Burger restaurant to fill former pub

Hoof set to open at prime town centre spot

A new restaurant serving homereared burgers is to fill an empty town centre unit in Tenterden.

Hoof will be moving into the former Cafe Rouge spot in the high street – and could open as early as next month.

Work has already started on the building – which was previously the Eight Bells pub – with contractors carrying out changes to the outside of the prime site.

It will become only the second restaurant opened by the company alongside its flagship eatery in Rye, which is now entering its fourth year.

Owner Oliver Furnival said: “We’re very much looking forward to coming into Tenterden, it’s somewhere that we’ve been looking at for some years.

“It’s the perfect location for us as our farm is only about 10 miles away, meaning we can get our food from farm to plate.”

The restaurant specialises in burgers made from meat taken straight from Mr Furnival’s farm on the Romney Marsh, which also supplies potatoes for the dishes.

Anyone working for the company spends some time on the farm to become integrated with the process.

After the lease was signed earlier this week, Mr Furnival hopes it will not be long before Tenterden residents can enjoy the food.

Last month, scaffolding went up at the front of the site as eager staff count down to its first day.

Mr Furnival explained: “With the lease signed, we’re looking to redecorate the inside as soon as possible, and then we’re looking to hire our staff.

“We’ve already got a top-class head chef lined up which we’re really excited about.

“I can’t give a definite opening date, but we’re hoping for the end of November.”

The original Hoof restaurant - pictured here - is just over the border in Rye