Folkestone Herald 29 May 1971.

Local News.

The old Railway Hotel at the corner of Shorncliffe Road and Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, was officially re-opened with a new name - The Nailbox – on Thursday.

Inspecting the new pub sign is the licensee, Mr. Bryan Langston. Mr. Langston took over the licence just a year ago on Wednesday after moving to Folkestone from Paignton, Devon, where he was a hotel owner. Mr. Langston explained the story behind the pub's new name “Years ago carpenters working at the nearby firm of Hayward and Paramour Limited would deliberately use up nails quickly, or even throw them away, so that they would have to get new supplies from a nail box in an adjacent store. In fact it was an excuse to visit the pub for a quick pint. If they were missed, their workmates would explain, tongue in cheek, that they were at the “nail box” - the carpenters’ name for the pub”.

Folkestone Herald 12 August 1972.

Local News.

A collection of half-pennies at the Nailbox public house, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, has raised more than £10 for Folkestone, Hvthe and district Society for Mentally Handicapped Children.

The idea for the collection was thought up nine months ago when the society’s secretary. Mr. H. Harrison, suggested a bottle should be placed on the bar in which people could put their odd halfpennies. This week the bottle was finally filled, and on Tuesday Mr. Harrison went to the pub to count the money. It was opened and contained 2,024 coins - £10.12.

Folkestone Herald 12 July 1975.

Local News.

Police blundered over late night opening times at Folkestone pubs, it was claimed this week.

Two pubs were warned by police about after-hours drinking- on Wednesday - but the warnings came several minutes before the summer closing time of 11 p.m. At The Fleur de Lis in Sandgate High Street landlord Jack Fieldsend said the officer had thought closing time was 10.30. At the other pub, The Nail Box in Coolinge Lane, manager John Drummings said a policeman told him he thought permission for the later summer closing time had been rescinded.

Secretary of the Folkestone Licensed Victuallers’ Association. Mr. Frank Nicholls, said on Thursday “I see this as a bit of a boob on the part of the police. As this is the first year the summer hours have been in operation in Folkestone, for a while, it was obvious that these coppers just didn’t realise there had been a change.

However, a senior police officer said the officers were fully aware of the licensing: hours but were acting on an anonymous call about after hours drinking.

Folkestone Herald 26 April 1980.

Stroller.

Customers at the Nailbox pub in Folkestone have scored a hat-trick. For the third time in a year one of the pub's regulars has won £1,000. Mr. Michael Lowe, of Coolinge Road, Folkestone, won a competition run by Kent County Cricket Club. Only minutes before a woman refused to take the winning ticket because it was torn. But Mr. Lowe, a local bus driver, did not let the slight tear worry him and came up trumps. A married man with a 12-year-old daughter, he is to use the money for a good holiday this year. On Thursday he was congratulated on his windfall by the cricket club's ticket promoter, Mr. Peter Foster, at the Nailbox. The first jackpot was last year on Shepway Football Club's Goldliner tickets. Number two was on Canterbury Football Club's Astra fundraising tickets in January. A special souvenir cheque, showing a photograph of Kent's cricket team, was handed to the Mitchells by Mr. Foster. This will be framed and hung in the bar. Mr. Mitchell was delighted with the pub's run of luck and hopes to get a fourth jackpot winner soon!

Folkestone Herald 26 April 1985.

Local News.

Members of the British Heart Foundation were so impressed with Mitch and Rita Mitchell’s fund-raising efforts they decided to make a presentation to them! On Friday night Bill Bliss, chairman of the charity’s Folkestone and district committee, presented the couple with a thank you scroll. The presentation took place at the Mitchell’s pub, The Nailbox, in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, with the generous help of their customers, have raised more than £500 for the foundation appeal in less than a year. As well as putting contributions in collecting boxes, a number of regulars have run sponsored races.

Folkestone Herald 20 July 1990.

Local News.

Shepherd Neame has bought four pubs in Shepway from Ind Coope. It was part of a £5.85 million deal for 33 public houses in Kent, London and the south east. The pubs taken over in Shepway are: Britannia Inn, Shorncliffe; Harvey Hotel (sic), Folkestone; the Nailbox, Shorncliffe; and the Princess Royal, Folkestone.

Note: It was Railway Bell and not Harvey Hotel.