NEWS
STORY
THE PIG COMES TO TUNBRIDGE WELLS
As THE PIG celebrates 15 years with nine county houses and a pub, the group has announced its next adventure, with a new PIG set to open on The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells in the former Tunbridge Wells Hotel.
THE PIGs are a collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms, known for their relaxed approach, home-grown produce and focus on local food and drink.
DYMCHURCH’ S MARTELLO TOWER 25 OPENS TO HOLIDAYMAKERS
A Grade II-listed Martello tower that has stood on the Kent coast for more than 200 years has been transformed into a holiday home, giving visitors the chance to discover what lies inside one of Dymchurch’ s most recognisable landmarks.
Built in 1806 as part of Britain’ s coastal defences against the threat of invasion by Napoleon’ s forces, Martello Tower 25 has watched over this stretch of the Kent coastline for 220 years.
The new property will take over the 18th-century Georgian building, which has sat at the heart of The Pantiles for generations. Old buildings have always been where THE PIG story begins, although most are tucked away at the end of country lanes. This time, the latest addition will sit at the heart of one of Britain’ s most historic promenades.
Food will remain at the heart of the offering, with the team planning to work with Kent growers, farmers, fishermen and producers. The new PIG will also bring its signature kitchen garden approach to Tunbridge Wells, with the team growing and sourcing produce according to the seasons.
The vision is for the new property to become part of life on The Pantiles, from morning coffees and lunches to drinks, dinner and overnight stays.
There is still plenty to do before the new PIG welcomes its first guests, with work now beginning to bring the property to life.
Now, following an extensive renovation, the tower has been given a new lease of life. Martello 25 is available as a pet-friendly holiday let, sleeping up to 10 guests and combining more than two centuries of history with contemporary coastal interiors.
Four king-sized bedrooms, five shower rooms and a double sofa bed provide accommodation, while the upper floor features an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space overlooking the coast with views stretching over the sea.
One of the property’ s most fascinating features is a secret staircase running within the tower’ s outer wall. It now links one of the bedrooms with the open-plan kitchen and living area, giving guests a glimpse into the building’ s historic construction.
THRIVE HOMECARE WINS COMMUNITY CARE TEAM AWARD
A Canterbury care team has won a countywide award for an approach to community care that looks beyond completing tasks to consider the person, their wellbeing, independence and quality of life.
Thrive Homecare’ s Canterbury care team has been named winner of the Community Care Team Award at the 2026 Kent Integrated Care Awards.
The award comes just 18 months after Thrive Homecare was launched by Chris Gage and Nathan Harris, who founded the organisation on the belief that traditional approaches to care do not adequately support quality of life and need to evolve.
The Kent Integrated Awards recognise teams making a positive difference to people receiving community care and support across Kent.
The visiting care team are encouraged to build meaningful relationships with the people they support, understand what matters to them and look for opportunities to support their wellbeing, independence and enjoyment of life.
“ The most important thing about this award for us is what it represents,” said CEO and co-founder, Chris Gage.“ We set up Thrive because we believe people deserve to enjoy their later life in a way that is meaningful to them. To have our Canterbury team recognised for that approach just 18 months after we launched is incredibly exciting. It gives us confidence that we are moving in the direction and that there is a real appetite for a different kind of care.”
210 • www. insidekent. co. uk