insideKENT Magazine Issue 101 - September 2020 | Page 121

NEWS
BRITAIN’S OLDEST BREWER
INVESTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF KENT’S HERITAGE
(L-R) THATCHER GLEN CHARTER,
CHESTFIELD BARN MANAGER
CHLOE CHRASCINA,
LICENSEE ALAN CLARKE
Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame has invested in a traditional
handcrafted re-thatch of the historic Chestfield Barn pub and restaurant near
Whitstable.
Dating back to the 14th century, the Grade II Listed building was originally a
tithe barn, before being converted into a golf clubhouse and tea rooms in the
20th century. It was acquired by Shepherd Neame in 1988.
Master thatcher Glen Charter, a traditionally trained craftsman who lives locally
in Eastling, started the project in January. He worked closely with Shepherd
Neame’s property team, using archive photographs and documents to guide its
look and feel. Work involved the removal of all old thatch, fitting a waterproof
membrane and battening to strengthen the structure, and finally a re-thatch,
using water reed.
Licensee Alan Clarke said: “Glen and his team have done an amazing job, and
we are delighted with the finished result. It is a real work of art. The Chestfield
Barn is not only a beautiful building, but an important part of the community’s
heritage, so it is fantastic that Shepherd Neame has been willing to invest in this
work to preserve it for future generations.”
Chestfield Barn is open every day, and serves food from 12 noon to 9pm Monday
to Saturday, and 12 noon to 7pm on Sunday. For more information visit
www.thechestfieldbarn.co.uk or call 01227 793086.
PRESTIGIOUS AWARD SECURES
THE YARROW’S PLACE IN TOP 10% OF
HOTELS WORLDWIDE
EKC Group’s four-star Broadstairs hotel,
The Yarrow, has joined ranks with the
top ten per cent of hotels globally, after
being awarded a prestigious Travellers’
Choice Award 2020 by TripAdvisor.
The annual Travellers’ Choice Awards
celebrate the very best in hospitality and
tourism worldwide, using traveller reviews
to recognise excellence in areas such as
service, quality and customer satisfaction.
The Yarrow secured its place alongside
some of the best hotels in the world after
receiving a record number of five-star
reviews from satisfied guests.
“We are incredibly proud to have won a
Travellers Choice Award,” commented
The Yarrow’s hotel manager, Lee Osborn,
who continued: “We’d like to thank all of
our lovely guests who have taken the time
to submit a review for us.
“We love what we do, and we’re delighted
to join the top ten per cent of hotels
worldwide based on guest feedback.”
The Yarrow is the only hotel of its kind
in the UK to offer students high-quality
training experiences in a luxury
establishment.
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