Long-gone sites will never be forgotten

Over the decades and like many towns and cities up and down the country, Ashford has seen many of its once plentiful stock of licensed premises come and go and, throughout the 1970s, those beer lovers in the town must have thought developers had really got it in for them.

With the two-metre rule put in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic being relaxed this week, it is hoped these pubs and restaurant premises that have been affected by the lockdown situation will be able to trade and sustain business once more.

But this does not mean to say the Covid-19 threat has gone, so provided people are careful, they take all precautions on the advice of the government and use common sense, the more chance we have in avoiding another potential lockdown arrangement.

Many readers often reminisce about the many hostelries past and present and still hanker after those that have faded into history.

There may be one particular pub that is favoured by many and no matter how long the said pub had been gone, if it’s a lost local within living memory, some have been drowning their sorrows ever since.

Some of these lost pubs had stood for decades, and generations upon generations of relatives had frequented names like The Somerset Arms or the British Flag or maybe the Park Hotel and The Castle.

There maybe little of their onetime existence today, but their memory still lives on in conversation.

This week Remember When takes a look at a further duo of images depicting some of the numerous lost Ashford hostelries.

Many thanks again to Edwin Bartlett for these pictures.

Do you have any photographs or slides of old Ashford you would be willing to loan me, to enable them to be scanned for possible feature in the Kentish Express?

Please don’t delay, get in touch!

Please email me: rememberwhen_kmash@hotmail.co.uk

1971 - The Fremlins-owned Coach and Horses once dominated the corner of Hempsted Street and Regents Place with the Style & Winch-owned Wellington Hotel opposite. Both hostelries ceased to exist shortly after this picture was taken as the were compulsorily purchased for the Tufton Centre development