Pub Awards: Best Family finalist - The Fighting Cocks, Horton Kirby, Kent

Making the jump from the music industry into the hospitality sector seemed like a good option for Fighting Cocks’ licensee Chris Maskery, and eight years on he’s taken a struggling, run down and unloved operation and transformed it into a stand-out family-focused destination in the shadow of the Dartford crossing.

Combining a great location with a great site, Chris and the team at the Fighting Cocks inject real personality into their events, seeking to embrace all sectors of the community, young and old, and with great success – even its New Year’s Eve celebrations embrace that ethos, offering a disco for adults and children.

A sprawling beer garden leading down to a meandering river gives families plenty of room to relax and have fun, and a great play area for children of all ages, alongside the recent addition of enclosures for chickens and rabbits, provides good entertainment.

Events

A year-round roster of events includes duck and dinghy races on the river, egg hunts, curry nights and outdoor summer barbecues.

Significant investment has been made in the site over the past eight years and this is a great example of an all-embracing family operation, which allows the personality of its owner and staff to shine through in all areas.