One of the key attractions of living in East Kent is that the sea is essentially on three sides - north, east and south. Arguably the water to the north looking out over to the Essex coast is the Thames Estuary but the English Channel wraps around the east and south sides of Kent offering tantalising views to the French coast from Thanet, the White Cliffs of Dover and even from the low-lying Romney Marsh. The coastal towns have fascinating histories but also mixed fortunes since the advent of overseas package holidays from the 1960s onwards. In the 21st century the popularity of certain coastal towns to Londoners wishing to flee the city permanently or for weekend getaways has resulted in the gentrification of large areas of Whitstable and certain parts of Margate and you only need to read the Saturday newspaper supplements to see that Deal and Folkestone are next in line. The impact for the existing, long-established residents of these towns is mixed. Entrepreneurs, builders and people employed in service industries can capitalise on the influx but people trying to get on the property ladder in an area where wages are remaining relatively low complain with some justification that outsiders are disproportionately pushing up house prices.
It is in this wider context then that I choose to focus on Herne Bay, the small town with a shingle beach and a truncated pier (when intact it was the 2nd longest in Britain) that sits midway between Whitstable and Margate. Founded as a resort in the first half of the 19th century it developed rapidly throughout the Victorian period with good access for visitors from London initially by steamer and later with the arrival of the railway. Today it has undoubtedly seen better days but its lack of pretension, simple pleasures and cheery last century vibe make for an interesting destination less than half an hour from home.
With the original / first UK micropub The Butchers Arms being a couple of miles 'inland' in the village of Herne (after which the Bay is named) it is no surprise that Herne Bay itself has spawned a number of small independent beer houses offering a good selection of cask ales. Within a space of half a mile on the High Street behind the seafront there are FOUR micropubs. Running west to east they are The Firkin Frog, The Pub (original name, eh?), The Bouncing Barrel, and Parkerville. But on a fine day I'm happy to forgo all of these options in favour of a small wooden shed directly above the incoming tide which is aptly named Beer on the Pier.
The Beer on the Pier is the seafront outlet of local brewer Goody Ales. This is a producer with a strong local following operating out of the Bleangate Brewery near the village of Herne. They produce a range of cask-conditioned and bottled beers united by the word 'Good' in their title. For example, bitters such as Good Life and Good Shepherd, an IPA called Goodness Gracious Me, a porter called Good Lord, and various sport-themed beers including Good Innings and Good Try. There is always at least 3 cask beers to choose from at the tiny bar on the pier in addition to draught cider and wines. The beers are well made although perhaps not quite in the same league as those from fellow East Kent brewer Eddie Gadd down the road at the Ramsgate Brewery. In my opinion they are not sufficiently distinct and different from each other to be particularly memorable. However this is a minor criticism because it is the individuality and unique atmosphere of Herne Bay's "Beer on the Pier" that I want to give a flavour of and celebrate as it keeps us coming back again and again.
The little bar occupies one of a number of semi permanent huts along the pier that sell craft items, souvenirs, food and drink etc. It faces out onto a large carousel (in summer months) and a helter-skelter, and a stage for live performances is a couple of doors away. When the weather is fine customers tend to sit at tables and chairs outside in the sun but as the pier is open to visitors throughout the year (short notice closures in the event of severe weather) in winter months drinkers occupy the few tables inside seating about 10 people or stand at the bar. Given the size of the place it's certainly not where you go for a quiet tête à tête since invariably conversations include everyone present. People come and go; regulars, visitors, tourists ..... the bin man, the delivery man, the owner of the stall opposite, and even the guy with his family at the café next door who has sneaked off for a quick pint! In all cases, new arrivals are greeted by Elaine, one of the friendliest servers I know. She knows all the locals and keeps everyone in the loop whether they come from Canterbury, Cardiff or Casablanca. This little wooden hut is a genuine community asset which the CAMRA website sums it up perfectly: "A bit like sitting in someone's cosy living room if that room had a sea view. A gem".
Happy New Year 2025
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Goody Ales: Good King Wenceslas (Winter Ale) Beer on the Pier, Herne Bay. 30 December 2024 |
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