We all love popping into our tried-and-tested local for a drink after work or on the weekends but, once in a while, it’s nice to have a change of scenery.
From cool, quirky lounges to revived backstreet pubs, we’ve got eight brilliant boozers new to the scene that are worth a try this year…
BAR EIGHT, Herne Bay
After announcing its shock closure at the end of last year, bosses of the former Oyster and Chop House have reopened the popular eatery as a bar. The restaurant, which had been a fixture of the seaside town for 13 years, served its last meal on New Year’s Eve before shutting down due to economic challenges. However, the owners have now turned the smokehouse into Bar Eight, a “San Sebastian-type” watering hole offering “pintxos, good wines, good drinks and beer”.
Details: 8 High Street in Herne Bay. Open Thursday and Friday, 5pm to 10pm, Saturdays 8.30am to 10pm and Sunday 8.30am to 8pm.
CALVERO LOUNGE, Tenterden
Kent’s newest bar from the West Country-based Loungers group opened in January. The company, which has recently opened sites in Faversham, Deal, Broadstairs and Sittingbourne and owns the Cosy Club in Canterbury, has filled the gap left by Tenterden’s former M&Co after it closed in 2022. The new location offers extensive food, drink and cocktail menus, as well as ‘cosy and elegant’ seating areas and space for families and community groups.
Details: Embassy House at 3 High Street in Tenterden. Open Sunday to Thursday, 9am to 11pm, and Friday and Saturday, 9am to 12am.
THE CARPENTERS ARMS, Rochester
While you could argue that a 168-year-old backstreet boozer doesn’t have a place on this list, locals haven’t been able to quench their thirst in the Carpenters Arms for more than a year. That is until new landlord Ben Galle bought the pub and reopened it in November. The 34-year-old wants to retain the building’s history but also plans to breathe fresh life into the out-of-town tavern by introducing live music and pub games such as pool and snooker.
Details: 13 Cossack Street in Rochester. Open Sunday to Thursday, 12pm to 11pm, and Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 12am.
LA!, Margate
When Iain Maxstead, boss of Proud Pink Inns, was forced to close down Margate’s LGBTQ+ bar Sundowners in October, he hinted that a new project was on the horizon. In December, the group launched La!, a lounge bar in the Old Town replacing a former burger joint. The new hotspot, which owners call a “safe space” for locals, is brimming with colourful, quirky decor and hosts live music, DJs, cabaret shows and club nights.
Details: 13-15 High Street in Margate. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm.
THE LONDON STONE, Rochester
Pub giant Wetherspoon has confirmed it will open a new location in Kent this year – but it’s not where you think. The firm is extending its partnership with holiday firm Haven to launch a new bar called the London Stone at the Kent Coast Holiday Park on the Hoo Peninsula near Rochester. The pub has cost around £1.35 million and will be open to holidaymakers and park home owners at the site.
Details: Kent Coast Holiday Park in Allhallows at the Hoo Peninsula, near Rochester. Opens in March.
THE MARINER, Folkestone
It’s technically not a ‘new’ pub, but The Mariner in Folkestone has been given a significant upgrade by owners Dean and Dave Finch. The couple noticed the pub, overlooking the harbour, had closed in March last year due to a leak and seized the opportunity to revive the taproom. The pair have ditched the sports screens, brought in a selection of speciality brews and introduced a classic pub menu.
Details: 16 The Stade in Folkestone. Open Sunday to Thursday, 11am to 10pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11am to 11pm.
NO20 LOUNGE BAR, Canterbury
A new lounge has taken over the site of a former vape shop to become part of Canterbury’s bustling nightlife scene. Since January, the Grade II listed building has housed No20 Lounge Bar, a stylish venue that offers wines, spirits, cocktails priced between £8 and £9 and own-brand beer for £5 a pint. The bar is run by the same team behind the nearby Meze Bar and Grill restaurant and, if you dine in the Turkish eatery first, you’ll get a 20% discount on your first round in the lounge.
Details: 20 St Peter’s Street in Canterbury. Open Sunday to Friday, 12pm to 12am, and Saturday 12pm to 11am.
OLD COTTAGE PUB, Margate
It’s been a long time coming, but 2025 could finally be the year that this 17th-century pub reopens its doors. Retired firefighter David Gorton bought the decaying building on an episode of Homes Under the Hammer in 2009 with plans to start pulling pints in 2011. However, after a series of setbacks that have delayed the opening for more than a decade, the Grade II listed property should be ready to open this summer with its own brewery in the basement, an upstairs restaurant and Airbnb rooms.
Details: 19 High Street in Margate. Opens this summer.
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