Orchard Street

Dartford

https://whatpub.com/smiffys

Above photo, date unknown, showing the building that was to become "Smiffy's" wine bar. At the time of this photo the building was operating as a Wet, Dry and Fried Fishmongers.

Above photo 1986, kindly sent by Philip Dymott. Showing the rear of the property.

Identified as a wine bar and was operating between the years of 1980 and 1992.

I am informed by Bob Belton, the following:- "Smiffy's was located between Orchard Street and Kent Road behind the Methodist Church in Spital Street and the existing Peppercorns Mencap Support Centre at number 3 Orchard Street. Smiffy's and surrounding buildings were demolished in the 1990's to make way for the extensive Cloisters residential development. Smiffy's is not listed in the 1982 CAMRA "Real Ale Pubs in Kent" guide. However, the 1984 edition lists Smiffy's as a wine bar and restaurant selling Pitfield Bitter and Hoxton Heavy on gravity dispense. The 1988 edition describes it as "Popular wine bar with upstairs room and gravity dispense. Beers may vary!" Real ales listed were Everards Tiger; Pitfield Hoxton/Bitter/Dark Star; Theakston Old Peculier plus Biddendens Cider. I first visited Smiffy's (locally known as "Scruffy's") on 11th December 1985 and remember it as rather dingy establishment, albeit offering the widest range of real ales in Dartford prior to the emergence of the nearby Working Men's Club in Essex Road. The "Beers may vary!" comment is deliberately ambiguous, either referring to changing selection available, or the quality of the ales which, in my opinion, ranged from average to "Just About Drinkable". Smiffy's subsequently became Ricky's Bar and did not appear in the 1993 edition, by which time it may have ceased to sell real ale or had ceased trading. I'm unsure of the exact years of trading or when it was demolished.

It is suggested that this was originally the "Coachmaker's Arms."
 

LICENSEE LIST