Above advert appeared in the Dover Mercury 15 November 2007.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 3 July, 1869. 1d.

TO BE LET

A HOUSE AND A COTTAGE.

Apply to Mr. Kelsey, "Alma Tavern," West Street.

From the East Kent Mercury, 5 October, 1989

CHARITABLE GAMES

Above photo shows Ron and Glenys Shaw, who have been nearly three years at the Alma Tavern in West Street, Deal.

A GAMES afternoon, barbecue and cabaret at the "Alma Tavern" in West Street, Deal, raised £110 for Ace, the local charity which looks after the old, the lonely and the needy at Christmas.

Mine hosts at the Alma are Ron and Glenys Shaw, who will have been there three years in January.

The Alma has a first-rate skittle alley and a petanque court, both of which are floodlit at night. The pub has a team in the Dover and District League.

There is a growing interest in petanque, the French boules game, and Ron and Glenys invite anyone along to try their hand.

There is a delightful garden which is always popular in summer and at lunchtime in the autumn.

The Alma is used regularly by local organisations, for it has a spacious function room.

Ron and Glenys offer excellent catering, which ranges from a modest buffet for a meeting to a lavish buffet or a full meal for a wedding reception.

Catering does not stop at weddings - quite small private parties can be catered for.

Before moving into the Alma the couple had four years at the "Carriers Arms" at St Margaret's.

Ron was introduced to getting behind the bar at the Royal British Legion Club in Hythe.

Ron served for 28 years with the Staffordshire Regiment, retiring as a Warrant Officer. The regiment did two tours of duty at Dover and it was there that Ron met and married Glenys.

From the East Kent Mercury, 21 August, 2003.

PUB COMES TO THE RESCUE

A pub has stepped in to offer its function room to disappointed people who have had to cancel their parties after the closure of West Street Social Club.

The venue at the Alma has been offered free of charge as a gesture of goodwill for people who have been let down by the club, as long as the pub does not have a prior booking.

Andrew Miller, the licensee of the Alma in West Street, said: "When the social club closed I called them and offered our services to anyone who has been let down."

The function room at the pub takes up to 150 people for any kind of party. The Alma takes a deposit to cover any breakages.

Pat Streater informs me that the West Street Social Club was  the "Deal and Walmer Working Men's Club.

From the East Kent Mercury, 30 June, 2011.

PUB WINS BATTLE TO STAY OPEN.

Publicans Michael and Lou Newell are keeping their community pub open after winning an appeal to save their licence. It had been suspended by the district council in January following claims of rowdiness. The pub remained open for the appeal decision. Complaints were made against The Alma in West Street, Deal, and a police request was made to the council to review the premises' licence. Folkestone magistrates upheld the appeal by Mr Newell, the licensee, against the council.

The article includes the extra measures that have been put in place at The Alma by owners Enterprise Inns to minimize any possibility of future disturbance. Further into the report is:

The Newells have run the pub and function room since November 2009.

From the Dover Mercury, 2 July, 2015.

Clothing and jewellery to be on display.

Pub charity show to raise money in style.

The best trends will be modelled at a charity fashion show in aid of a worthy cause.

Stephanie Bailey, whose husband Phil runs the "Alma" pub, was told she had a form of motor neurone disease five years ago, and now she has decided she wants to raise cash for Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The summer night show will be held at the "Alma," in West Street on Friday.

Clothes and accessories will be provided by the Farsim boutique on Beach Street, meaning one-off garments and stunning jewellery will be shown off at their very best.

Prizes.

After the show, the fun will carry on with live music performed by vocalist Sarah Banks.

Steph, also a former publican at the "Clarendon Hotel," said: “There will be collection buckets on the night and a raffle with prizes like a meal for two and vouchers.”

Businesses or individuals want to donate a prize to the cause, it will be gratefully accepted.

All profits raised on the night will be donated to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Stephanie Bailey and Simon Calveley at The Alma pub ready for the show

The event starts at 7.30pm for a start at about 8pm.

Tickets can be purchased in advance, costing £5 each from the "Alma," West Street, Deal, and at Farsim, Beach Street, Deal.

To book tables, donate prizes or cash or to volunteer, call Steph Bailey on 07761198799.

Orders on clothes and jewellery will be taken there and then, and Steph is inviting arts and craft traders to set up a stall for £15.

If you think you have what it takes to hit the catwalk, if you fancy a giggle or if you’d like to help by modelling clothes, she would also like to hear from you.

From the East Kent Mercury, 16 July 2015.

Chic canine leads pub's catwalk parade.

An unlikely model took to the catwalk in a light-hearted fashion show that generating laughter by the bucket load.

The fundraising bash raised cash for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the charity that sparked the Ice Bucket Challenge last summer.

It was organised by Stephanie Bailey at the "Alma" pub, who has been diagnosed with the disease.

She said: "It was a brilliant night and at times it was so funny it was hysterical."

Amateur models, both men and women, sashayed down the catwalk, with most modelling two garments supplied by the Farsim boutique in Beach Street.

Mrs Bailey, whose husband Phil runs the pub, said their models were as good as professionals and helped her to raise a staggering £1,400 for the charity.

Deal Walmer & Kingsdown Regatta Association's carnival court brought extra glamour, but a dog stole all the "ahhhs" when she was led down the catwalk wearing a bling-encrusted collar created by Farsim owner Simone Calveley.

Donations can be made at the "Alma," in West Street, Deal.

From the Dover Mercury, 1 November 2017.

Fundraising quiz at pub.

A fundraising quiz in aid of Deal and District Citizens Advice takes place at the Alma pub in West Street, Deal, on Friday at 7pm.

There will be a raffle and 'spot' prize. Entry on the door is £5 per person.

Register your team with Alan Clarke on 01304 379677 or Donnie Farago on 01304 379466.

From the Dover Mercury, 25 December, 2020. By Eleanor Perkins.

Car smash: ‘Come down, there’s a car in the pub! ’

Two people were taken to hospital after a car crashed into the front of a pub in Deal.

Landlady of the "Alma," Hayley Vickers, only realised the incident had taken place when her partner rang her saying ‘come down, there’s a car in the pub!’

The small white vehicle had smashed through brickwork into the darts area in the main part of the venue which is currently closed due to lockdown.

It caused damage to brickwork, a window and internal pipe-work.

Police attended and the driver and passenger were taken to hospital after the incident which happened around 8am on Wednesday.

Ms. Vickers said:- "It woke me up but I thought I’d woken naturally.

"I looked at the time, turned to my partner Dan and told him he needed to get up for work.

"He went down to leave a few minutes later and rang me saying, "Babe, there’s a car in the pub, come down".

"I thought he was joking but obviously not!"

Police arranged for recovery of the vehicle within half an hour, while the brewery Enterprise sent representatives from their maintenance team Brighter Homes to secure the area.

Steel acrow props have been temporarily put in place and broken pipe-work has been removed.

Ms. Vickers had to enlist a structural engineer to assess the damage.

She said:- "It was an unfortunate accident.

"I believe the driver came out of Union Road into the path of another car on West Street.

"I think they then panicked, swerved and rather than putting their foot on the brake, pushed down on the accelerator.

"It was really lucky it was such a small car. Had it been a van or even a bigger car the damage would’ve been much worse."
A spokesman said:- "Kent Police was called to a two-car collision in West Street, Deal at 8am on Wednesday.

"Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and a man and a woman were taken to a local hospital."