Alexander's Restaurant & Bar, Sheerness (Cheema's)

Built in the late 1930s of brick and stone by Shepherd Neame and it is still retains much of the layout of three bars and a jug & bottle and many original fittings including most of the door with etched room name panels despite having a recent period as a restaurant. The pub was named after the Nore sandbank at the mouth of the Thames, just off Sheerness, which provided deep anchorage for the Royal Navy in Napoleonic times.

Left hand lobby has a red tiled floor and 1930s fielded panelling to picture frame height (blocked-up door on the right) with a left hand door having ‘Lounge’ etched narrow panel. The left hand bar retains a wood block floor and 1930s fielded panelling to picture frame height all around. On the left is a brick fireplace that might date from the 1930s or later. It is believed the bar counter is the original fielded panelled one but the front is covered over in a very modern finish and a new top added. The bar back fitting is a replacement – a photo of the original can be found at < http://www.dover-kent.com/2014-project-c/Nore-Sheerness.html>.

At the rear is a door with a narrow 30s glass panel ‘Cloak Rooms’ etched panel which leads into a lobby with a red tiled floor and a dado of fielded panelling. On the left of the lobby is the ladies with a red tiled floor (wall tiles modern) and ‘Ladies’ etched panel in the door. On the right is the gents’ with a ‘Gents’ narrow etched panel in the door, modern red floor tiles and wall tiles; WC has old floor tiles.

A doorway sized gap leads to the middle room still with its original wood block floor and 1930s fielded panelling to picture frame height. The middle room has been opened-up to the right hand room.

The right hand exterior door leads into a lobby with ‘Public Bar’ on the window in the door, red tiled, brick shaped floor and 1930s fielded panelling to picture frame height. There is a blocked up door ahead and the right hand door has a narrow ‘Public Bar’ etched panel. The right hand room has a wood block floor and 1930s fielded panelling to picture frame height all around. It is believed the bar counter is the original fielded panelled one but the front is covered over in a very modern finish and a new top added. Alos, a small section in the middle has been removed to insert a buffet dispenser and the stained and leaded glass above looks modern. The bar back fitting could be the original but much modernised. The fireplace looks more modern than 1930s. On the rear right is a door with ‘Bottle & Jug’ showing there was an off license at the rear originally but the partition which separated it from the bar has been lost.