NEWS
TWO SISTERS REVIVE PRE-WAR
DRESS PRINTS TO CREATE
EXCITING NEW RANGE OF
OUTDOOR FURNITURE
SEASIDE PUB RESTAURANT
REOPENS AFTER £200,000
MAKEOVER
Historic seaside pub
restaurant The
Coastguard in St
Margaret’s Bay, near
Dover, has reopened
following a £200,000
refurbishment.
Using pre-war and
vintage dress prints, two
sisters have created a
range of furniture that
are a blast of fun,
glamour and
style. Evocative of their
thirties and forties
heritage, all the fabrics
are designed and
manufactured in the UK.
Despite one sister being
city based in London,
and the other in the rural
Kent, neither of them
could find precisely what
they were looking for.
Dating back more than
300 years, The
Coastguard boasts
panoramic sea views
across the small bay, and is Britain’s nearest pub to France.
It was officially taken over by Shepherd Neame in January, and then closed
for the extensive programme of work. In keeping with its enviable seafront
position, The Coastguard’s new look is inspired by maritime heritage, with
red and white lighthouse-style pub fascia and signwriting, complete with
boat-shaped planters and lifebuoys as decoration. An outside bar and
barbecue have also been installed, along with outdoor feature ‘living room’
lamps.
"We were both just after something with a little bit of character, that looked
stylish, but was also a statement piece for the garden," says Liz Ridgway,
one half of the sibling partnership.
The interior of the pub has also been completely refurbished, repainted in
contemporary colours with a new fireplace installed. There is also new
lighting and furniture and more nautical decoration throughout.
The pub was reopened on Friday 1st April by award-winning Shepherd
Neame licensees Tom and Karensa Miller, who have run the Zetland Arms at
nearby Kingsdown since 2013, and decided to expand their business by
taking on The Coastguard. Karensa said: “When we saw The Coastguard
was available, it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss. It is in a
fantastic location, and we already have a great relationship with Shepherd
Neame. We are delighted with the results of the refurbishment, and we
were lucky enough to open on a sunny weekend, so we have already
welcomed a huge number of customers, which is fantastic.”
The result is a range of deckchairs, cushions and accessories that suit both
the smart city balcony or laid-back country garden.
Not just for sale, the chairs and stools are also available for hire – ideal for
marquee weddings and parties. Denys & Fielding is now stocked at a
number of independent garden nurseries and retailers, with an initial range
of colours and styles, but the girls are already planning for next season,
with the introduction of several new collections coming
soon. www.denysandfielding.co.uk
HOTEL NAMES SUITE IN HONOUR
OF FORMER HYTHE MAYOR
Photo caption: Darrell Healey, Chairman of GSE Group, Michelle Healey
and Cllr Michael Lyons, Mayor of Hythe, watch as Reg Belcourt formally
opens the suite named in honour of his late wife Keren.
A new suite created as part of the refurbishment of the Hythe Imperial Hotel
has been named in memory of a former mayor of the town.
The Belcourt Suite is named after the late Cllr Keren Belcourt who died
suddenly in 2014. It was officially opened by her husband Reg in a
special ceremony in April, which was attended by current members of Hythe
Town Council.
“Cllr Belcourt was a great supporter of what we have been trying to