Matt Leclere

A six-day land train trial linking Herne Bay Pier, the town centre and Memorial Park was deemed a “phenomenal” success by Canterbury City Council after every trip filled up and some passengers waited for about an hour. The trial, held from July 26 to July 31 during the Herne Bay Festival and school holidays, aimed to encourage visitors to explore the town beyond the seafront. The council will review passenger numbers, the route, stops, timetable, pricing, business impact and accessibility before deciding whether the service could return in 2027.

Faversham Town Council has received a £20,000 Architectural Heritage Fund grant to investigate future uses for the Grade II-listed Old Town Warehouse, a 15th-century timber-framed building formerly known as TS Hazard. A feasibility study will examine whether it can host weddings and other commercial events alongside heritage, community and cultural activities, helping generate income for its upkeep. The building is in poor condition, with moisture-related decay linked to flooding, drainage and its exposed waterfront location, so stabilisation and further structural investigations are needed before physical works begin. Public consultation found strongest support for a heritage or maritime centre, community space and arts or cultural use, while 12.1% supported a wedding venue. A further consultation is planned from July 5 to September 16.

The final 16-week phase of the Herne Bay Bandstand restoration is scheduled to begin on June 29, focusing on repairing and reinforcing the concrete substructure. Canterbury City Council is investing more than £1.3 million in the building works, while Makcari's owners Hassan and Nejmi Hassan plan to invest £800,000 in an 80-seat wine bar and related upgrades. The council is finalizing the lease arrangements, and the restored venue is expected to accommodate up to 400 visitors and host live music once the stage works are completed.

Hut 55, a small takeaway café on the seafront between Deal and Walmer, is praised for its homemade pastries, savouries, strong coffee and relaxed beach setting. The reviewer highlights the chilli Scotch egg, bacon and egg bap, breakfast pot and raspberry oat crumble slice, noting that a breakfast for two cost £21.50 and provided generous portions. Long queues from walkers, runners and cyclists are presented as evidence of the café’s popularity. The review awards five out of five for food, drinks and décor, and four out of five for staff and price.

Kent County Council plans to relinquish control of eight historic windmills, including Grade I-listed Herne Mill, to save about £150,000 annually. Friends of Herne Mill have criticised the Reform-led council as short-sighted for rejecting a proposed Kent Windmills Trust, saying the local volunteer group cannot fund the mill’s long-term maintenance and that private ownership could threaten public access. Herne and Broomfield Parish Council is considering taking responsibility for the site, but no agreement has been reached and a consultation would be required. KCC says it will support individual community groups in taking on the mills while considering all options.

Canterbury Castle is expected to reopen to the public in autumn 2026 after restoration and landscaping works funded through the £20 million Connected Canterbury scheme. Plans for an amphitheatre inside the medieval keep were abandoned because nesting bats and licensing requirements restrict noise and lighting after dusk. A later phase will add elevated walkways, viewing platforms and a staircase, while free augmented-reality binoculars and a visitor app will provide digital reconstructions of the castle. The Grade I-listed site has been closed since 2017 because of falling masonry.

The Environment Agency is investigating an estimated 30,000 tonnes of predominantly soil and construction waste illegally dumped at Evaluna near Dargate and Faversham. The site is considered one of England’s 14 largest active illegal dumps, although the agency rates it as low risk because much of the material is believed to be inert. Investigators have revoked a previous exemption, demanded documentation and carried out inspections after reports of continued tipping. The case comes amid a House of Lords inquiry into waste crime, which has highlighted limited enforcement capacity and the involvement of organized criminal networks. The Environment Agency says it is implementing a 10-point plan, including faster inspections and stronger cooperation with police and councils, while the wider waste crime problem is estimated to cost the UK economy about £1 billion annually.

A bronze interactive sculpture called Sound Mirror will be unveiled on Deal seafront on May 22. Created by local artist Michael Bennett with funding from a £45,000 bequest by former resident Bill Elliott, the 1.78-metre artwork amplifies sounds from the sea and displays a map of more than 700 shipwrecks and aircraft crash sites associated with the Goodwin Sands. Its design also commemorates East Kent’s naval, military and cultural history, including the Dunkirk evacuation, wartime sound mirrors, notable residents and visitors, and local landmarks.

The Duchy of Cornwall is seeking strategic partners to help deliver its approved 2,500-home development south of Faversham. The search follows Prince William’s plan to sell around 20% of the duchy’s land over the next decade and focus investment on its heartlands, raising an expected £500 million for housing and environmental priorities. The Faversham scheme is expected to take 15–20 years and includes social-rent, affordable and shared-ownership homes, alongside education, community and transport infrastructure and significant green space.

Southern Water says its AI-controlled smart sewer system detected a tree-root blockage forming near Whitstable Harbour and enabled crews to clear it before sewage spilled. The company uses around 34,000 sewer-level monitors and says the technology has supported more than 4,000 interventions, contributing to an average 32% reduction in sewage spill events. Wet wipes and cooking fats are identified as major causes of blockages. Campaign group SOS Whitstable has questioned whether the reductions are supported by sufficient evidence, while Southern Water acknowledges that the smart sewers must be combined with treatment-works upgrades, network optimisation and other measures.

Deal Braderie will return on September 13, 2026, after local traders and volunteers, supported by the Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade, stepped in when Deal Town Council withdrew from organising it. The market generated an estimated £100,000 for high-street businesses but lost £6,000 in 2025 and faced operational problems including access, parking and stall-management issues. A council consultation found 91% support for continuing the event, although many respondents opposed relocation or higher stall fees. The new organisers plan to introduce a booking system and increase promotion while working to rebuild stall numbers and restore the market’s former scale.

Five new silhouette memorials have been installed at Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour to honour the civilian skippers, RNLI crews, Royal Navy personnel, Women’s Voluntary Service members and children connected with the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation. The expansion was organised by the Ramsgate Little Ships-Operation Dynamo community group with support from local organisations, sponsors, Standing with Giants and Pioneer Sheet Metal. The figures will be temporarily repositioned during harbour renovations, while further commemorations—including 338 soldier silhouettes and the 86th Return to Ramsgate event—are planned for May and June. Operation Dynamo evacuated more than 338,000 Allied troops between May 26 and June 4, 1940; Ramsgate and Margate lifeboat crews are credited with saving 2,800 and 800 lives respectively.

Southern Water says emergency repairs to a damaged sewer at St Peter’s Place near Canterbury’s Westgate Towers are in their final stages and should be completed within days. The road is scheduled to remain closed until May 13 while excavations are backfilled and the surface is reinstated, although the company hopes to reopen it sooner. Surveys found that about 60% of the sewer’s structural integrity had been lost in two locations, prompting installation of a 63-metre structural liner. The cause remains uncertain, with deterioration, third-party activity or nearby utility works among the possibilities. The closure is causing significant congestion alongside South East Water’s separate four-month Shalloak Road closure for an £800,000 water-main replacement scheme.

Nackington Road in Canterbury was closed near Simon Langton Boys' Grammar School after a burst water main caused a leak and traffic disruption, including heavy congestion on New Dover Road. South East Water said the pipe had been repaired but the road needed further work to make it safe, with reopening targeted for the evening of April 30. The closure follows another water-related problem at Canterbury’s Westgate Towers, where Southern Water contractors are repairing a broken sewer and an underground void.

Thanet District Council is considering a revised Public Spaces Protection Order covering Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs after reports of public sex, urination and defecation, street drinking, violence, drug activity, vandalism and assaults on local businesses. Police recorded 12,886 victim-based crimes in the district in the year to November 2025, including more than 7,000 violence-against-the-person offences. The proposed order removes the previous controversial swearing ban and instead would allow police and authorised council officers to direct people involved in disorder to stop drinking, confiscate alcohol and issue fines or pursue court action for repeated non-compliance. The measures will be considered by the council’s cabinet following criticism that the earlier PSPO threatened free speech.

Matt Leclere gives Cafe Des Amis in Canterbury a highly positive review, praising its nearly 40-year history, lively atmosphere, colourful decor, attentive staff and good value. He enjoys the trio of ceviches, nachos, lamb fajitas and chocolate fundido, while describing the restaurant’s habanero chilli as an intensely hot challenge. The review also notes Orlando Bloom’s past endorsement and awards the venue five stars for food and staff, with four stars for drinks, decor and price.

Solly’s Orchard in central Canterbury has reopened after a Levelling Up Fund-funded refurbishment that added a surfaced riverside path, new seating, planting, improved access across the sluices and clearer links with Abbot’s Mill. Canterbury City Council says the work will improve accessibility, biodiversity and the park’s historic character, while further pathway work and interpretation signage remain. The redevelopment previously faced opposition from more than 1,200 petitioners, who argued that planting 12 additional trees would reduce open grassland for recreation.

Voters are choosing a new Kent County Council representative for Cliftonville after former Reform councillor Daniel Taylor resigned following his conviction and imprisonment for coercive and controlling behaviour. Reform UK candidate Marc Rattigan is considered a frontrunner, but faces strong challenges from the Conservatives, Labour and the Greens, with some observers viewing the contest as a Reform–Green race. Campaign issues include potholes, illegal immigration, the cost of living, bus services and public toilets. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm, and voter turnout and tactical voting could determine the result.

Faversham Town Council and Creek Creative have launched a campaign to win the UK Town of Culture 2028 title and its £3 million investment. The proposal emphasizes Faversham’s heritage, creative scene and festivals, while promising more inclusive cultural activity in underserved areas, youth skills development and stronger community partnerships. A shortlist is expected later in spring 2026, with the winner to be announced in early 2027; two runners-up will receive £250,000 each.

Sargasso, a small Mediterranean- and Spanish-influenced restaurant on Margate harbour arm, receives an enthusiastic review for its relaxed setting, harbour views, friendly service and carefully cooked small plates. Standout dishes include battered courgettes with anchovies, chickpeas with spinach and paprika, cod with crab and saffron sauce, and chocolate ganache with sea salt and olive oil. The reviewer considers the restaurant’s Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand award deserved, praising its quality and value despite prices that make it more of a treat.