What Happened to Arethusa Venture Centre?

June 15, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

When we first moved to Upnor, we’d see kids from the Venture Centre out on the water in their kayaks almost every day, but recently we wondered why that’s no longer the case.

According to the charity that owns the centre, Shaftesbury Young People, Arethusa Venture Centre closed down in 2019 due to lower demand and decreasing margins for the services offered.

We spoke with a representative from Shaftesbury Young People who gave us some insight into why it was closed and we did some digging to find out more information about the closure and what’s planned to take its place.

Arethusa Venture Centre from the outside — *Arethusa Venture Centre in Upnor*

Arethusa Venture Centre’s Closure

Built in 1935, the Arethusa Venture Centre closed its doors for good in 2019, apparently without much warning, but after many slow months of bookings. The charity behind the centre called it quits with a public statement put out on their website which can be viewed here.

Frustratingly (at least for many residents and visitors to Upnor) the public toilets near Upnor Beach were owned by Arethusa and thus are no longer open or accessible which has led to a rash of public fouling.

With that said, some residents welcome the closure as it will bring new development to the area, and for the time-being has reduced traffic and noise.

Auction

There was an auction held by Frederick Andrews Ltd to sell all assets, fixtures and fittings the Arethusa centre owned to raise funds before the sale. 625 lots were listed by Frederick Andrews on easyliveauction.com with the majority sold. For those curious, you can view the items that were up for auction here.

Activities

Popular with schools and local thrill-seekers, the site offered kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and plenty more both with equipment available for rent and with instruction or group classes for institutions like local schools and colleges.

The activity centre had grass pitches, an indoor activity hall, plenty of storage and a jetty to launch small and personal water-craft from, but all are now going unused.

Alternatives to Arethusa

For all of those left high and dry by Arethusa Venture Centre’s closing, we’ve collected the opinions from our more active friends to give you the best options for the water sports and activities that were previously offered by Arethusa.

Kayaking / Canoeing

Canoe Wild – Canterbury
Elveys Canoe – Yalding (near Teapot Island)

Rock Climbing Walls

Swimming Pools

Orienteering Options

All the above have maps available for download from the British Orienteering website here.

What’s planned for the site

The site has been sold for development to an unnamed buyer, but we don’t anticipate much happening for several years. Planning permission on River Medway’s waterfront is notoriously hard to come by, and the listed status of the HMS Arethusa’s figurehead must be taken into account. If the Esquire development in Upper Upnor is any indication, any development plans that disrupt the local residents will be met with strong and vociferous opposition.

We’ll be contacting the previous owners, and looking at the land registry to find more information – if you want to know what we find, join our mailing list here!

Arethusa Figurehead

In January of 2019, the figurehead from the ship Arethusa (from which the activity centre gets its name and stands outside of the centre’s main building) was designated as a Grade II listed structure and as such is guaranteed protection by the government and council. This means that while Arethusa’s buildings and land may change hands, the figurehead (and thus likely the cannons too) will stay put and protected.

Upnor Beach | Medway’s Secret Gem

June 15, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

The village of Upnor lies on the banks of the river Medway and at low tide you’re able to walk along the shore all the way to Hoo Marina. While we suppose Upnor Beach technically is a beach we wouldn’t like to sunbathe there or try to build a sandcastle!

The views are pretty spectacular, but the river banks at Upnor are very muddy and stony which don’t make for a very fun time if you’re looking to do much else but enjoy the scenery.

Upnor beach at sunrise — *Photograph by @rowesk*

Read on to find our top tips for visiting the beach and what to do when you’re here!

The beach is accessible from Lower Upnor and is part of the Saxon Shore Way walking path that runs much of Kent’s coastline. Due to the tide times, however, the full path towards Hoo isn’t accessible for much of the day and requires good timing should you plan on walking to Hoo and back without getting some wet socks!

Upnor beach is 1.6km long before crossing its narrowest point at Cockham Wood Fort – a point which takes roughly 40 minutes to stroll to and back from the start of the path in Lower Upnor.

The only public toilets for miles have been shuttered with the recent closure of the Arethusa Adventure Centre, which owned the land and the toilets which were primarily used by those at the club who were kayaking on the water along Upnor Beach.

If you continue along the road in Lower Upnor, you’ll eventually come across the Upnor Sailing Club. These boats launch from Upnor Beach and sail along the River Medway and beyond.

There are several interesting spots along Upnor Beach which you should keep an eye out for should you walk along our little portion of Saxon Shore Way, including a military pillbox built in 1940 which sadly has slipped from it’s standing on the shoreline to the beach (but makes for an interesting photo). It’s a FW3/22 class box, built to protect the UK from a potential enemy invasion during World War II.

Pillbox at Upnor Beach, Saxon Shore Way — *Photograph courtesy of Edenbridge Fragrances*

Is Upnor Beach dog friendly?

Absolutely! The local pubs may not be (check our updated guide to Upnor’s pubs for the latest information there) but our dogs always have a great time dashing into the water and digging in the silt. We must warn you though that the beach is always muddy, so remember to bring towels for your four legged companions!

Is it recommended for families?

It’s a short walk from the car park, so while we would recommend it for families, it really is a walking beach rather than a pleasure beach. If you’re expecting to make sand castles and get the beach chairs out, you may be sorely disappointed.

Jellyfish in Upnor

You may spot a few jellyfish washed up on Upnor’s beach, especially if we have had a hot summer. These jellyfish are usually the size of a small plate with four rings inside their translucent body and sometimes can blend into the rocks on the beach.

If you want to learn more about Upnor’s jellyfish, make sure to read our article: Should I be worried about Jellyfish in Upnor?

Nearby Attractions

Close to the beach are two pubs, The Pier and The Ship — both serve food, along with Upnor Castle a further 10 minute walk away. The Elizabethan military castle is a fascinating piece of history and highly recommended to visit if you’re in the area. You can find more out about the castle and its history here.

Upnor Beach Parking

There is parking available at a public car park close to Medway Yacht Club, but it is only open for limited periods throughout the day and year for safety and to prevent anti-social behaviour. With the sale of the Arethusa Adventure Centre however, this may change in the future, we’ll keep this page updated with any changes.

Otherwise, there is a free car park in Upper Upnor with limited spaces. However, this means you’ll need to walk to Upnor Beach (about 15 minutes). In addition, there are occasionally spots on the street around Lower Upnor, especially during the day when most people have left the village for work.

When’s the best time to go?

That really depends on the tide, but with a little planning you can walk all the way to Hoo from Upnor with some great views of the Medway river and even the boat graveyard in Hoo.

Check the tide table below to learn more.

51.5, 0.6667

Upnor Esquire Development | The Good & the Bad

June 14, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

Almost two years ago, when we were looking for a place to move to, my partner and I had in mind areas that were quiet and small with an old-school village vibe: a small community in a semi-rural area (ideally with a nice view). We found it in Upnor, but with news of the Esquire Developments in Upper Upnor we decided to take a look into the matter to see what would change about the village we love.

*The planned Esquire Developments in Upnor*

Esquire Developments is planning to build more than 70 new houses in Upper Upnor, with at least 19 ‘affordable’ housing for those with lower incomes. The development site will be behind Castle Street close to the Frog Island Pond and the Tennis Club.

With Upnor Road already busy and rather narrow (not to mention prone to flooding), it seems to us like there may not be adequate infrastructure to build, but plans are going ahead. Medway Council asked for objections to the site and received over 200 complaints from residents with (mostly) valid criticisms, which we’ve tallied up and detailed below.

Upnor Esquire Development complaints

To further understand the concerns we took to Facebook where there are numerous groups either dedicated to ‘Keeping Upnor Green’ or where the development is being discussed, and we scoured the Council’s complaints submissions to detail the most common (legitimate) negative feedback here:

Unsustainable infrastructure: the roads are in poor condition as it is, and traffic around the roundabouts near Medway City Estate and Medway tunnel is often crippling (this is one we can agree with and attest to, the traffic here anywhere near rush hour or when there are car boot fairs is beyond horrific).
The destruction of green field sites: while the land is not protected, resident’s feel part of Upnor’s charm is having the tiny village insulated from Medway City Estate and the busy A-roads by the small amounts of fields and meadows present.
Negative impact on village life: Upnor’s ‘beach’ does get a fair number of tourists every weekend, there are boot fairs throughout the year that clog the roads, and huge littering issues already in Lower Upnor. What was originally a small sailing village is slowly becoming a destination for a day out and with it all of the negative aspects you’d expect: noise, littering, anti-social behaviour — all exceptionally egregious because there is no infrastructure to support it and very little help from the council with such matters. We do feel for those longer term Upnor residents who are seeing this change play out over years, and who may not have decided to move to the village if they knew about the growth of these issues.
Change is bad: while we admit not all change is bad, a lot of the complaints we saw were from those who felt like they secured a special plot of land in an area that was very unlikely to change. Having it almost double the number of residents of Upper Upnor would no doubt change living in Upnor in several ways. We’re sure these complains were just worded poorly, or didn’t define the situation better, but we do acknowledge this is a popular opinion.
A Medway Councillor that approved the development has a financial position in the company Esquire Developments: this does seem unusual, but we couldn’t find more information on what the financial interest was. Does his council pension fund have stock in Esquire or a local real estate index for example, or does he personally own shares? We’ve seen this repeated a lot but not much to substantiate it (if you do have more we’d love to update this, please use the contact form, or email us at hello@upnor.co.uk ).

With that said other residents are welcoming the development which especially thanks to the current health crisis has seen local businesses decimated. Even before the outbreak, local restaurant Powder and Magazine closed down from lack of trade due to the village being far enough out of the way and somewhat expensive for residents of Upnor. As part of the build, the Upper Upnor Esquire Development will increase the number of footpaths and public transport options will increase, and likely so too will the house prices in the area.

Upper Upnor Esquire Development Map with path routes and public transport

The whole area behind Castle street is currently fields, and while there are many more green and wooded areas surrounding and insulating Upnor, a number of more luxury-focused housing will certainly bring more attention and visitors to the small village. Upnor High St, for example, is a quaint historic road and hotspot for photographers and Instagrammers, and along with the castle and pubs, brings enough visitors to fit the car parks in the village every day.

We’re still collecting more information and will keep this post updated as we learn more. If you wanted to sign up to stay on top of the latest Upnor news including the Upnor Esquire Development do sign up to our mailing list — we email no more than once a month!

If you’re still wanting to move to the village, make sure to check out our article on finding Upnor houses for sale.

Your trip to Upnor Castle | Make it memorable

June 12, 2020 by admin 2 Comments

Upnor Castle is a secret treasure that should be discovered! While many people know about Rochester Castle, few know to visit Upnor Castle.

Here’s everything you need to know to have a great visit to Upnor Castle.

How to get to here

The castle is tucked away along the banks of the River Medway, so it can be difficult to see from the road. Many people drive by the area without realising the castle is nearby.

You’ll need to enter the village of Upnor, specifically Upper Upnor, to gain access to the castle.

The closet train station to the castle is Strood (with Rochester being the next closest), although they are not within walking distance to the castle.

Parking near Upnor Castle

Do not put ‘Upnor Castle’ into your phone or GPS and drive directly to it! There are several roads that are almost impossible to turn on or reverse out of.

The castle itself does not have a car park or a coach parking area.

Instead, the best place to park is a free car park in Upper Upnor at the start of the High Sreet. This is really the only place to park when visiting the castle and the local pubs. It can get quite busy on the weekend and during the summer months, so make sure to plan ahead.

The other option is to park in Lower Upnor and walk over to the castle. Typically the walk wouldn’t be more than 15 minutes so it’s a good back-up plan for parking.

Upnor Castle opening times

Run by English Heritage, Upnor Castle is open every April to October before closing for the winter. To get the most up-to-date opening times, make sure to check their website before your visit.

We would recommend visiting the castle in the morning, then getting some lunch at a local pub. This makes for a great day out!

Entry prices to Upnor Castle

Below are the available ticket types and their corresponding price without a donation.

Ticket Type	Without Donation
Adult	£7
Child (5-17 years)	£3.50
Concession	£5
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children)	£17.50
English Heritage Member	Free

If you’re interested in visiting various English Heritage sites, the membership is well-worth the price. You’ll receive free entry to the castle as a Member, as well as local attractions like Rochester Castle, Dover Castle, Eynsford Castle and Temple Manor.

There are hundreds of English Heritage sites all over the country, as well. There’s no shortage of castles, stately homes and attractions to make the most of your membership.

If you do visit various English Heritage sites without a membership, the admission prices can really start to add up.

Pubs near Upnor Castle

There is no restaurant or cafe located at the castle, but you can buy small snacks, sandwiches and ice cream on the grounds. If you’re looking for something more to eat, either before your time at the castle or afterwards, there are four pubs near Upnor Castle, all of which serve food.

Make sure to check out our in-depth guide on all the pubs in Upnor for more details. They’re great to visit even if you’re not visiting the castle as well.

The closet pub to the castle is the extremely popular Tudor Rose, only steps from the castle’s entrance. The Tudor Rose is family-friendly and offers a variety of snacks, meals and drinks for reasonable prices.

All four pubs in Upnor also have garden seating which is a wonderful option in the summer months.

Restaurants near Upnor Castle

Need a restaurant near Upnor Castle? Unfortunately, you won’t have many to choose from. Aside from Upnor’s pubs, the village only has one restaurant:Coelho’s Picados & Skewer House. You’ll find Coelho’s in Lower Upnor, in the building that once housed Powder and Magazine. From Upnor Castle in Upper Upnor, it’s about a 10 minute walk to the restaurant in Lower Upnor.

This restaurant in Upnor has only recently opened, so time will tell if it remains in the village.

Want to learn more about restaurants in Upnor? Make sure to check out our post: Powder and Magazine – what happened?

If you’re not interested in Coelho’s, you’ll need to leave Upnor to find more restaurants. Thankfully, Rochester High St. is a short drive away and has numerous high-rated restaurants. Personally, we recommend trying The Cheese Room Botanicals on the High Street (60 High Street, Rochester ME1 1JY). Formally known as Smoke & Liquor, this restaurant always has interesting food and drink to try. Plus, the building itself is really interesting and cozy.

Rochester High Street also has various car parks you can use, should you drive over from Upnor Castle or anywhere else.

How long should you visit Upnor Castle

Currently, Upnor Castle Medway has a TripAdvisor score of 4 out of 5. Most visitors recommend spending about 1-2 hours at the castle. If you bring a packed lunch, you could easily spend more time among the castle grounds and wandering around the local footpaths among the scenic fields and river shores.

While it may not be as exciting as other Kent castles such as Rochester Castle or Dover Castle, Upnor Castle is still well worth a visit for its integral part of Medway history and incredible views.

It’s also worth spending some time discovering Upnor Village and the historical cobblestone streets near the castle.

Is Upnor Castle dog friendly?

Unfortunately, Upnor Castle is not dog friendly. While assistance dogs are allowed within the castle walls, all other dogs are not.

If you’re looking for a dog-friendly day out in the area, there are some lovely walking trails around Upnor village. Dogs are also allowed on Upnor Beach, in Lower Upnor, that would better suit your needs.

Who owns Upnor Castle?

During its history, Upnor Castle was very much an active military site.

However, at the end of the war in 1945, the Admiralty gave approval for Upnor Castle to be used as a Departmental Museum. It was at this point, finally opened to the public.

Upnor Castle underwent a various levels of restoration and the castle was scheduled as an Ancient Monument in January 1960. Currently, Upnor Castle is managed by English Heritage and remains part of the Crown Estate.

The history at Upnor Castle

This beautifully preserved castle is set along the Medway River and the village of Upnor. The castle boasts a rare example of an Elizabethan artillery fort. The castle construction begun in 1559 and redeveloped in 1599-1601, to protect warships moored at Chatham dockyards.

However, the castle failed its duty in 1667 when the Dutch sailed past it to burn or capture the English fleet at anchor.

The historic importance of Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle Weddings

The castle can be hired for wedding ceremonies lasting about 30 minutes in the Upper Magazine. However, the castle is still open to the public during this time (3.5 hours for the hire). English Heritage will also hand out free audios to visitors an hour before the ceremony starts.

Important details about weddings at Upnor Castle:

Accommodates: 80 people seated and 20 standing. Upnor Castle is a ceremony only venue.

Features: The venue has a river view and beautiful gardens.

Parking: Local pay and display car parks a short walk away.

Gardens: Yes

Accessibility: The castle has lots of steps throughout and is not wheelchair friendly.

Upnor Castle Halloween

Each year, various local groups hold events during Halloween at the castle. These may include a heritage trail for young children, or making your own Halloween crafts at the castle.

Explore Kent is a great resource to check each Halloween for local activities, both at the castle and in the community.

Upnor Castle House, Kent

Behind the historical castle seats and beautiful Georgian fronted country house, commonly called Upnor Castle House.

Not only is it within the castle grounds and overlooking the Medway River, but it also comes with a swimming pool, grass tennis court and 5-acre walled garden.

Originally built in mid-17th century, Upnor Castle House was accommodation for the Storekeeper, the officer in charge of the magazine. Expanded in the 18th century, it is now a private residence.

Looking for a place to stay in Upnor? While the Upnor Castle House is a private home, they do offer a rental property in the castle grounds.

Currently called “The Stables,” this small holiday home is available for rentals within the Upnor Castle House grounds. This historical building has two bedrooms and can house up to 4 people looking for a beautiful getaway.

Upnor Castle Open Air Theatre

For those looking for something exciting to do in the area, Upnor Castle hosts a unique open air theatre produced by Changeling Theatre.

Founded in 1997, Changeling Theatre works to to produce high quality, entertaining theatre in non-traditional locations across South East England. Upnor Castle is one of their many locations.

They also create site-specific performances in locations such as Chatham Dockyard, Dover Castle and Maidstone Football Ground.

Walks near Upnor Castle

There are numerous hikes and walks near Upnor Castle that make for a wonderful afternoon out. After visiting the castle, you can easily walk up the High Street in Upper Upnor, down into Lower Upper and along the stoney beach.

One circular route is nearly 5 miles but includes wonderful views along the shoreline and nearby woodland.

Upnor Walk — 5 mile route from Upper Upnor, along Upnor Beach, through Hoo and back to Upnor.

While there are some inclines around Upnor, most of the paths and walkways are fairly flat, making it perfect for easy walks, runs or cycling.

Should I visit Upnor Castle?

If you have any interest in castles, history or architecture, Upnor Castle is a must-see. It’s a hidden gem tucked away in Upnor that many people don’t even realise it’s there. While it’s not as big as other castles around Kent, it certainly has it’s own charm and history.

Visiting the castle, surrounding village and a local pub is a great day out in Kent.

Covid-19 update

Currently, Upnor Castle is closed to visitors during Covid-19. Once English Heritage has deemed it safe to the public to re-open, they will issue a notice across their social media and website.

The Best 4 Upnor Pubs | Where to get a pint

June 11, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Upnor is a beautiful and secluded village tucked away just minutes from bustling Rochester. Upnor’s many pubs are wonderful to visit for afternoon lunch, a pint after a nearby walk or a hearty dinner.

Here are the best Upnor pubs plus everything you need to know about each one.

The Tudor Rose, Upnor

The Tudor Rose is one of our favourites and is located just steps from Upnor Castle. The building itself is beautiful with a cosy fireplace and historic wooden beams along the ceiling.

The Tudor Rose always has friendly staff and great home-cooked pub food – our personal favourite is their battered fish and chips. As a Shepherd Neame pub, this historic pub has numerous ales, ciders and a variety of other drinks on-hand. It always has a welcoming atmosphere and a pint ready for you.

While The Tudor Rose does not have its own car park, there is a free village car park about a 1-minute walk away. Since the car park is used for the castle and Upper Upnor, it can easily fill up quickly.

Important Features at the Tudor Rose:

Family friendly
Serves lunch & dinner
Large pub garden in the back
Steps away from Upnor Castle
Beautiful fireplace & historic building
Shepherd Neame pub

The Tudor Rose has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with nearly 600 reviews. Incredibly, this pub is listed as #1 of 85 restaurants in Rochester. These reviews truly speak for themselves!

It’s no surprise that The Tudor Rose is worth a visit. We would definitely recommend trying out the pub before or after your visit to Upnor Castle. We love the Tudor Rose (and Upnor’s other pubs) so much that we’ve included it in our list: What to do in Upnor (as told by locals)!

Opening times

Monday – Saturday: 12:00 – 23:00
Sunday: 12:00 – 20:00

Food serving times

Monday – Saturday: 12:00 – 15:00, 18:00 – 21:00
Sunday: 12:00 – 16:00

To keep in touch, make sure to check out Tudor Rose across social media:

The Kings Arms, Upnor

Just up the street from The Tudor Rose in Upper Upnor is The Kings Arms. If you’re looking for unique pints, this is the place to go in Upnor. You’ll find real ale here and there’s no shortage of new beers to try. Out of all the pubs in Upnor, The Kings Arms is the best for beer.

Just like the Tudor Rose, The Kings Arms does not have a dedicated car park. However, the pub is only steps away from a free car park used for Upper Upnor. The car park can fill up quite quickly, so make sure to plan ahead on busier days.

Important Features:

Real ale available
Serves lunch & dinner
Large pub garden in the back
Holds frequent events, live music & parties

The Kings Arms has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trip Advisor with about 270 reviews and is listed as the 10th restaurant in Rochester. It’s certainly a crowd favourite, especially for their ales and live events.

Opening times

Monday – Saturday: 11:30 – 24:00
Sunday: 12.00 – 24:00

It’s also worth noting that The Kings Arms stays open the latest out of all the pubs in Upnor. All weekend, the pub shuts at midnight, while others close around 11:00 pm. If you want a late night out, The Kings Arms is your best (and only) option.

Food serving times

Monday to Saturday

Lunch – 12:00 – 14:30
Dinner – 18:00 – 21:00
Sunday – 12:00 – 17:00

To stay up-to-date with The Kings Arms, you can follow them on social media:

The Ship, Upnor

The first pub you’ll spot in Lower Upnor is The Ship. The Ship Tavern is a beautiful historic building just across the road from the River Medway. The Ship also has an extremely long back garden with picnic tables, plus a few seats outside the front of the pub alongside the river. It makes for a wonderful afternoon out to have a pint overlooking the river in the summer.

If you want to enjoy the river views along with your pint or meal, The Ship is the best option.

The Ship Pub in Upnor — *The Ship, Lower Upnor*

The Ship is famous for a traditional Sunday roast and other great food. With a new chef, The Ship is easily full for Sunday lunch so make sure to call ahead!

The Ship does have a few parking spaces available for customers in front of the pub. However, if those are full, you’ll need to either park at a free car park at the end of the village, or find a space in the nearby neighbourhood.

Important Features:

Real ale
Family friendly
Serves lunch & dinner
Large pub garden in the back
River-side seating in front of the pub
Very small dedicated car park
Live music events

As like the other two pubs, The Ship has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Trip Advisor with about 270 reviews. It’s also listed as the #3 of 17 bars in Rochester and #16 of 85 restaurants in Rochester.

The Ship is definitely a local-favourite with very loyal customers.

Opening times

Monday to Sunday: 12:00 to 11pm

If you want to keep in touch with The Ship, make sure to check them out on Facebook.

The Pier, Upnor

Just past The Ship in Lower Upnor, you’ll come across The Pier, the final pub in Upnor.

While it doesn’t have a back beer garden, The Pier does have some tables out front that overlook the Medway River. However, it does feel like you’re eating in a car park.

The Pier in Upnor — *The Pier, Lower Upnor*

Important Features:

Outdoor seating in front of the pub
Serves lunch & dinner
Pool table
River-side view
Real ale
Family-friendly
Live music & events

Out of all the Upnor pubs, The Pier has the lowest Trip Advisor score of 3.5 out of 5 with only 173 reviews. It’s also listed as #13 of 17 bars in Rochester and #43 of 85 restaurants in Rochester. It’s not the top of the lists, but it’s worth a visit if you find yourself in the area – or after a nice walk along Upnor’s beach.

Of the two pubs in Lower Upnor, The Pier has the widest selection of beer as well as a pool table and darts board.

Opening times

Monday to Sunday: 12:00 – 23:30

Want to stay in touch with the pub? Make sure to follow The Pier on Facebook

As mentioned before, The Kings Arms in Upper Upnor is the only pub in the village that is open until midnight during the weekend. Both pubs in Lower Upnor are closed by 11:30 pm.

Restaurants in Upnor

Upnor used to be home to the restaurant Powder and Magazine which recently closed down. In its place we now have Coelho’s Picados & Skewer House instead! This Portuguese restaurant only just opened in Upnor so it will take some time before we better understand its popularity in the village.

For more details, check out Coelho’s Picados & Skewer House on Facebook.

If you don’t want to visit Coelho’s, you’ll need to leave Upnor village for more restaurant options. Thankfully, Rochester is just a short drive away and has lots of great restaurants (and car parks). If you’re not sure which to pick, we recommend walking up the High Street and trying any one of the options available. Or there are a few takeaway options that deliver to Upnor.

However, if you really want to stay in Upnor, you’ll need to chose between Upnor’s 4 pubs or its one restaurant.

Covid-19 Update for Upnor Pubs

Legally, pubs could not operate as normal during Covid-19. However, all pubs in Upnor (minus The Pier) did their best to provide some level of takeaway service during that time. The Kings Arms has even opened its own little shop for some groceries and household items.

Currently, Upnor pubs are open for business although certain practices have changed. Customers are encouraged to social distance as best they can when visiting the pubs and to sanitise their hands often.

If you’re interested in takeaway from a pub in Upnor or want to visit, make sure to contact the pub directly. They will be able to give you the most up-to-date details on the services they are providing.