IN ASSOCIATION WITH
KENTSTAYCATION
48 Hours on KENT ’ S CREATIVE COASTLINE CONT .
THE ALBION ROOMS © Jason Knott
THE PUMPROOM COPPER RIVET DISTILLERY
Where to Stay
Budget : Beetbeds A clean , simple and discreet hotel , 100m from The Bay Beach and 1km from Dreamlands . Beetbeds provides a restaurant , allergy free rooms , free Wi- Fi and a garden . Every room comes with a private bathroom , shower , hairdryer and free toiletries . www . booking . com / hotel / gb / beetbeds Price : from £ 90 per night
Mid-range : Margate Suites Incredibly kitsch and unique apartment suites with scallop-shaped beds that could make even The Grinch break out in a squeal of delight . Situated in Margate ’ s Old Town and above the fantastic Buoy and Oyster restaurant ( opposite The Turner Contemporary ). There are 2 suites in total that sleep between 3 and 5 people maximum , both suites have fantastic sea views and have their own open plan kitchen plus everything else you would expect . www . margatesuites . co . uk Price : £ 280 based on 2 nights
Splurge : The Albion Rooms This is the Libertine band ’ s very unexpected new venture as hoteliers . A very smart and plush hotel with a few bizarre ( as would be expected ) design additions , the odd Libertine wandering around and a recording studio ( of course ). Rumour has it that it can also double up as the ultimate lock-in . We ’ d stay here simply to experience the latter ! www . thealbionrooms . live | Price : from £ 115 per night
Day 2
BREAKFAST The birth of the best place in Margate for breakfast , The Bus Cafe ( www . thebuscafe . co . uk ) is a lovely story of two strangers who met in a pub , got chatting and despite knowing nothing about one another , bonded over their shared love of cooking fresh and healthy food . After their third pint , they ’ d plotted to convert a VW bus into a mobile cafe and kitchen and unbelievably , 2 weeks later , actually went out and made it happen . The Bus Cafe is hugely popular and now has clutchfulls of accolades . The menu is ever-changing and evolving with globally inspired food but imagine bagels overflowing with every moorish breakfast treat out there , innovative hashes , refined fry-ups and a great menu for kids .
MORNING Say your farewells to Margate and head up towards Medway – home of Dickens and the place hoping to become the 2025 ’ s City of Culture – for their Estuary 2021 Arts Festival ( www . estuaryfestival . com ). In complete contrast to the art of Folkestone , this is a little less visual and perhaps
a more personal and emotional journey , which reflects upon – and is inspired by – life alongside the Thames Estuary . Much of the work centres around words ; with journaling , story-telling and poetry as the central theme of expression . But you ’ ll also find exhibits on calligraphy , film , pollution , and conversations such as the one by artists , Carol Donaldson and Stephen Turner . Theirs is a sharing of their in-depth knowledge of the fragile edgelands of the North Kent marshes and the conflicts between marsh dwellers – both human and non-human – and corporate Britain .
LUNCH The spectacular looking Copper Rivet Gin Distillery ( www . copperrivetdistillery . com ) in Chatham , who source all of their Kentish grain to make their gin from within a 20 mile radius , have just opened The Pumproom ( www . crdpumproom . com ). You ’ ll be dining in the distillery ’ s unique industrial building , which boasts a fascinating history and overlooks the river Medway . The food is a contemporary take on classic dishes and influenced by spices and flavours from around the world . Think lamb kievs and fish pies with fried oysters . It is definitely deserving of a visit .
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