Railway, Borough Green

The Railway opened as an hotel in 1878, four years after the arrival of the nearby train station. In the early 20th century it was part of the tied estate of Maidstone brewer Style & Winch. The cockerel sign on the extreme right of the older photo confirms that it later traded as a Courage house, no doubt via successive takeovers and mergers. By 1982 it had become a privately owned Free House, enjoying a good reputation for the quality of its real ales.

The name was changed in around 2000 to The Henry Simmons, after the first licensee of the pub. The owner later decided that it was no longer worth running as a pub and closed it in 2015. Sainsbury's were ready to pounce and this handsome building now houses a 'convenience store'. Not so convenient for drinkers in Borough Green though, who are now left with just one pub, compared with 5 in the late 90s.