STORY a second act; they’ re too impractical, too hidden and likely too associated with dubious smells, but new open-minded owners saw what most of us wouldn’ t- potential in those pipes.
The transformation has been respectful without being reverential, with architectural quirks such as vaulted ceilings, tiled curves and the two separate entrances for‘ Ladies’ and‘ Gentlemen’ remain all surviving. Low lighting, exposed brick, polished brass and good taste( cocktails and crowd), however, have replaced the bleached toilet-block aesthetic.
THE OLD WINE WAREHOUSE
Today, The John strikes a balance between novelty and genuine atmosphere. Yes, there’ s a guaranteed giggle in telling friends you’ re going for drinks in a toilet, but once inside, it’ s the cocktails, DJs and fun-loving local crowd that take over the narrative. The terrace above is really buzzy on summer evenings, while downstairs remains intimate and still a little bit cheeky.
Winters Barns, Canterbury
Just outside Canterbury, Winters Barns sits within land that once formed part of a working Kentish farm- the kind that produced a bit of everything from hops for the breweries and cattle for the butchers to fruit and arable crops depending on the season. The barns themselves were built for practicality, and so were filled with the smell of livestock and labour rather than love stories.
By around 1970, farming needs had shifted and the building’ s usefulness declined- many similar structures across the county met the same fate, some demolished and others left to fade into the landscape, but here, the owners took a different route- restoration with purpose.
WINTER BARNS
The barns were carefully restored, preserving the beams, brickwork and agricultural bones that give the venue its warm, rural aesthetic, and the transformation introduced landscaped gardens, a dedicated bridal prep area and all the facilities one needs to host weddings without compromising the glorious peace that surrounds the place.
Couples choose Winters Barns not because it is glossy or grand, but because it feels grounded; it’ s a place where nature and history are part of the décor and there’ s something undeniably charming about exchanging vows in a building that has weathered many seasons and now witnesses brand-new beginnings.
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