Living in Upnor

Upnor shops | What’s available in the village (and nearby)

November 10, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Upnor is a quiet and quant village along the banks of the river Medway. While it does have a High Street, there is very little in the way of Upnor shops. So what is actually available to buy (or browse) in Upnor?

Upnor Shops

Technically, Upnor has no traditional shops. The village does not have a corner store, Off-License or Post Office, either.

Currently Upnor has four distinct pubs which all offer food as well. If you want more details, make sure to check out our post: “The Best 4 Upnor Pubs | Where to get a pint“

During Covid-19, the Kings Arms has been hosting a small shop within the pub, to help residents get the food they need. While this shop may not continue for long, it’s still extremely helpful when regular local shops are shut.

Upnor shops — The Kings Arms currently has the “Village Store” for Upnor residents

Upnor is also home to a new restaurant called “Coelho’s Picados & Skewer House” This Portuguese restaurant has taken the spot of Powder and Magazine, which closed in early 2020.

There is also a small gift shop in Upnor Castle, but that is closed during England’s second lockdown. For more details on when the castle will open (or details for planning your next visit), make sure to check out our article: “Your trip to Upnor Castle | Make it memorable“

Closest shops to Upnor

In terms of takeaways that serve Upnor, there’s actually quite a few great options. You can find details on our article: “The Best Takeaways in Upnor“

Co-Op

There are two Co-Ops quite close to Upnor village. One is part of the petrol station at the entrance to Medway City Estate. While it’s small, it still has the necessities available like milk, eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables. You can also get a small selection of alcohol, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

There is also a larger Co-Op in Wainscott, just down the road from Upnor. You’ll find more selection from this particular Co-Op without having to travel too far from the village. It’s typically open from 6am until 10pm most days, but make sure to check before visiting as there are changes due to Covid-19.

Often missed, there is a tiny Co-Op location at Chatham’s Dockside, tucked away near the Ship and trades pub. Of course, there is little selection here but it’s helpful to know that it’s there.

Medway City Estate Co-Op address: Anthonys Way, Rochester ME2 4DW

Wainscott Co-Cop address: 4 Wainscott Road, Wainscott, Rochester ME2 4LB

Dockside Co-Op address: Ships and Trades, Maritime Way, St Mary’s Island, Chatham ME4 3ER

Tesco

There are two Tesco locations fairly close to Upnor – one Tesco Express and one Tesco Superstore. Naturally, the Express location will have a small selection of items while the Superstore is much more suited for a larger shop. However, you’ll need to travel into Strood to get to the Tesco Superstore.

Tesco Express address: Frindsbury Road, Rochester ME2 4JD

Tesco Superstore address: Charles Street, Rochester ME2 2DE

ASDA

There is a nearby ASDA Superstore and petrol station across the river in Gillingham. Depending on the time of day, this shop might be quicker to get to instead of driving into Strood.

ASDA Superstore address: Pier Road, Pier Approach Road, Gillingham ME7 1RZ

Chatham Dockyard

Across the river from Upnor is Chatham Dockyard and Chatham’s Dockside. The Dockyard is a great historical experience and a fun trip out for the whole family (currently closed until 2021).

Just down the road from the Dockyard is Chatham Dockside which has a few restaurants and fast-food locations, but not much in the way of groceries.

However there are some good shops here and it’s just a short drive from Upnor.

Notable shops at Chatham Dockside:

Clarks Outlet
Choice
Peacocks
The Range
Poundstretcher
ProCook
M&S Outlet

For food at Dockside, there is:

Burger King
Villagio
Starbucks
Taco Bell
Nandos
Pizza Hut
The Broadwick
Creams Cafe
Fireaway

Upnor Shops and the surrounding area

While there isn’t too much selection within Upnor itself, there are a lot of shops, resultants, pubs and takeaways that are nearby or at least service Upnor village. As locals, we definitely recommend Upnor’s pubs but you’ll need to leave the village for your weekly food shop or if you’re interested in shopping for clothing, gifts or other items.

Upnor houses for sale | So you want to move to Upnor

September 4, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Finding Upnor houses for sale, or properties to rent, is extremely competitive. Upnor village is incredibly small so houses rarely come on the market.

Here are the best places to find Upnor houses for sale, or Upnor flats to rent.

How to find Upnor houses for sale

Rightmove

A personal favourite moving or rental website is Rightmove. For Upnor, there are hardly any places listed currently, but it’s always a good site to check first. It’s also helpful to check the “map” section on Rightmove, as some properties will actually be in Rochester rather than Upnor village.

Zoopla

Another popular website for properties is Zoopla. We would recommend checking them out for Upnor houses for sale, along with possible rental properties as well.

Prime Location

We find that Prime Location doesn’t usually have the same amount of properties listed, but still important to check quickly. Upnor properties are particularly difficult to find, but should be listed with Prime Location.

Your Move

Another popular website for rentals and properties for sale in Upnor is Your Move. This website has a particularly useful map option to help you visualise where the properties are actually located. Like mentioned before, make sure to double-check the addresses of the properties you’re looking at. Many listings show “Rochester” but may be in Rochester proper or Upnor village.

On the Market

While not the most popular choice for finding houses for sale in Upnor, On the Market should still have a few listings. It’s likely that you’ll have already seen this on places like Zoopla or Rightmore.

Wards

Formally Wards & Partners, Ward is another option when looking for rentals and properties for sale in Upnor. Naturally, they will only show properties that Wards is listing, rather than all available places in the village. We would recommend sticking to websites like Rightmove in order to get all available properties in Upnor.

Robinson-Jackson

Similar to Wards, you could also check Robinson-Jackson’s website to Upnor listings. As expected, they will only showcase the properties in Upnor that they are associated with, so you will not see all available homes.

Houses For Sale & To Rent

Another option is to check Houses for Sale & To Rent for Upnor homes. While not as extensive as other websites, it’s still important to check various sites in case any property is missed.

upnor houses for sale — Many of Upnor’s homes are within walking distance to the Medway River and the many boats that sail along it

House prices in Upnor

According to RightMove, in the last year properties in Upnor had an overall average price of £349,000.

Most of the sales in Upnor during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £330,800. Detached properties sold for an average of £395,800, with terraced properties getting £300,000.

Overall, sold prices in Upnor over the last year were 7% up on the previous year and 7% down on the 2016 peak of £375,900.

Looking to move to Upnor?

Before you move to Upnor, make sure to familiarise yourself with the village! Below are some useful articles about Upnor and the surrounding area.

Wondering if your favourite takeaway delivers to Upnor? Find out here: The Best Takeaways in Upnor

Upnor is filled with wonderful walks and running routes to get your outside: 4 Upnor Walks & Scenic Routes

Not sure what to do in Upnor? Here’s our favourites: What to do in Upnor (as told by locals)

Did you know Upnor has its own beach? Upnor Beach | Medway’s Secret Gem

Check out Upnor’s pubs: The Best 4 Upnor Pubs | Where to get a pint

Make sure to visit Upnor Castle: Your trip to Upnor Castle | Make it memorable

What is the Upnor Residents Association?

August 18, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

Trying to find out more about the Upnor Residents Association? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s all information available about the Upnor Residents Association.

What is the Upnor Residents Association?

The Upnor Residents Association was a group of local residents who met to discuss village issues, developments, businesses and other matters. They used to run the Upnor Residents Association website which seems to have been dormant since 2010.

You can read past newsletters, village updates and general Upnor news on the website, but don’t expect any recent posts. But all accounts, it seems that the website, along with the association, is no longer active online.

Who is part of the Upnor Residents Association?

The Upnor Residents Association used to be comprised of a secretary, chairman and five local street representatives. You can find the previous residents on their old website, however it’s unclear whether this information has been updated for 2020. The most recent posts on the website are from 2010, so it’s unlikely these residents are still active in the association.

It’s also unclear if the Upnor Residents Association itself has disbanded or is still active. By the looks of things, it seems that it has stopped running.

Get involved with Upnor

There’s a couple ways you can get involved with Upnor – whether to meet new people or be involved with the area’s council.

Upnor Village Facebook Groups

Want to find other ways to connect with Upnor residents? A few easy options are Facebook groups! They’re free to join, easy to access and help you get involved in the village.

Currently there is one main Facebook group: Upnor Village Appreciation Group <3 This group currently has over 600 members and typically has active members. You don’t need to live in the village to join this group, either, as it’s open to anyone who enjoys the village.

Another option is Upnor Community Group with over 300 members. While this group is half the size, it’s a private group solely for Upnor residents.

If you want to support local Upnor initiatives, you can check out Keep Upnor Green with over 600 members dedicated to campaign against housing developments in the village. Want to learn more? Check out our article: Esquire Development in Upnor | The Good & the Bad

Local council

If you want to get involved in Upnor, the Frindsbury Extra Parish Council is a good place to start. The parish is part of the Medway Council and includes areas like Upnor and Wainscott, plus other outlying settlements and Medway City Estate. Getting involved with the local council is a great way to better understand what’s happening in your area and how you can help.

The Best Takeaways in Upnor

August 17, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for takeaways in Upnor, you’re come to the right place! As Upnor residents, here are the best takeaways in Upnor (in our opinion).

Best food in Upnor

If you’re not familiar with the village, it’s good to know that Upnor is home to four historical pubs and one restaurant. There are two pubs in Lower Upnor (the Ship and the Pier) along with the Kings Arms and the Tudor Rose in Upper Upnor. You can find Upnor’s only restaurant in Lower Upnor “Coelho’s Picados & Skewer House” a new addition to the village.

So far, some of these pubs offer some kind of takeaway service, at least during Covid-19 restrictions. Many had to change their businesses to get through Covid-19 but it’s unclear if the Upnor pubs will continue to offer these type of services when business gets back to normal.

Thankfully, if they don’t continue to offer takeaway services, there are plenty of restaurants and takeaway that serve Upnor. Make sure to check if your favourite takeaway services Upnor before moving to the village!

Best takeaways in Upnor

Aside from the pubs and restaurant, there are no typical “fast food” options or takeaways within the village itself. However, there are tons of places that will deliver to Upnor.

Uber Eats

Uber Eats will typically deliver to Upnor, from businesses like McDonalds, KFC, Creams Cafe, Taco Bell and Subway. If you’re looking for traditional fast food, Uber Eats is certainly a viable option. However, there’s not too much choice.

Keep in mind that Uber Eats will not deliver at all times during the day and some days there are no available drivers for deliveries. We’ve had instances where we’ve placed an order, waited, only for it to be cancelled hours later because there was no one available to deliver the order. Just something to keep in mind before you order!

Looking for an Uber Eats discount? Try using eats-uberrowesk for £15 off your first order! Every bit helps.

Just Eat

Our personal favourite for takeaways in Upnor is using Just Eat. They are reliable, affordable, easy and quick! There are numerous takeaways and restaurants listed on Just Eat that will deliver to Upnor (although many charge a delivery fee).

There’s something wonderful about ordering a Chinese takeaway after a long day at work. Our personal favourites on Just Eat are: Peking Express, Orchid Gardens and Ken’s Garden. Unlike Uber Eats, we’ve never had a Just Eat order go missing or never delivered. While the food quality can differ sometimes, overall it’s been great and convenient.

Best takeaways in Upnor — A typical order from Ken’s Garden – crispy shredded beef and lemon chicken

Some of the top rated takeaways that serve Upnor include:

Dos Amigos Sombreros – It’s so rare to find good Mexican food in the UK, but Dos Amigos Sombreros is a great option. Not only does it deliver to Upnor, they make authentic Mexican food like fajitas, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas and lots more. They will only deliver when orders are £10 or more, but they don’t charge a delivery fee. In the mood for Mexican? This takeaway is a must-try.

Istanbul Flames – Another highly rated takeaway option is Istanbul Flames, with over 1400 reviews on Just Eat. You’ll find tasty burgers, pizza, and kababs with a delivery fee of just £1.

Sometimes after having a few pints at the local Upnor pubs, you could really do with a kabab.

Best local pizza in Upnor

Unfortunately there are no pizza shops in Upnor, but there are a few great pizza places that will deliver. Personally, we recommend Papa John’s in Strood. Their website is incredibly user-friendly and easy to order with, plus they can deliver to Upnor in no time at all. If you’re willing to drive, you can also collect your pizza order from Papa John’s as it’s only a few minutes drive from Upnor.

Want to learn more about local food, shops and businesses? Check out our article: Upnor Shops | What’s available in the village (and nearby)

Upnor Taxis | Best way travel to Upnor

August 15, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Unfortunately Upnor isn’t known for its public transport. For those visiting Upnor (or residents going out for the night) you’ll probably need to use a taxi.

Currently, there are no Upnor taxis in the village, but there are numerous local taxis that serve the village. Here are details on Upnor taxis and how best to get to and from the village. It’s helpful to keep these numbers stored on your phone!

ABC Taxi

ABC Taxi has been around for around 20 years so it’s a well-known taxi service. This particular taxi services Chatham, Gillingham, Maidstone, Rochester (including Upnor) and Faversham and operate 24-hours.

They also have options for school run, short term and long term contracts and airport transfers.

If you’re interested in visiting places like Upnor Castle or Upnor Beach but don’t drive, using a taxi is the next best option.

ABC Taxi number: 01634 840 840

For more details, visit ABC Taxi website.

Vokes Taxis

Another common local taxi service is Vokes. They also have a new app that you can use to book a taxi from your phone. Vokes services areas like Chatham, Rochester, Upnor, Gillingham, Strood, Rainham, Cuxton, Hoo, Hempsted and Walderslade and operate on a 24-hour schedule. They also service the local airports.

Vokes Taxi number: 01634 22 22 22

Fore more information on this taxi service, visit Vokes Taxis.

Strood Cabs

Another local taxi service is Strood Cabs, but there’s actually not a lot of information about them available. We personally have never used them, but it could still be helpful to have their number in case you need it. Like the other services, you can use Strood Cabs for the local airports, school runs, and opener 24/7 in the Medway area.

Strood Cabs number: 01634 710001

For details, check out Strood Cabs’ website.

Medway Uber

As with most areas in England, Uber is a great option for affordable transport. We recommend having the Uber app downloaded onto your mobile with your details saved for the next time you need to use them.

When using the app, simply plug in your current address and where you want to go, and the app will show you drivers in the area. The app will connect you with a driver, give you an estimated time of their arrival, what car they are driving and the estimated cost for your trip.

Overall, Uber is extremely user-friendly. It also means that you don’t need to pay the driver in cash as it will be done through the app. This is incredibly helpful for those who don’t carry cash with them. Unfortunately Upnor can be difficult to get to, so using Uber is a great option.

Should I be worried about Jellyfish in Upnor?

August 2, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

If you’ve visited Upnor’s beach along the River Medway, you might have spotted some jellyfish along the stony beach. Should these be avoided? Is Upnor Beach safe? Find out everything you need to know about the jellyfish in Upnor.

Why are there jellyfish in Upnor?

Whenever we have a hot summer, the increased water temperatures means more marine life, including jellyfish. This also means you’ll have a much greater chance of seeing a jellyfish in the area, especially when the tides come in.

These jellyfish will simply wash-up on Upnor’s beach during the summer months. It’s easy to miss them because they are translucent and often blend in with the rocks and stones on the beach.

If you find any jellyfish, it’s recommend not to touch them, even if they wash up on shore. Some dead jellyfish can still cause a nasty sting.

Where can we find jellyfish in Upnor?

Upnor’s stoney beach is a common spot for jellyfish to wash up on when it’s been a hot summer. As the River Medway gets hotter, more jellyfish can breed and grow. However, this shouldn’t discourage you from visiting Upnor’s quiet beach. It’s best to keep an eye on the stones before you set up your beach chair so you can avoid any washed-up jellies. You may also spot other sea-life, like crabs along the beach.

What kind of jellyfish are in Upnor?

We believe that the jellyfish washing up on Upnor shores are moon jellyfish. Thankfully, this type of jellyfish does not sting or cause any harm.

The moon jellyfish (or moon jelly) is the most common species in the UK and commonly wash up on the shore. This type of jelly is about the size of a dinner plate and is recognisable by four circular rings inside it’s translucent bell-shaped body.

You’ll typically see these jellies floating just below the surface of the water. Jellyfish are 95% water and have no brain, blood or heart.

What to do if you’re stung by a jellyfish

If you ever stung by a jellyfish, you can typically do some basic first-aid care to minimise the sting:

Using tweezers, carefully pluck visible tentacles out of the skin
Soak the skin in hot water (it should feel hot but not scalding). Keep the affected skin immersed or in a hot shower for 20- 45 minutes.

When dealing with a jellyfish sting, here are some unhelpful or unproven actions to avoid:

Scraping out stingers
Rinsing with seawater
Rinsing with human urine
Applying meat tenderizer
Applying alcohol, ethanol or ammonia
Rubbing with a towel

Typically jellyfish stings do not require medical care, but if you find that your sting is severe or you may be having an allergic reaction to it, speaking with your healthcare professional is a good option.

Thankfully, the type of jellyfish that wash up on Upnor’s beach are not dangerous, but it’s still important to avoid touching them if you can.