STORY
NEWS
SEA SCRUB SAUNA ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW BROADSTAIRS VENUE
Sea Scrub Sauna, the Kent brand that has built a following along the county’ s coastline, has announced plans for a purpose-built sauna and cold plunge venue at Viking Bay in Broadstairs.
If approved, the two-storey building would include changing facilities and a café on the ground floor, with a large social sauna and a barrel sauna on the upper level. A cold plunge area would also be positioned to overlook the beach and bay.
SCHOOLBOYS WIN PRIDE IN MEDWAY 2026 AFTER CHARITY RIDE
Three boys from Halling who planned and completed a 44-mile charity cycle challenge from Halling to Herne Bay, alongside studying for school exams, have been named the overall winners of Pride In Medway 2026, held for the first time at the Corn Exchange in Rochester.
The new spa will be operated by Sea Scrub Sauna, founded by cousins Robin Bartlett and Luke Sinclair, who have helped pioneer Scandinavian sauna culture across Kent. Since launching at Margate Main Sands, the brand has expanded to Whitstable Harbour, Macknade in Faversham and Folkestone Harbour Arm, with Broadstairs set to become its fifth site and, with its beachfront setting, potentially its most striking.
“ Broadstairs has a very special quality to it,” said Robin Bartlett, cofounder of Sea Scrub.“ The cove, the cliffs, the community. It felt like the right place for a site that genuinely earns its setting. We’ re hoping to create something the town is proud of.”
Dara Le Brunn-Moore, 11, Oliver Szczes-Tindall, 10 and Tobey Batstone, 10, raised £ 3,670 for the Bluebell Circle CIC, a community project set up in memory of their friend, and Dara’ s cousin, Sofia Le Brunn-Healey, who died aged seven last year from a rare form of brain cancer.
Their efforts have since inspired families, friends and neighbours to begin their own fundraising towards a £ 500,000 appeal, which will create a riverside throne in Sofia’ s memory and transform the surrounding area into a fun and accessible new space for local children and young people.
“ With over 150 nominations, this event once again showcased the best of Medway with amazing people and organisations doing extraordinary things that fully deserve to be recognised,” said leader of Medway Council, Cllr Vince Maple.“ It makes us all proud to call this place our home.”
© Scrub Sauna Whitstable
© Folkestone Harbour Arm
PHOTOGRAPHERS INVITED TO CAPTURE MAIDSTONE’ S STORIES
Photographers are being invited to showcase Maidstone through their own eyes as part of a new competition launched by Visit Maidstone, celebrating the landscapes, culture, heritage and everyday moments that make the borough unique.
Titled‘ Capture Maidstone’ s Stories: Through Your Lens’, the competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over living in or visiting the UK, from amateur enthusiasts to professional photographers.
Entrants are encouraged to submit authentic and inspiring images that reflect Maidstone’ s character, from peaceful countryside and historic landmarks to vibrant community life and hidden gems.
Photographers can be entered into one or more of five themed categories: Nature & Landscape;
Moments in History; Life in Maidstone; Hidden Gems; and Tastes & Traditions.
A winner will be selected from each category, with each receiving £ 50, while the overall winner will receive a total prize of £ 250.
“ Maidstone has so many incredible stories to tell, shaped by its people, communities, heritage and natural environment,” said Cllr Stephen Thompson, cabinet member at Maidstone Borough Council.“ This competition is an opportunity for residents and visitors to share what makes this borough special to them, while helping us celebrate pride in place and strengthen Maidstone’ s identity as a great place to live, visit and enjoy.”
The deadline for entries is 30 June 2026.
www. insidekent. co. uk • 209