Red Lion, Borough Green

The Red Lion, another sad loss for the people of Borough Green, was located on the A25 opposite the junction with Western Road. Its history has been traced as far back as 1586. The earliest archive image suggests an association with the Victoria Brewery, Tunbridge Wells, known to have been operating in the 1860s. The pub later appears to have been part of the tied estate of Wateringbury brewers F Leney & Sons, before passing to giant combine and serial destroyer of breweries Whitbread after a succession of takeovers. At some stage the pub was enlarged to incorporate two cottages that stood behind the pub, but this resulted in uneven floor levels not always detected by unwary drinkers!

The Red Lion ended its days in 2005 as a Free House, and after a long period of semi-dereliction was eventually converted to residential accommodation. The splendid garden and the car park have also been crammed with houses.

Thanks to www.dover-uk.com for use of the archive images.