Bridge is a beautiful village just outside Canterbury and home to The White Horse Inn.

We ate at this Inn, in December of 2002 at our firm's Christmas party, the venue chosen for its excellent food and service by a staff member who had enjoyed several visits there. We were not disappointed this time around either, the food was excellent and innovative, the service without fault. The evening was a resounding success.

In March of 2004 we re-visited, following several intermediate visits purely for pleasure, to ask if they'd like to be part of Made-In-Kent.co.uk. We were pleasantly surprised at the response we received. Here is a pub with a real "Made In Kent" philosophy, made clear as soon as we mentioned what our web site was about.

They cook with the following in mind:

• Raw materials sourced from local suppliers.
• If it isn't in season locally, they don't cook with it.

Alan Walton and his son Ben, the chef, between them told us:

"If tomatoes aren't in season, they're not on the menu. Whilst we sometimes have to source food from outside of Kent to maintain a varied and balanced menu (items which are not grown in Britain, never mind locally, mangoes and other fruits and veg for instance, plus Scottish beef), our ingredients consist of around 80% bought from local producers. We source our ingredients to ensure quality and variety is not compromised, but wherever possible, it is locally produced."

Taking a look at the menu was proof enough of this, it mentions many local producers, providing lamb, pork and other meats from Chandler & Dunn, Ash; Duck and Chicken from Nash Nurseries, Ash; Free Range chicken from McKeever Farm, Faversham; oysters and shellfish from West Whelks, The Harbour, Whitstable - and a small number of other quality local producers. To be a supplier to an establishment such as the White Horse is to be understood to be providing the best. Ben told us:

"I'd rather pay a little extra to get a quality joint of meat, than shop around for the lowest price. If that can be sourced locally, then we'll do so. Some of our suppliers will pick straight from the field to fulfill our order and we know it won't have spent 2 weeks in the freezer before it reaches us. The difference in flavour makes it worthwhile and that's why people come back to eat here on a regular basis."

The pub stocks a variety of locally produced, Shepherd Neame beers and is about to expand its range of wines to take into account Kentish vineyards, including those from Tenterden, Biddenden and the Elham Valley. A selection of real ales is available, including Hook Norton ales, Bass bitters etc.

But what about he pub itself? Well, we revisted because we had enjoyed our first experience there. In March 2004, a glowing log fire warmed one end of the bar, the restaurant tables were laid out attractively and as we entered, Alan, the landlord greeted us cheerily, making a joke before we'd even said hello.

As people arrived, they were greeted with the same humour. The pub is obviously popular amongst the locals and people from the surrounding areas. If you're thinking of coming down to this part of Kent, perhaps you should fit in a visit for an excellent meal and a drink at the White Horse Inn, in Bridge, nr Canterbury.

white horse inn, bridge, nr canterbury