PLOUGH Pub of Broomfield (Canterbury)

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Thursday, 16 March, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1835-

Plough

Open 2023+

36 Margate Road

Hunters Forstal

Broomfield

https://whatpub.com/plough-inn

Above photo 17 September 1921, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo 1924, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above drawing circa 1972, kindly sent by Susan Northrop.

Above photo 2013.

Above photo 2015 by Chris Whippet Creative Commons Licence.

Above sign 1987.

Above sign left July 1992. Sign right, 2013.

Above with thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

The pub can be traced back to 1835 where it appeared in the Herne Rate Book. It was identified as a Beer House.

By 1850 the house was supplied by Delmar and Co brewery, Canterbury.

On the 8th of May 1945, licensee George Albert Tilley organised a V.E. day party and raised £15. (In those days, not to be sneezed at.)

The license of the "Red Lion" St. James' Street was transferred here in February 1959 when that pub was demolished. This pub is obviously a lot older than that, so why the license had to be transferred, I do not know, unless it had lost its license previous to 1959.

I have seen this also addressed as in Hunter's Forstal.

Kent Herald, 5 September, 1972.

The Pub with a Golf Club.

Members of the Plough Inn Golfing Society (PIGS) from Broomfield, who held their autumn meeting at Canterbury Golf Club on Wednesday.

One of the few public houses in the South-East to have a fully paid up golfing society must be the "Plough Inn" at Broomfield, Herne Bay.

And it all began because women customers got fed up with the golfing chat of their husbands in the bar.

Said licensee Mr. Friend Kitchener:- "There was so much golf yattering in the bar that the ladies got cheesed off with it. They reckoned they were just as good and challenged us to a match.

And the Plough Inn Golfing Society just develop from that. Now we have members who played for all sorts of clubs around East Kent.

Mr. Kitchener himself is a golfer of no mean stature, having a nice 7 handicap. "It used to be 4, said 53-year-old Mr. Kitchener, "but lately I don't seem to be hitting the ball so far. Although I recently had a lesson with Ken Redwood at Canterbury Golf Club and he has added 20 yards to my drive. But all that has done is to increase my problem - I don't know what club to take for my second shot.

The society - which has 54 members - has played a number of matches, most of them with satisfactory results.

This year they have played twice against Herne Bay Golf Club, winning one and losing one, and have beaten Chestfield Golf Club and the "Long Reach Tavern," Whitstable.

On Wednesday, the society held its "domestic autumn meeting" at Canterbury Scotland Hills Course.

The major trophy the Efford Pot, was won by Keith Breading, who plays at Chestfield with Terry Rose (Canterbury) the runner up. The ladies prize was won by Miss Kim Ison, of Herne Bay.

Other prizes were won by:- Men's best first nine, Harold Hatt (Westgate G. C.); last nine, Graham Lennox (Chestfield); women's best first nine, Mrs L. E. Kitchener; last nine, Mrs. M. Gerard (Chestfield). The prizes were presented by the society secretary, Mr. S. Gerrard. Now the members are looking ahead to an even more successful year and plan to hold both spring and autumn meetings.

The society secretary, Mr. S. Gerrard, Presents the Efford Pot to the winner, Mr. Keith Reading.

Kent Herald, September 12th, 1972.

Plough In Golfing Society.

The licensee of the "Plough Inn," Broomfield, is Mr. R. J. (Dick) Rose, and not Mr. F. G. Kitchener, as reported in our report on the Plough Inn Golfing Society last week. Mr. Kitchener is, in fact, captain of the society and Mr. S. Gerrard, who presented the awards, is the president, the Secretary is Mrs. L. E. Kitchener.

Above showing their symbol. Plough Inn Golf Society.

Whitbread News, December 1972.

Pub forms I golf society.

When customers at the "Plough Inn," a Whitbread family house at Broomfield, Herne Bay, decided to form a Golf Society in January of 1972 they did not quite realise just how fast the society with grow.

Well in just a few months the enthusiasm generated was so great that the society now has its own tie which has a golden plough with the initials P.I.G.S. in the background. They organise fixtures locally and so far have completed in at least six.

The recent autumn meeting was held at Canterbury Golf Club and was a great success. Afterwards members adjourned to the "Plough" to wither celebrate their good fortune or bemoan their bad luck. In any event the good beer soon had both winners and losers in an excellent frame of mind.

Landlord of The Plough is Dick Rose also a golf fanatic.

Photograph shows:- Left to right:- Mr. David Cobb, Fred Kitchener (captain,) Mr. David Cobb (a Tide Trade Director, Whitbread Fremlins), Lucy Kitchener (Secretary), Stan Gerrard (Chairman), Jeff Brearley (Vice Captain), Nell Rose and Dick Rose (Licensees).

Herne Bay Press - Friday 2 November 1973.

Mower for Publican.

Publican Mr. Richard Rose, of the "Plough Inn," Broomfield, may find he has an extra job on Saturday afternoons - thanks to the skill of his wife Nellie in winning a lawnmower in a competition.

Mrs. Rose was presented with her prize on Tuesday at Neale's wallpaper and paint store, Herne Bay by Mr. Roy Edwards, the shop's new owner.

To win the competition Mrs. Rose had to list in order of importance garden implements ranging from a lawnmower to a flamethrower - she got every one right - and wrote a slogan.

Mrs. Nelly Bean is congratulated on winning the electric lawn mower by Mr. Roy Edwards with (left) Mr. Jeffrey Danton, the Crown Paints area sales manager, and Mr. Howard Broadway the territory salesman.

Herne Bay Press, 17 May, 1974.

Ladies Beat the Men.

For the first time in the three years since the matches starting, the ladies of the "Plough Inn Golfing Society" beat the man by three matters to 1, with one halved.

The reversal in fortunes came in the match at Westgate Golf Club last Wednesday, when only the vice captain, Mr. Harold Matt, and his partner, Mr. Fred Kitchener, managed to keep the banner of male chauvinism aloft with a win over Mrs. M. Gerrard and Mrs. D. Lennox.
The winning ladies entertained the men in the evening to a steak supper at the "Plough Inn," cooked by Nell Rose.

Results:- Mrs. D. Efford and Mrs. L. E. Kitchener beat A. Efford and Dick Rose 3 and 1;. Mrs. M. Sharman and Mrs. M. Goodwin the G. Berrington and T. Goodwin 4 and 3; Mrs. E. Allan and Mrs. V. Doncaster beat Dr. N. Allan and A. Yeats 5 and 4; Mrs. H. W. Bates and Mrs. M. Thompson halved with L. Thompson and J. W. Bates; Mrs. M. Gerrard and Mrs. D. Lennox lost to H. Hatt and F. Kitchener 4 and 3.

Morning Advertiser ,Tuesday 9th July, 1974.

A Fairway for Fair Sex at the Plough.

Your piece on the Redway Golf Course, Kerridge, Cheshire, had the customer's of the "Plough," Broomfield, Herne Bay, Kent, growling into their beer.

To the patrons of the "Plough" the Redway G.S. Is a mere child or upstart in the golf society world - more than that it is male chauvinistic dominated!

The "Plough Inn" and Golfing Society (PIGS in short), was started by two customers, Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Kitchener, early in 1971, and has the host, Dick Rose, as president. The society is open to members from both sexes the only condition being that they are active drinking customers of the "Plough". It now boasts 53 members (12 of whom are women). It has its own tie (for the woman a scarf) featuring a golden Plough on a maroon background with PIGS underneath.

A Spring and Autumn meeting is held for all members. Spring Trophy is donated by Whitbread's through their area manager, David Cobb. Matches are played against golf clubs in the area and two inter-society women's and men's matches complete the program.

After each meeting the society returns to the saloon bar of the "Plough" to enjoy the food supplied by Neil Rose, and, of course, to either wet any success or drown any sorrows in the well-kept products of the establishment.

If it were not so far to Cheshire, we would wipe the golf course societies - how about sponsoring a Pub G.S. championship of the U.K., having area preliminaries. There's an idea for the P.R. boys of the trade.

F. G. Kitchener. (Past captain of the PIGS.)

The London Gazette, Friday, 16 June 2000.

Notice Code: 2503

BOULDING, Christopher, (male), Publican, of the "Plough Inn," 36 Margate Road, Broomfield, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7BN. Court CANTERBURY. Date of Filing Petition 15th February 2000. No. of Matter 51 of 2000. Date of Bankruptcy Order.

From http://www.courier.co.uk/ 29 April 2009

NEW LANDLORD FOR PLOUGH INN, BROOMFIELD.

SWAPPING beers by the pool in a Mediterranean hotspot for a pub in rainy, recession-hit England would sound like madness to most.

But to new "Plough" landlord Ken Cross it makes complete sense.

The 62-year-old had retired to Cyprus but returned after 18 months to take on the ailing Broomfield pub.

Handed the keys last Friday, father-of-two Ken says he wants to be the one to buck the trend of pubs falling to the credit crunch.

He joked: "My partner Toni wasn't too keen on the idea at first and had to be dragged back from Cyprus, but she's getting used to it now.

"It's definitely not a decision I took lightly, and has actually taken about five months to come about.

"I haven't run a pub before but I've certainly been in plenty. This is going to be like my first adventure."

Ken decided to take on the pub after seeing how much it had declined since his first visit as a young plasterer.

He said: "I was on a visit back to the UK and met up with some friends I met in Cyprus so we went to the pub for a drink.

"We walked in one door, through the pub and out the other door. I was so disappointed because the place had gone downhill big time.

"I used to drink in there 20 years ago and the place was heaving.

"I knew it was up for grabs so looked into it because I could see the potential. I'm not someone who can sit about doing nothing. I get bored easily and fancied a challenge.

"I love the atmosphere of pubs and want to bring that back to the "Plough." I want to turn the place around."

As well as starting up pool, darts and bat and trap teams, Ken hopes to reopen the pub's restaurant and introduce a bar snack menu.

He said: "We won't be trying to compete with the likes of the Harvester, but we've got a lovely little restaurant just sitting there waiting to be utilised.

"We want families to know they can come here and have a good time and have a great garden for the kids to enjoy.

"We also want any repairs or work on the pub to be done by local tradesman.

"When everything comes together, I'm sure we can restore the place to its former glory."

From the Herne Bay Times 8 December, 2011.

RESCUE PLAN REVEALED AT PUB IN NEED OF LOVE.

A CLAPPED-OUT old Broomfield boozer that looked set to join the 25 pubs closing in Britain every week, has been given a new lease of life by one of Herne Bay's most popular publicans.

Tony Farrow, landlord of the "Ship" on the seafront, revealed the results of his "pub rescue plan" at The "Plough" this week.

He realised the "Plough" was a big step away from the tourist traffic he caters for at the "Ship" but said it was a gamble worth taking.

After negotiating a deal with brewery Enterprise Taverns he pulled it back from the brink and is hoping it will now turn a profit for the first time in years.

Mr Farrow told the Times: "I had to invest my own money to try to turn the place into somewhere where people want to come again and fingers crossed.

"We only opened last week but things have been pretty good."

The "Ship" keeps its historic flavour with a mix of stripped pine floors and carpet but with modern furnishings and most importantly, says Tony, a good food menu.

He has applied the same recipe to the "Plough."

He said: "To be honest The "Plough" wasn't bad, what it needed was a bit of love.

"The first thing I did in my pub rescue plan was throw away the juke box and the pool table.

"I have run pubs like that before and they are a whole lot of trouble and trouble the neighbours round here just didn't want.

"We are a long way from the sea front and my main problem is letting people know we are here so I have to rely at the moment on the local people popping in at lunch.

"I want to give them more than just a pint so it is crucial to provide a good food menu at a reasonable price."

Tony's experience in providing all the catering at Manston Airport as well as at The "Ship" and now The "Plough" was invaluable in being able to bring a few economies of scale when ordering and employing staff.

He added: "I employ five chefs and so I am able to produce genuine homemade food at really low prices. The "Ship" is closer to town so working people with just an hour to spare, can nip in, and we provide our £5.95 quick lunch just for them. But up here people have a bit more time so we have adapted the formula."

The beer garden has also been enlarged for one of Tony's most surprisingly popular attractions: morris dancing.

He said: "You wouldn't believe how popular morris dancing is. I love it and give it a go myself. It's great for keeping fit, but most of all bringing the punters in.

"I have some experience in hosting morris dancing events and it is easy to get 200 people turning up. It is a bit of tradition English people really like, as long of course, as you have plenty of real ale."

I am told that currently (August 2016) the pub is closed and boarded up. Enterprise is selling the freehold.

Above photo March 2018 kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe.

As seen from the above photo, it looks like the pub has been closed for business and the building converted into flats.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Jack Dyson, 17 August 2018.

Former Plough pub suffers suspected arson attack in Broomfield.

A derelict pub earmarked for a new Co-op store was gutted by fire in a suspected arson attack in the early hours of this morning.

Crews were called to the former "Plough Inn" in Margate Road, Broomfield, shortly before 1am after black smoke was seen billowing from a top window.

The blaze was quickly brought under control and extinguished, but the entire ground floor of the locally listed building was destroyed.

It is thought someone broke in and started the fire deliberately, with neighbours reporting seeing "idiots" climbing out of a first-floor window.

The pub has been empty for three years and is now owned by father and son Ralph and Alistair Noel.

They are preparing a new application to turn it into a Co-op with flats and houses.

Their initial bid was rejected on design grounds and because they had not demonstrated there was not a need for a pub on the site.

KentOnline broke news of the fire to developer Ralph Noel this morning.

"I'm totally shocked and dismayed about it," he said. "I'm just glad no one was inside.

We were in the process of putting metal shutters back on the top window because they had been broken recently."

Commenting on the likelihood of being blamed for the fire themselves, Ralph added: "It's a shame because we've got a very good reputation and I know what people will think.

"It's unchartered territory for us and not something that I've ever come across before."

Alistair Noel at the pub this morning (3652945)

Alistair added: "These things happen. Ultimately, if there's a derelict building it's going to be a target for these sorts of things.

"You get vandals come in and break windows, it's only a step further to start burning properties down. I imagine it's a load of kids who have gone in there, bored, and just thought 'oh right, we'll start a fire', and one thing leads to another.

"To suggest we'd be involved is ridiculous because the building is condemned anyway and we think we'll get planning permission to demolish it.

"We'll secure the site, make it safe and hope there are no more issues with it so we can push on with our planning application."

A CGI image of the proposed site in Margate Road (3646814)

Alistair says the new designs will be more sympathetic to the village.

"We're just making it a bit more in-keeping with the local area," he said.

"There's an appetite for a Co-op store and we hope to push on and get that."

Police have confirmed witnesses have already come forward, but are asking anyone else with information about the fire to call them on 01843 222289, quoting the reference number 17-0054.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Jack Dyson, 13 May 2019.

Co-op plans at former Plough Inn in Herne Bay shelved.

Controversial plans to build a Co-op on the site of a disused pub have been shelved.

Father-and-son developers Alistair and Ralph Noel hoped to demolish the former Plough Inn in Herne Bay and replace it with five flats and the convenience store.

After Canterbury City Council refused the bid at the start of the year, the pair say they are planning to keep the shell of the pub and convert it into four one and two-bed flats and erect two houses, including a bungalow.

The Plough Inn Pub in Margate Road.

The Margate Road site has been at the centre of controversy since the pair’s original proposals were unveiled 12 months ago.

On both occasions, planning officers noted the developments would have resulted in the “unacceptable loss of a community facility”.

“We’ve gone residential now,” Alistair said. “We’re still in consultation with Herne and Broomfield Parish Council.

“They're much more in the ballpark of what it has been looking for. Hopefully we’ll get the parish support because we’ve done everything it’s wanted.”

Alistair previously told the Gazette a structural engineer had condemned the building. It was also gutted in a suspected arson attack in August.

Alistair Noel inside the former Plough Inn in Margate Road.

But he now says he and his father will “bear the cost of the refurbishment”.

“The pub is in terrible shape to be honest – the damage there is pretty horrendous,” Alistair said.

“The saga has been running for about two-and-a-half years and we submitted a number of different planning applications.

“There have been costs associated with it – about £420,000 – and it’s sat there dormant and become derelict.

"It doesn’t make the area look any good. It’s better to make use of the site.”

How the Plough could look.

Ralph and Alistair expect the plans to be submitted to the city council in June.

Despite this, they are still considering whether to appeal the authority’s decision to refuse their proposals earlier this year.

“It depends on how much support we get from locals for the new scheme,” Alistair continued.

“The Co-op originally approached us about it and is still very keen because it’s a great opportunity for it.”

I was informed by David Boundling (April 2021) that the pub appears to be open as a pub again. But this is definitely not correct according to the street plan and photo below.