28 East Cliff

Photo 1992 by kind permission Dover Library ILL/4420.

East Cliff Hotel circa 1980

Built in 1828 and used by the Admiralty in times of war, it was transformed into a hotel by Mrs. Kidd about 1948 and titled the "Sydney Villas". Although operating as such in the early fifties, the table licence was not granted before 1959 and the restaurant and residential licence followed in 1963. New ownership in 1961 may have meant the status of the hotel changed. It was often referred to as the Channel Swimmers Rest. Christies of Canterbury offered the house for sale in 1983. Mrs. Blanchard had utilised it as a sixteen bed hotel since 1970 to that year.

After 1983 the house incorporated a public bar. 1986 saw that licence refused for irregularities and although it was restored shortly after it was refused again in 1987. It was stated then that the renewal could only be considered if and when the public bar became an independent and separate entity to the hotel.

LICENSEE LIST

KIDD Mrs Ann 1948-61 end ( no name given)

KIDD J R 1953

KIDD Mrs A 1954-61

DE Grange Cazeaux 1961

WALKER Mr and Mrs 1970

BLANCHARD Mrs Carmine Alice 1970-8

BLANCHARD Mr C 1978-83

EVANS Mrs Victoria 1984

BRIDGET Mrs 1987

ARLEN Harold 1987 (East Cliff Tavern)

GORMAN Peter 1987 (East Cliff Tavern)

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1948-49