to reopen, Covid-19 hit, so Jim and Karen Rennie, who run the pub, had to wait four more months.

The Pudding Lane tavern finally reopened yesterday and looks like a totally different establishment.

The interior has been revamped from top to bottom, with a new bar, furniture, paintwork, flooring and toilets.

Outside, the signage has been replaced and the hanging baskets have been filled with fresh flowers, completing the smart new appearance of the beamed front.

It comes after Craft Union Pub Company took over the drinking hole earlier this year - but Mr and Mrs Rennie are still landlord and landlady, as they have been since 1999.

The Rennies have run the pub since 1999.

Mrs Rennie, 51, said: "They've given it a lovely facelift - it looks stunning in here. When we walked in I felt like I was on a makeover show.

"But it's been done very sympathetically and we've kept quite a few ornaments and display bits that we had before."

Food is no longer being offered at the pub but a wider range of drinks will be available, including hand-crafted gins and Birra Moretti lager.

Sports channels will still be shown but the usual live bands, karaoke and DJ nights will not return until it is deemed safe enough.

Staff are also adhering to social distancing guidelines, with well-spaced seating, table instead of bar service and a one person at a time toilet policy.

The tavern staff celebrated the reopening yesterday.

"We've been away at another pub to do our training so we've got our heads around the new rules... it feels a little bit continental doing table service. And we can serve beers in little jugs too, also quite continental," said Mrs Rennie.

Yesterday, the bar was decorated with balloons as family, friends and locals gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Old House at Home from midday.

"It's been very exciting to reopen as it's been a long time coming - my legs are killing though," said Mrs Rennie.

She added: "It's very much a regulars pub and a few have already popped their heads in and the feedback has so far all been positive. I think lots of them were quite surprised they liked it!"

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk  By Secret Drinker, 25 April 2025.

Secret Drinker reviews Craft Union pub the Old House at Home in Maidstone.

The Old House at Home had me feeling exactly that the moment I walked in - OLD.

Like some twisted time warp, I was transported back decades to those bedraggled, unloved town centre pubs full of blokes sat around while the world passes them by.

The feeling was only reinforced when a 1970s song blared through the speakers and several old soaks started singing along to 10cc’s classic I’m Not in Love – a feeling I’d already reached about this monolith of a Maidstone boozer.

I’d compare it to accidentally plonking yourself down on some old chewing gum left on a bus seat, you’re immediately aware you’ve made a mistake and realise you need to find the best way to get yourself out of the mess.

But, the barmaid in a cropped top with a nasty cough, had already poured me a pint of Speckled Hen so I felt duty-bound to take a seat and get better acquainted with my surroundings, just in case I’d formed an opinion about this place too hastily.

The pub is one, large cavernous space in which I counted 16 blokes and two members of the fairer sex, the aforementioned hacking barmaid and a woman at the back having a bite to eat with a local.

Maybe I was being a little slow, but it was only when an ad popped up on the screen in the centre of the bar I realised this was a Craft Union pub.

I could have had a pair of Fire Bombs for £6 but I decided upon a pint of Speckled Hen instead, for just £2.60.

Four fellows at the front of the bar were making their own entertainment, poring over the sport pages of The Sun and occasionally raising an eye to the screen which was showing live horse racing.

The other four or five screens, either showing Jude Bellingham silently mouthing an interview or incredibly boring golf coverage, were all being ignored completely.

However, the music was still attracting a couple of guys eager to join in and their next rendition was an astonishing version of Rose Royce’s Car Wash.

The Puddling Lane pub is close to the Fremlin Walk shopping centre and the High Street.

There are three wooden picnic benches on the pavement at the front of the pub, though they were only used by smokers while I was in.

It’s a pub dominated by its locals and I think you’d need to be a regular to keep returning. There was one exception when one bloke came in who only had eyes for the fruit machine. Ignoring the bar completely, he made a beeline for the flashing electronic monster and never even pretended he wanted to buy a drink.

Meanwhile, the local and his lady friend had finished eating and he was making his own entertainment by teaching her the bar mat flipping game. She seemed to get the hang of it quite quickly but, obviously a flipping virgin, struggled to get beyond a fifth (if anyone knows this game, I’d be interested to know your best score as, with lots of practice, I once managed 22).

As well as the two fruit machines, there were also two dartboards available.

When I've needed to charge my phone in a pub I've just asked permission from the bar staff and then plugged it into a socket. But here there was a special charger where you can pay by card.

The blackboard on the normal side had been signed fairly neatly by Jesse, who informed anyone interested that he/she had been here. In an effort to match Jesse and also inform us he was here at some point, Adam had also signed, although he only managed to complete the first half of his surname before becoming totally illegible.

The door to the gents is back and centre of the pub, a door to the right, I was reliably informed, leads to ‘some sort of garden’ but apparently it wasn’t worth taking a look and is kept locked in any case. This means a drinker wanting a fag - and there’s many - always heads for one of the three picnic tables out front on the pavement.

For anyone wishing to powder their nose, the door to the ladies’ loo is off to the left. I can report that the gents, with it drugs warning notices, is neatly tiled but wasn’t particularly fresh or clean and could do with some attention.

On my way out, I noticed a staircase leading to the first floor of the pub and so popped up to take a quick look. Unlike the somewhat bland and uninviting bar area downstairs, this room appeared much more inviting.

The Old House at Home has one large bar on the ground floor but if I had a choice I'd head up to the room on the first floor.

There was a pool table, several comfortable looking chairs, another dartboard and a TV screen, as well as some interesting old photographs, one featuring Churchill visiting the Kent County Show.

I don’t know how often this small private room is used but if I was ever to return to the Old House, I’d definitely want to swerve the downstairs bar and head straight here.

That said, this is sadly one public house I wouldn’t choose to revisit and if I’m honest, I felt considerably more deflated on the way out than I’d felt on the way in.

I wouldn’t describe it as openly hostile but it certainly isn’t overly inviting and whilst I’m sure it fulfils a need in the area, it’s not something I need to experience again.

It wasn't open but having taken a look around the room upstairs I'd definitely want to head here if I visited the Old House again.

There's a third dartboard upstairs along with another TV.

Décor: I got the impression this place has probably undergone something of a facelift by Craft Union and, although everywhere is very sticky, the furnishings aren’t too bad. The room upstairs is far more interesting than the bland bar below. **

Drink: There was only one bitter available but there was a decently-priced Guinness on offer and plenty of lager options. ***

Price: Weekday drinks seem to be cheaper than their weekend versions and a pint of Speckled Hen was only £2.60. A Tuesday pint of Stella was a fair bit dearer at £4.25. ****

Staff: Staffing may increase later but during the afternoon it was strictly a one-woman show behind the bar and if she disappeared through the door with the rainbow flag on it, then you just had to wait until she returned before you could get a drink. **

The tiling work was impressive enough but the gents could have done with a good clean and freshen up.