Folkestone Invicta Football Club have unveiled significant plans for the redevelopment of their Cheriton Road ground—which the club hopes will transform the stadium into a community hub featuring a gym, restaurant and education centre to support its youth programme.

The ambitious proposals have been drawn up in partnership with Hythe-based architects Hollaway Studio, the practice behind local landmarks including the F51 skate park and harbour-side restaurant Rocksalt. Artist’s impressions of the renovated stadium were released last week and show two sides of the ground transformed with new stands and modern facilities.

Since taking control of the club in the summer of 2023, a consortium led by GSE Group has invested significantly in upgrading facilities, with a refurbished clubhouse bar and the installation of a new all-weather pitch. But with the club securing promotion to the National League South, after winning the Isthmian League Premier Division title last season, there is now greater pressure on ensuring the stadium is fit for a club seeking to establish itself further up the football pyramid.

The ground is currently owned by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, with the football club operating the site under a short-term lease agreement. Without the security of land ownership or a significantly longer tenure, it is unlikely the club’s backers would wish to invest heavily in the site, but they say “a positive dialogue” with the local authority has started.

Announcing its plans for the ground, the club said: “Folkestone Invicta Football Club now stands on the brink of an exciting new chapter, with ambitious plans to increase support and a clear desire to build something that is sustainable not just for the club but for the wider Folkestone community.

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“We want to share our vision because we believe that our supporters and the wider community deserve to see Cheriton Road at its full potential, and because ultimately we cannot achieve it without your support.

“Up until now, we have made changes where possible to generate additional revenue, improve facilities and contribute to the ongoing success of the club. But without significant investment and long-term security, the club risks being held back from reaching its full potential. Our promotion to the National League South stands as one of the club’s proudest achievements, but this success has also highlighted the limitations of our current stadium.

“We are now under pressure to make changes to the ground, to meet the requirements of higher leagues and to provide a better experience for end users, creating a sustainable future that allows our club to continue to go from strength to strength.”

Invicta have made a positive start to their first season in the National League South, remaining unbeaten in August and sitting third in the table with a game in hand. The bank holiday weekend saw the Stripes record a pair of 2-0 wins, away at Slough Town on Saturday and at home to Hemel Hempstead on Monday.

The vision for the club’s Cheriton Road home imagines the ground becoming a destination for the community seven days a week, rather than just on matchdays, thanks to the redevelopment of two sides of the ground closest to the Harvey Grammar School and the A2034. The plans include a relocated and redeveloped bar, a dedicated education centre with multiple classrooms to support the club’s youth system, and a gym and studio space offering fitness classes, personal training and rehabilitation.

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“Our intention is to continue to engage with Folkestone & Hythe District Council, who of course have their own issues to consider, to seek a solution that allows these ambitions to become a reality and achieves the goals of both parties and our supporters,” the club said.

“However, we are at the stage where it would feel wrong to continue those discussions without announcing our vision to the most important people at our club—the supporters. Your support of the team on the pitch has always been incredible. Now we need that same support off the pitch to help make this vision possible.”

The football club will be staging a Fans’ Forum event at the Dugout next Monday, September 7, at 6.30pm where supporters and residents will be able to discuss the plans for the future of Cheriton Road, which can be seen in more detail here.

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News in brief

🏊 Unexpected costs of more than £60,000 resulting from break-ins and vandalism have contributed to the reopening of Folkestone Sports Centre being delayed, the site’s new operator has confirmed. The project to bring the Radnor Park Avenue leisure centre back into public use is being led by The Sports Trust, which also runs F51 and Three Hills. In an update released last week, the charity revealed plans for a new entrance to the centre and said it hoped to be able to announce a new timetable for reopening soon.

A spokesman for The Sports Trust said: “Following one of the break-ins, smashed glass entered the pool water. The pool had to be emptied to prevent the glass from damaging the newly installed equipment. This was an unforeseen issue and has added further time to the project. Unfortunately, this was completely outside of our control and the impact of the damage has affected the project in more ways than we initially anticipated.” Read the full statement and update here.

🌊 Southern Water released sewage into the sea for five hours on Saturday in what it describes as “a genuine storm overflow release that is likely to have impacted water quality” at Folkestone. The release at The Stade began shortly after 4.30pm and concluded shortly after 9.30pm. Southern Water says it “would have started to impact the bathing water” at around 7.30pm that day.

🎸 Plans for a bronze statue honouring The Jimi Hendrix Experience bass guitarist Noel Redding have been submitted to Folkestone & Hythe District Council. The proposals have been drawn up by The Noel Redding Project and would see the artwork mounted on a stone plinth in South Street close to the harbour. Redding was born in Folkestone in 1945 and was educated at the Harvey Grammar School. He joined the legendary trio in 1966 and played with bandmates Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell until 1969.

A heritage statement submitted in support of the plans states: “Noel Redding has long been celebrated in Folkestone as one of its most famous musicians, if not the most famous. There have been several exhibitions dedicated to Jimi and Noel held in the town. A statue of Noel would be a fitting memorial.” A decision on the plans is due by October 21 and the full details of the proposed statue can be found here.

💰 More than £400 has been raised for South Kent Mind as part of our 2026 fundraiser in support of our charity of the year. In October a three-strong Dispatch team will be taking part in a fire walk at Sea Scrub Sauna, and we would be delighted if you would consider donating for this very worthy cause. You can find our fundraising page here. Thank you to everyone who has given so far, your support is greatly appreciated.

🦭 A baby seal is recovering at a rehabilitation centre after being found washed ashore in Folkestone last week. The pup—pictured above—was discovered by council staff during a routine patrol on Mermaid Beach and they swiftly brought in marine rescue experts to help. Underweight and dehydrated, the seal was taken to a centre where he will begin his recovery before eventually being released back into the sea.

🌻 Green-fingered council tenants have been recognised for their efforts in an annual gardening competition run and judged by Strategic Tenant Advisory Panel members Gillian Jenkins and Gemma Atkins. Gardens were visited earlier in the summer and certificates and prizes were given to the winners last month. All winners were awarded a £60 voucher, with the runners-up in each category receiving a £40 voucher.

Cllr Rebecca Shoob, district council cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “I am incredibly impressed with the hard work and dedication of the gardeners, especially given the tough weather conditions they’ve faced this year. I would like to thank all the tenants who took the time to submit their entries, it has been fantastic to see the different ways their green spaces are nurtured and cared for throughout the district.” Full details of the winners can be found here.

Got a story?

That’s all from me this week. Just to let you know that I will be attempting to take a bit of a break in the coming weeks, so your regular Monday On The Town what’s on email will return on September 21. I will be endeavouring to get the main Wednesday Dispatch to you during this time, as I have a few stories already in the pipeline, but apologies if these are a touch shorter than you have come to expect. Normal service will be resumed in due course!

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good afternoon, and welcome to this week’s On The Town, your guide to what’s happening here in Folkestone. It’s great to have you with us, and we hope you’ve had an enjoyable bank holiday weekend despite the downpours. The Dispatch did not make it down to the harbour for the fireworks on Saturday night, but we’ve seen plenty of stunning pictures online and it looked like a great show. And talking of great shows, this week we have news of a famous face from the world of television who is coming to town next year. Let’s get straight to it…

‘Brilliantly silly’ comic looks back on career

He is the man behind such enduring comic creations as Loadsamoney and Kevin the Teenager, and next year he will be taking the stage at the Leas Cliff Hall to reflect on 40 years in comedy.

Harry Enfield—working alongside collaborators Paul Whitehouse and Kathy Burke—was a fixture on TV screens in the 1990s with his hit BBC sketch show Harry Enfield & Chums. In April he bring his stage show Harry Enfield and No Chums to Folkestone, giving the audience a rare chance to see some of his favourite characters brought vividly back to life. There will also be the opportunity ask the self-styled “stupid idiot” questions about his decades-long career.

BOOK NOW: Harry Enfield will be at the Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, April 16, at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale now and you can get yours here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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What’s on this week

🎵 Fun House, a night which sees up-and-coming local acts performing alongside a house band, returns to the Quarterhouse on Friday, September 4. Tickets on sale here.

📽️ Folkestone Doc Club will be hosting a preview screening of Super Nature at Silver Screen Cinema on Wednesday, September 2, followed by a live Q&A with the film’s director, Ed Sayers. The evening will also see the launch of the full Folkestone Documentary Festival 2026 programme. It starts at 7.30pm and you can get your tickets here.

🎻 More than 30 acts will be taking to four stages for Tontine Folk Festival on Saturday, September 5. The one-day celebration of folk will close with Amelia Coburn, Martin Simpson and Jon Boden of Bellowhead performing at the Quarterhouse. Grab the last of the tickets here.

🍻 Folkestone Tap Takeover is returning for its third year this coming weekend—and this year’s celebration of craft beer promises to be the biggest yet. It will see 19 venues across the town pouring beers from some of the nation’s best independent breweries. Find out more here.

🎞️ Comedy romance How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, September 4, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🚶 Leas Lift Summer Heritage Walks are taking place this month, including one on Thursday morning, September 3. These guided walks give you the chance to learn more about the history of the Leas Lift, Folkestone’s coastal heritage and the stories behind one of the town’s best-loved landmarks. Walks start at the Leas Lift lower station at 11am, and you can book your place for free here.

🧵 The Beer Shop hosts its monthly Sewing Social, organised by Verity from Miss Gingers Fabric Shop on the Old High Street, on Wednesday, September 2. It is not a workshop, just an opportunity to socialise and get creative with other like-minded crafters over a drink or two. Sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet—if you can do it on your lap or at the table then bring it along. You can find out about this and other events at The Beer Shop here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

More than three-quarters of the 56 apartments marketed for sale at the exclusive Shoreline development on Folkestone seafront have now been snapped up, the Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company has revealed.

The high-end residences have been at the centre of a long-running local debate over affordability and sluggish sales, but according to the developers—who are responsible for the wider regeneration of the town’s coastline—there is now “a very active market” for the sea-view flats. Just 13 apartments remain available to purchase, with one-bedroom properties available from £375,000.

Credit for the uptick in sales activity is being given to agents Laing Bennett, whose team has supported the development—which consists of a total of 84 properties—since 2024 before taking over full responsibility for sales at the start of 2026.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see Shoreline becoming a thriving community,” a spokesman for the FHSDC said. “We are welcoming buyers from across the south east, but what is particularly encouraging is the number of people from Folkestone and the surrounding area who have chosen to make Shoreline their home. They are recognising the opportunity to enjoy contemporary coastal living while remaining part of the town they know and love.

“With just 23% of apartments now remaining, we’re entering the final phase of apartment sales. It’s an exciting milestone that reflects the confidence people have in both Shoreline and Folkestone’s future.”

While the developers have been willing to provide an update on the progress of apartment sales, they remain tight-lipped about the more expensive penthouses and beach houses. The Dispatch asked for an update on these sales, but we were told none could be provided. One two-bedroom penthouse is currently listed for sale with a guide price of £1,995,000.

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In July last year, a senior figure at FHSDC—who no longer works for the company—told The Times that “the challenge is selling Folkestone” and said: “The building is brilliant and the location is incredible. It is getting people here.” Many locals might be quick to counter that the real challenge is selling properties priced way beyond the means of the average earner in a town still home to many areas of genuine deprivation.

Commenting on the latest sales figures, Bill Laing-Bennett, co-founder and sales director of Laing Bennett, said: “We are proud to be helping people find a home at Shoreline. The response has been extremely positive—it’s clear the combination of exceptional design, a unique seafront location and Folkestone’s continuing renaissance is resonating with people looking for something special.

“While the wider property market has faced its challenges, high-quality developments in outstanding locations continue to perform well. Shoreline offers a compelling opportunity for buyers looking for a high-quality home in a truly unique beachfront location.”

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We have a limited-time offer running until the end of the month. Sign up for an annual subscription to the Dispatch in August and you will save 20% on the full rate. Producing this newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of our paid supporters, and if you join them you will help secure the Dispatch’s long-term future.

News in brief

⚖️ Three suspects have been charged following an alleged attempted aggravated burglary in Folkestone town centre and the discovery of suspected crack cocaine and heroin. At around 5pm on July 17 it was reported that a group of men, one armed with a weapon, had attempted to force entry to a residential property. Following a subsequent media appeal, which included CCTV images of three suspects, information received from members of the public enabled detectives to identify three people of interest. They were located at a property in Dover on August 18 and were arrested before being charged the next day. The men are Zimbabwean nationals Dylan Tawanyasha Malikebo, 18, and Jayden Petros, 20, both of Dover Road in Folkestone, and Gambian national Sulayman Jammeh, 25, from Margate. Between them, the three men have been charged with multiple offences including conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of an offensive weapon. They appeared before Margate Magistrates’ Court on last week and are due to appear before Canterbury Crown Court on September 21.

💰 More than £300 has been raised for South Kent Mind as part of our 2026 fundraiser in support of our charity of the year. In October a three-strong Dispatch team will be taking part in a fire walk at Sea Scrub Sauna, and we would be delighted if you would consider donating for this very worthy cause. You can find our fundraising page here. Thank you to everyone who has given so far, your support is greatly appreciated.

🍺 A long-serving local landlady has called time on close to four decades behind the bar at the The Royal Cheriton. KentOnline reports that Elaine Jenkins is stepping down and will hand over the keys to the Cheriton Road pub to new landlords at the end of the month. “I’m going to miss it, I really will,” the 69-year-old told KentOnline. “It’s a mix of sadness, trepidation and relief.”

🖥️ Folkestone Leas Lift Company is seeking to appoint a new permanent chief executive to lead it through what it describes as “the next chapter of its history”. The charity, which is overseeing the ongoing restoration of the Grade II-listed funicular railway, is currently headed by interim CEO Jo Streeter. A spokesman said: “As our major restoration progresses and preparations for reopening continue, we’re seeking an ambitious, strategic and commercially minded leader to take the organisation from restoration into long-term operation as a sustainable and successful visitor destination.” The full-time role is being advertised with a salary of £65,000 and applications close on Friday, September 4. The new chief executive will take the reins at a critical moment in the restoration of the Leas Lift, following the announcement earlier this month that its long-awaited reopening has been pushed back by a year.

Got a story?

Sorry that this Dispatch has reached you slightly later than usual, sometimes it is unavoidable when we have to wait for responses to our questions. Next week’s main newsletter will—all things being well—be in your inboxes at the usual time next Wednesday, and On The Town will be out on Monday. Enjoy the rest of your week!

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to this week’s On The Town. The use of the C-word in this newsletter may be upsetting for some, but I am afraid sometimes there is no avoiding it. Because, whether we like it or not, Christmas is coming and if you want to secure your spot at the best of the festive season’s entertainment it pays to get in there early.

That said, it feels like there is plenty of summer still to come—so if you have an event coming up in the next few weeks do let me know and I will endeavour to include it in a forthcoming what’s on round-up.

Looking ahead to Christmas at Quarterhouse

The highlight of the festive season at the Quarterhouse promises to be award-winning puppetry and visual theatre company Smoking Apples bringing A Christmas Carol to the stage. They will be imagining the world of Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future in a way you’ve never seen it before, presenting a fresh spin on the classic work by Charles Dickens. The show will run from December 19 until Christmas Eve.

If you are the sort of person who is itching to fire up a festive playlist in November, then there’s a chance Christmas Rockaoke will be right up your street. Backed by the Joe Bulley Band, singers will have the chance to get up on stage on December 5 and belt out their favourite yuletide hits.

The little ones are not being forgotten, though. The next day, December 6, will see Mrs H and the Sing-a-Long Band stage their Christmas special, perfect family fun for the under-fives. And finally, on December 13 there will be a Royal Ballet & Opera live screening of Peter Wright’s production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

BOOK NOW: Tickets for all these festive shows are on sale now. You can find full details of the Quarterhouse’s Christmas programme here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

What’s on this week

🔊 The Orb ft. Lee Harris & Dom Beken will be performing Metallic Spheres at the Quarterhouse on Friday evening, August 28. Originally released in 2010, with a second chapter released in 2024, Metallic Spheres was a landmark collaboration between The Orb and David Gilmour, blending ambient electronics with the unmistakable tones and textures of the legendary Pink Floyd guitarist. Get your tickets for the show, which starts at 7pm, here.

🎆 Saturday night, August 29, brings the huge Big Summer Blow Out party at the Harbour Arm. There will be live music, free movie screenings and a fireworks display. Find out more about the celebrations here.

🎸 Folkestone-based singer-songwriter Lucy May Walker will be hosting her monthly writers round at the Music Workshop on Sunday, August 30, from 4-6pm. The event is inspired by the writers rounds of Nashville, which see a number of performers on stage at the same time, taking turns to play their songs and tell the stories behind them. These sessions have proved popular in the past, often selling out, so grab your ticket as soon as you can here.

🌭 The team at the Beer Shop will be hosting Hop Dogs: A Festival of Beer & Dawgs across the bank holiday weekend. They will be pouring six beers from across Europe and serving six delicious hot dogs, each inspired by the countries the beers have come from. It all kicks off on Friday, August 28.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include The Odyssey, The End of Oak Street and Toy Story 5. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎵 The Folkestone Festivals summer season of free live music continues at the Bandstand this weekend, with Pink Floyd tribute band On The Run playing on The Leas at 2.30pm on both Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30.

🎞️ Cult 80s adventure movie The Goonies will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, August 28, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

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🎙️ Comedian Phil Wang will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on March 6 next year. The comic—who you may recognise from one series of Taskmaster, one episode of Would I Lie to You, and one minute of Wonka—is touring his new show UH OH. You can get tickets for the Folkestone date here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

In 2026 the Dispatch is supporting South Kent Mind, our charity of the year. In this week’s newsletter we hear from staff, volunteers and those benefiting from the charity’s work to help support people in our community who are struggling with their mental health…

It is estimated that each year around one in five people will experience a common mental health problem. The pressure this places on over-stretched NHS services means that, in many cases, people will only receive the help they need once they have reached crisis point, putting further strain on the healthcare system and perpetuating the problem.

Early intervention is key, and that is where organisations like South Kent Mind, the Dispatch charity of the year for 2026, can make such a vital difference. Last year SKM, which is entirely independent of the national Mind charity, provided direct support to more than 2,000 people in our part of Kent—a service it can only provide thanks to the generous support of local people.

“A number of the people we meet are not ill enough for clinical intervention, but nonetheless their mental health is having a huge impact on their daily lives,” said Joe Tolhurst, the charity’s head of income and engagement, who is based at SKM’s headquarters in the centre of Folkestone.

“We help people find practical ways to build confidence, resilience and connection before they reach crisis. Sometimes the first step towards better mental health isn’t therapy. It’s coming through the door, meeting people, having a laugh and feeling part of something again.”

That is a sentiment that Jane, a regular at SKM, agrees with wholeheartedly. Taking a break from the weekly Chatty Monday session, she told the Dispatch how she found her mental health starting to suffer after she retired, losing her regular routine in the process.

“I needed something to focus my life on,” she said when asked about what first brought her to SKM. “I was very cautious to start with, but I feel quite pleased that I’ve got somewhere to go and I have some kind of schedule in my life. When you first stop working it’s wonderful. And then suddenly you think, ‘what’s the point?’ But coming here is lovely, it’s terrific, and if there’s ever any help you need there’s always somebody available that you can chat to.”

Mr Tolhurst believes the charity can offer people mental health support with a difference. The vast majority of those it works with are not suffering from severe mental health conditions. They may simply be struggling with common issues like loneliness, anxiety or low confidence, but there is a recognition that it is far better to address those before they have the chance to develop into something more serious.

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“Traditional services can feel intimidating or inaccessible,” he said. “Activities like line dancing, walking groups, cooking groups, crafts and gardening create opportunities for people to connect with others and improve their mental health in a natural way.”

Another regular we spoke to during the Chatty Monday get-together was Joseph, who is originally from Hong Kong. He is a carer for his mother-in-law, and was first introduced to the work of SKM when he was seeking support for her mental health struggles.

“I became her main carer and I thought we need to find something to help her to reduce the stress and loneliness,” he said, “because when you suffer with your mental health it’s very difficult to communicate with people even if they speak the same language. We registered for her to come, but because of the language problem they suggested that I should also register as a user because as a carer there are also a lot of stress issues.

“At the time I was starting my journey to become a carer, so I didn’t realise the significance. But I am so grateful that I have joined as a user because increasingly I found that the service that South Kent Mind provides not only helped my mother-in-law, who I thought was the primary target client, but it also supported me as a carer because as a carer we don’t usually get the support, or even the recognition that we need support. I am very lucky that they actually arranged some one-to-one counselling for me.”

“Despite not having the language, because everyone is so welcoming and accepting and warm she has built a very strong rapport with the volunteers, the well-being team and all the other users. In fact, when we don’t come here in some weeks when she has medical appointments that clash with her activities she actually asks me if we can not do that and come here instead.

“She loves the cooking sessions, every week we do the cooking together, and she really enjoys it because it gives her a purpose. The art classes are also an eye-opening experience, because before coming to South Kent Mind she was always very stressed, she was always in tears, simply because of her mental condition. Since coming here, and making some changes to her medications, she very seldom cries now because she has something to look forward to. I think if she had her way she would come here every day.”

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Although affiliated with the wider Mind network, our local charity has been completely independent since it was founded in 1988 and it relies entirely on donations and the time given by volunteers like Marian, who teaches the weekly line-dancing class. She told the Dispatch it would be great for anyone else who has time to spare and a passion to share to consider giving their time at SKM.

“Nobody had ever volunteered to do dancing before,” she said. “Dancing’s always got me through a lot of things, so it’s nice to be able to share that and give an hour a week where you don’t have to think about anything else. But if you’ve got a problem, there’s always someone that you can share it with. I probably get more from it than I give a lot of the time—volunteering is very rewarding, it’s such a worthwhile thing to do.”

Mr Tolhurst said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have a community that gets behind us. Every pound raised stays local and helps us continue supporting people across south Kent.”

It is support that Jane believes can be transformational for so many who are facing struggles in their life. “It probably saves some people from falling into a deep depression,” she said, “because you can be so isolated and you feel that you are alone in the world. The answer is people sharing things, being able to talk things through. We’ve all got issues but if you can decompress and let that thing go, you think ‘well it wasn’t that bad after all’.”

🔥🔥 Our fundraising is heating up! 🔥🔥

The Dispatch will be taking part in a sponsored fire walk in October to help raise funds for South Kent Mind. To sponsor Rhys, with all money going to SKM, please visit our JustGiving page here. If you would like to take part in the event, which is happening at Sea Scrub Sauna on October 10, you can sign up here.

Subscribe and save

We have a limited-time offer running until the end of the month. Sign up for an annual subscription to the Dispatch in August and you will save 20% on the full rate. Producing this newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of our paid supporters, and if you join them you will help secure the Dispatch’s long-term future.

News in brief

🚧 Traffic lights at Radnor Park roundabout will now be in place until the end of August after issues with “unpredictable” underground utilities caused delays to work in the area. In an update published last week, the engineers carrying out the work said: “Due to these factors, and in order to safely complete the works needed in the area, it has been necessary to extend the three-way lights until the end of August. This extension is naturally disappointing, but we aim to complete these works as quickly and safely as possible.”

🌊 Sea Scrub Sauna—the firm behind the beach spa opened in Folkestone earlier this year—has had its plans for a new venue in Deal approved. But why are you sharing this with us, we hear you cry. Well, because the council debate over the proposals featured an absolute corker from one sceptical councillor. KentOnline reports that, during a planning committee debate, Cllr Helen Williams expressed concerns over sea water quality and said: “I dislike the idea of people sweating in the sauna then washing the sweat off in the sea.” Given the coastal waters at Deal were recently hit with a ‘do not swim’ warning over pollution, it’s probably fair to say the sweat of a few sauna-goers would be but a drop in the ocean.

✍️ A residential home caring for older people and people living with dementia has been told it ‘requires improvement’. A report published by the Care Quality Commission last week states that an inspection at Highfield Residential Care Home in Seabrook Road, between Folkestone and Hythe, identified that “potential risks to people’s health and welfare had not always been consistently identified and mitigated”. Inspectors concluded: “Although staff were kind and caring and people and relatives confirmed this, improvements were needed to the environment and the provider’s systems and processes to ensure safe and good quality care.” You can read the report on the CQC website here.

Got a story?

Well, now I have committed it to the public record, it looks like there’ll be no backing out of this fire walk come October. I have never done anything like this before, and probably never would if it wasn’t for wanting to raise as much money as possible for this great cause. If you can spare a couple of quid to make the damage to my tender feet worth the while, please do chip in here. Next week’s Wednesday newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time, and On The Town will be with you on Monday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

Subscribe now

In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to this week’s On The Town. Now, by and large, you can expect this Monday email to focus on what’s on in Folkestone, especially since there always seems to be so much happening in town. But occasionally we will throw the spotlight on events happening elsewhere in our corner of Kent, and that’s the case this week. Although those of us with long-standing ties to the area will know all about it, those who may be more recent transplants may not have heard about the Venetian Fete, which takes place in Hythe this week. And that would be a shame, because it has to be one of the most unique events of the summer. Let’s get straight to it…

Thousands expected for waterborne parade

What would it look like if you took a traditional carnival procession, replete with creatively-decorated floats, and sent the whole thing parading along on the water? Well, something very much like the Hythe Venetian Fete, which will take to the waters of our neighbouring town’s Royal Military Canal this week.

Established in 1890, the illuminated parade now takes place every second year on the third Wednesday in August, and sees local community groups and businesses create imaginatively-themed displays for the enjoyment of thousands of spectators who line the banks of the canal. Prizes are then awarded for the best efforts in a number of categories.

This year’s festivities will kick off at 4.30pm on Wednesday with music from the Hythe Town Concert Band, before The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and other civic dignitaries arrive by float and take their places. There will then be a daylight parade shortly after 7pm, followed by an illuminated parade at around 9pm.

Unfortunately, due to the long spell of warm, dry weather and the consequent risk of wildfires, it has been announced that this year there will be no firework display. Event organisers say they are looking into the possibility of staging a display later in the year.

BOOK NOW: The Venetian Fete takes place on Wednesday, August 19, and gates open at 4pm. You can find out more about the event here. Tickets and car parking can be purchased online here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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What’s on this week

🎸 There is live music at The Music Workshop on Saturday, August 22, with headliners Hands Up supported by Ivy Lane and ATHEeNA. It all starts at 7pm and entry is free.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include The End of Oak Street, Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

✂️ Collage Club returns to the Beer Shop on Wednesday evening, August 19. Each month there is a new theme and materials are provided for folks to come and hang out, chat and collage together. Tickets for the event, which starts at 7pm, are £5 and can be bought here.

🔊 Oscillate will be bringing their ‘heavy sound’ to Docker Brewery on Saturday evening, August 22, spinning dub, house and UK garage all night. It all kicks off at 7pm and entry is free.

🎵 The Folkestone Festivals summer season of free live music on The Leas continues at the Bandstand this weekend. On Saturday there will be a Michael Bublé tribute act playing at 2.30pm, and at the same time on Sunday the Railway Swing Band will be performing.

🎞️ Adventure movie Pirates of the Caribbean will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, August 21, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

A century ago, in upstairs rooms at 22 Frith Street in Soho, invited members of the Royal Institution gathered to witness the transmission of “faint and often blurred” images. For the first time, pioneering inventor John Logie Baird had publicly demonstrated the possibility of “seeing by wireless” and television was born.

Although January 26, 1926, marks the moment when the Scotsman finally felt confident formally revealing his groundbreaking ‘televisor’ device to the world, he had been successful in transmitting images in earlier years. Much of his experimentation had been carried out in Hastings, on the Sussex coast, and as a result the seaside town has long been hailed as the cradle of this transformative technology.

But what is less well known is that Baird also conducted many experiments with the burgeoning technology right here in Folkestone. A fact that risked being lost to history, in part because the father of television himself made no reference to his time in the town in an autobiography published after his death at Bexhill-on-Sea in 1946.

It was the rediscovery of a wooden plaque bearing Baird’s name at a shop in Guildhall Street that led writer and filmmaker Ben Barton to investigate the truth of the electrical engineer’s time in Folkestone. An article for the Folkestone Foghorn followed, and that in turn led to the making of the film Is Folkestone the Birthplace of Television? which will be shown in the town for the first time on September 3. “I still had an itch to scratch after the article was published, I knew there was still more to this story,” the 44-year-old told the Dispatch.

Initially all Mr Barton had to go on was the plaque, uncovered during renovations to a shop at 26 Guildhall Street now home to the Fosbery Studio lighting workshop. Alongside the inventor’s name and years of birth and death, it reads: “The pioneer of television conducted some of his early experiments on these premises during 1924.”

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In the 1920s the building had been home to a firm of electrical and radio engineers, T.C. Gilbert & Co, and it was in the basement there that Baird was known to be working on the device which would be the forerunner of the television we know today. His presence there was witnessed by the father of prominent local historian Alan Taylor, who was an apprentice electrician at Gilbert’s at the time of the Folkestone experiments.

But why would he be carrying out such work both here and in Hastings at the same time? One theory is that Baird split his work between multiple locations in an effort to conceal the true nature of his imminent breakthrough from those he was working alongside. “Baird, like most inventors, was very secretive,” Mr Barton said. “He had really good reason to be secretive, early on in his career he had had some of his early ideas stolen.”

So we have the plaque—unveiled in 1951—and the accounts of Baird’s time in Folkestone, but Mr Barton was to make a further discovery that helps add heft to the story of the town’s central place in the history of television.

He said: “As part of my research I found that in the University of Brighton they had a dusty old newsreel and all we knew is that it had a label on it and it just said ‘John Logie Baird, Margaret, Folkestone’. So I had a hunch that it contained something, and it turned out to be a newsreel of exactly what I wanted it to be, and it is Margaret, who was John Logie Baird’s wife, coming to Folkestone, and she unveils the plaque.”

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A compelling case that puts Folkestone firmly on the map as an acknowledged centre of pioneering work that led to the birth of television. But Mr Barton insists that although he has been keen to tell the story more widely, he has no intention of trying to strip Hastings of its claim to being the true birthplace of the technology.

“It’s a tightrope,” he said when asked whether he felt he was rewriting the history of Baird’s breakthrough. “I’m not ever going to say Hastings is not the birthplace of TV, and at the end of the day John Logie Baird himself and all the contemporary accounts didn’t mention Folkestone—he just talks about being in Hastings, and that’s where he invented it. So who am I to argue with the man?

“However, I think there are several ways to look at this. That first experiment in Folkestone, where an image flickered from one device to the other, from one corner of the room to the other, in Guildhall Street, yes it did happen. But maybe John Logie Baird himself didn’t consider that the first time TV was done, because he was a perfectionist, and that was an early prototype.

“So this is where semantics comes into it. What do we mean when we say something is the first? Is it the first time it happened, or is it the first time it was recorded? Maybe he didn’t acknowledge the Folkestone experiments because he was such a perfectionist and it was in Hastings where he got it working to his satisfaction.

“I am just telling this side of the story, I’m walking that tightrope to say that’s what history tells us, but how many times do we look back in history and realise that there were some forks in the road that were maybe smoothed over? And there was a fork in the road at Folkestone.

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“He lived here for six months, he was in that basement for six months. He was in a radio workshop surrounded by radio devices, and he was there trying to send pictures. All I’m doing is telling the story, presenting you with the facts and the plaque and the evidence that I have found, and allowing people to make up their own minds.”

Mr Barton hopes that the screening of his film next month will generate lively debate about the town’s place in this tale. “If you’re from Folkestone or you’re interested in Folkestone stories, then come and find out about this quirky little chapter in Folkestone history that was almost forgotten if that plaque hadn’t been uncovered.”

The Folkestone premiere of Is Folkestone the Birthplace of Television? will take place at Kollectiv on September 3 at 7pm. The screening will be accompanied by the showing of archive material and a Q&A with director Ben Barton. Tickets are £8 and can be purchased here.

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News in brief

📚 The town’s new library in Sandgate Road is proving to be a hit with the public, according to new figures released by Kent County Council. There were 10,648 visits recorded during June 2026, a 131% increase on the 4,613 visits at the former Grace Hill library in the same month in 2022. The number of book issues has also risen from 2,507 in June 2022 to 4,811 in June 2026, an increase of 92%. Opened to the public in May, the new library and learning centre has brought a full provision of services to the town centre for the first time since the closure of the Grade II-listed former library site in December 2022.

Richard Palmer, the county council’s cabinet member for community and regulatory services, said: “It’s wonderful to see the new Folkestone Library and Community Learning Centre being embraced by the community. I recently visited myself and was genuinely impressed, not just by the facilities, but by the staff and their commitment to the people who use the library every day. What struck me most, though, was talking to people in the library and reading through the visitors’ book. The comments were overwhelmingly positive, and that tells us about what this place means to the residents.”

🐱 The RSPCA is appealing for information after two cats were found abandoned inside a sealed cardboard box by the side of a road in Folkestone. A passerby made the distressing discovery on July 30 after noticing the box moving and hearing cats crying from inside. The box had been securely taped shut with no ventilation holes, leaving the felines terrified and trapped inside in dangerously hot conditions. The female black and white cat and male tabby were in good body condition, but were extremely distressed and panting heavily. They have since been transferred into the care of an RSPCA centre while enquiries continue and they will be re-homed once they have recovered from their ordeal.

Animal rescue officer Brain Milligan, who is investigating, said: “These cats were extremely lucky to survive. Had this member of the public not investigated where the cries were coming from, the outcome could have been tragic. Sealing two cats inside a box with no ventilation during such high temperatures would have caused them immense suffering and they are lucky to escape with their lives. It is so sad as they were in good condition so I would expect they have been much loved pets. We are extremely grateful to the finder for acting so quickly and to the vets for providing immediate care and would like her to get in touch to establish where she found the pets to help with our investigation as no details were left with the vets.” Anyone who recognises the cats or has any information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018, quoting incident 01868127.

⚽ Folkestone Invicta got their National League South campaign off to a flying start on Saturday with a 5-1 home win over visitors Walton & Hersham. Captain Kevin Lokko bagged a hat-trick of headed goals, with Aaron Cosgrave and Joe Pigott—in rather fortuitous circumstances—also on the scoresheet. With this Saturday’s trip to Ebbsfleet United postponed, Invicta’s next fixture sees the Stripes visit another Kent rival, Maidstone United, on Tuesday, August 18.

🌊 A concrete breakwater at Mermaid Beach which was damaged during Storm Goretti is to be repaired after Folkestone & Hythe District Council agreed to spend up to £200,000 to restore it. Cllr Connor McConville, the district council’s cabinet member for assets, said: “I could not believe the damage was caused by one single storm and, unfortunately, it was not covered by our insurance due to the nature of the weather event. The rock structure which protects the coast is perfectly intact, but I know we’ll all be pleased when we can use the concrete walkway again.” The repair works, which should hopefully be completed before any future winter storms, will be funded through under-spends in last year’s council budget.

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That’s all from me today. I know I risk sounding like a stuck record, but I really would encourage those who can afford to spare a few quid each month to consider becoming paid supporters of the Dispatch. The long-term future of this newsletter still hangs in the balance, and if you would like to see it continue into 2027 and beyond then becoming a paid subscriber is absolutely crucial to making that happen. If you cannot commit to a recurring subscription, it is possible to make a one-off contribution here. Your On The Town email will be with you on Monday, and next week’s main newsletter will be in your inboxes at the usual time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to this week’s edition of On The Town. Before we get on with the business of what’s on in Folkestone this week and beyond, we just want to let you know about an offer we have running until the end of the month. Sign up for an annual subscription to the Dispatch in August and you will save 20% on the full rate. Producing this newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of our paid supporters, and if you join them you will help secure the Dispatch’s long-term future.

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Get ready for three days of brewing brilliance

Folkestone Tap Takeover is returning for its third year next month—and this year’s celebration of craft beer promises to be the biggest yet.

The first weekend of September will see 19 venues across the town pouring beers from some of the nation’s best independent breweries, giving locals and visitors alike the chance to try something new.

Each participating venue will be turning over their taps to one specific brewery for the weekend—and the event’s strict ‘no Kent breweries’ rule means there should be something fresh for even the most well-travelled beer lover to discover.

Lauren Willis, one of the organisers of the three-day festival of brewing brilliance, said: “The idea is simple—each venue selects a brewery to take over their taps for the weekend. The only rules are that they have to be from outside of Kent and independently owned. We want to shout about our brilliant hospitality scene to people from outside of town and encourage Folkestone locals to try out venues they may not have visited before.

“We provide maps to guide folks around town so they can explore all the great beer on offer. We love seeing people walking around holding their bright yellow maps, hearing conversations across tables about the beer and which venues they’re heading to next. It’s great to hear that people have found out about a new brewery or tried a beer they’ve never seen in Folkestone before.”

PLAN NOW: Folkestone Tap Takeover runs for three days from Friday, September 4, to Sunday, September 6, and will be taking place at 19 bars and pubs across Folkestone and Sandgate. You can find full details of the participating venues and breweries here. Printed maps will also be available at each venue over the weekend.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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What’s on this week

❓ The Beer Shop will be staging its monthly Charity Quiz, hosted by Quizmaster Pip, on Wednesday, August 12. If you want to tackle the general knowledge teasers it costs £3 per player to enter, with a maximum of six people per team. There will be prizes to be won, but the main reward for success is bragging rights as the vast majority of money raised will go to a good cause. These quizzes tend to be popular, often selling out, but if there are tickets remaining when you read this you can get them here.

🎤 Musical Bingo returns to The Music Workshop this Friday, August 14. Hosted by AiMATE, this is not your average bingo night—players can expect great tunes, singalong moments, plenty of laughs and some fun prizes up for grabs. It all starts at 7pm and you can get your tickets for £5 here.

🎖️ The town’s annual VJ Day Service, commemorating the surrender of Japan in the Second World War, will take place at the Garden of Remembrance in Sandgate Road on Saturday, August 15. Civic dignitaries, military personnel and representatives of ex-service and youth organisations will gather at the Burma Star Memorial for the ceremony which starts at 11am. It will be led by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Kate McNeice.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include The Odyssey, Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, and The End of Oak Street. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎸 Wannabe rock stars will have the chance to perform with a live band when Rockaoke comes to Speedway on Friday evening, August 14. The three-piece Joe Bulley Band have learnt almost 200 songs which singers can come up on stage to perform with them. The show starts at 7pm and you can get tickets here.

🎞️ Family comedy Mr. Bean’s Holiday will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, August 14, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

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🎙️ Chump’s Comedy returns to Quarterhouse on Thursday, September 24, with a lineup of great acts. Bringing the laughs will be Josie Long, Sam Nicoresti, Adam Riches, Rohan Sharma and host Maia Tassalini. The show starts at 7.45pm and you can pick up the last remaining tickets here.

🎙️ Comedian Ed Gamble will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on June 6 next year. Co-host of the award-winning mega-hit podcast Off Menu with James Acaster, the comic is touring his latest stand-up show Fresh Hell across the UK and Ireland in 2027. You can get tickets for the Folkestone date here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

The long-awaited reopening of the Leas Lift has been pushed back by a year, with the team behind the restoration of the Grade II-listed funicular railway now saying they hope it will be up and running in the spring of 2027.

In a statement released yesterday, Folkestone Leas Lift Company interim chief executive Jo Streeter said “delays” due to the “size and complexity” of the project to reopen the historic cliff lift mean it will not now operate until next year.

When the Dispatch visited the site last summer to report on the progress of the restoration, the charity’s then-CEO Floortje Hoette told us the aim was to have the lift open to passengers in the spring of this year. This target was subsequently restated at the time of the Leas Lift’s 140th anniversary last September.

At the end of March, with that deadline approaching, we asked the charity for an update but it felt unable to provide any further information at that time beyond saying “good progress continues on site”. Despite regular repeated requests since then, no update on plans for opening was forthcoming until yesterday.

In a media release announcing the start of work on an extension to the lift’s lower station, Ms Streeter said: “Seeing the frame go up has been such an exciting development and will be the first of many this year. Inevitably with a project of this size and complexity, there have been some delays but we’re looking forward to getting the carriages back on the tracks and the new sheave wheel in place, with a view to opening to the public in spring 2027.”

We have asked the charity to elaborate on the nature and cause of the delays which have contributed to the planned reopening being pushed back by 12 months.

This is not the first time that the timetable has slipped significantly. In November 2023, when announcing £4.8 million in funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the charity said it planned to reopen the lift in 2025—a date which still remains published on a welcome page on the Leas Lift website.

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While it is disappointing that another summer will pass without the Victorian funicular ferrying passengers from the coastal park to The Leas, work is continuing on site. A single-storey timber frame extension that will house the kitchen and bar area of a planned hospitality space has been erected adjacent to the original waiting room. It will be open to visitors all year round, with 32 covers indoors and 18 on an outdoor deck.

Ms Streeter said: “This project is about far more than just restoring the lift. We want to ensure it’s here for the community for years to come and that means making sure it’s financially sustainable. Revenue from our three food and beverage outlets will play a key part in the business model so it’s important that we get that right.

“This won’t be ‘just another cafe’ but rather a heritage destination that includes exhibits on the history of the lift, ways for visitors to engage and learn and a real hub for the community—as well as a fully restored, working lift.”

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News in brief

🛝 The revamped Lower Leas Coastal Park children’s play area has reopened and is already proving a hit with the summer holiday crowds. Families have been flocking to the park following the completion of a £750,000 revamp which has delivered “more equipment and more inclusive elements” than were part of the previous play area. Speaking at an official opening ceremony in bright sunshine yesterday afternoon, district council leader Jim Martin praised all those who had worked on the project.

He said: “Normally when I open anything I have to encourage people to come and use it, I have to say that I hope plenty of people will use it. But all you have to do is look around you today and you can see it is absolutely thronging, so I hope this continues and I am sure it will. I hope that every child who comes and plays in this park has a fabulous time.”

🍽️ The Brickfield pub and restaurant in Cherry Garden Lane is set to close next month as owners Whitbread withdraw from the restaurant business. Opened in 1995, the venue—pictured below—has traded under a number of brands, most recently as a Cookhouse & Pub. The building is being marketed for sale with an asking price of £850,000, and is understood to be offered as a going concern.

🚨 Police are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage after a driver was killed in a crash on Hythe Road in Pedlinge shortly before 6.30pm on Monday. Officers were called to reports a blue Ford Fiesta had collided with a tree. The driver, an 80-year-old man from Romney Marsh, was pronounced deceased at the scene. A spokesman for Kent Police said: “An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is being led by the serious collision investigation unit and they would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the collision or the moments before.” Anyone with information should call the appeal line on 01622 798538 quoting reference BN/SL/061/26.

🤝 Tributes have been paid to the founder president of Channel Rotary Club, David Jarvis, following his death at the age of 89. Mr Jarvis, pictured below, became manager of the Folkestone branch of Lloyds Bank in 1978, and by the time he retired in 1991 he had risen to become a senior manager working in the City of London. A spokesman for the club said: “Formed in 1980, Channel Rotary was brought into being through David’s vision, determination and ability to inspire others. He not only masterminded the creation of the new club and helped find its members, but also went on to serve as its first president.”

🏠 Folkestone & Hythe District Council has been recognised as one of the country’s best performing council housing landlords after being awarded the highest possible consumer standards judgement by the Regulator of Social Housing. The council is the first in Kent to achieve the distinction and one of just 13% of councils nationwide to hold the top grade. A four-month inspection highlighted a number of strengths across the councils housing service, including a commitment to involving tenants in decision making and high levels of compliance with health and safety requirements. Cllr Rebecca Shoob, the authority’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “Becoming the first local authority in Kent to achieve the top rating from the Regulator of Social Housing is not only a significant achievement, but also a testament to the dedication of staff, tenants and partners. While we are proud of this recognition, we remain committed to keeping tenants at the heart of what we do and improving the services we provide.”

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That’s all from me this week. It was great to head down to the Coastal Park yesterday and see so many people of all ages out there enjoying the weather and Folkestone’s stunning coastline. What a reminder that we’re incredibly lucky to call this place home. Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday, and On The Town will be with you on Monday. If by any chance you have not been receiving our two weekly emails, please do check your spam folder in case they have mistakenly landed there.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to On The Town, your weekly guide to what’s on in Folkestone, brought to you by the Dispatch. With so much happening locally, there’s always the danger that if you blink, you’ll miss it. Happened to us this week, as the event we had planned to feature as our lead item today managed to sell out before we even had the chance to tell you all about it. Clearly they didn’t actually need our help with promotion for that one! But if you have an event coming up that you want to tell the world about, do get in touch with all the details and we’ll include it in a future edition. But perhaps it’s best to get that info to us before it goes on sale, just in case…

Tickets for Richard Ayoade show selling fast

BAFTA-winning actor, comedian, director and writer Richard Ayoade is coming to the Leas Cliff Hall in November, offering his audience an “evening of reflections” as he shares insights from his latest book, Afterthoughts: or Some Pistachios Won’t Open.

The deadpan comic, who recently appeared on Amazon Prime hit Last One Laughing, promises to ponder some of the biggest questions, like where is the box to tick if you ARE a robot? That is just one of more than 500 of his “colossal notions” weighed up in his book and on this latest tour.

According to the promo for the show: “Afterthoughts goes beyond rumination, past pondering, probing further than ever before. Drawing from a deeply private pool of questions—a reservoir so refreshing you may never need to think again.”

BOOK NOW: Richard Ayoade will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on Thursday, November 26, and the last remaining tickets can be snapped up here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

What’s on this week

🎤 Stadium-sized anthems and razor-sharp choreography are promised when the K-Pop All-Stars show comes to the Leas Cliff Hall on Sunday, August 9. Featuring hits from Blackpink, NewJeans, Katseye, BTS, Itzy, Stray Kids, Twice and Jung Kook, there will be two performances, one at 3pm and one at 7pm. Tickets on sale here.

📽️ The team behind the Folkestone Film Festival are staging a Mystery Sci-Fi Film Screening on Thursday evening, August 6, at the Customs House at the harbour. The organisers are keeping the title strictly under wraps until the projector whirrs to life after the doors open at 6.30pm. Get you tickets here.

🇹🇭 Soho-based Northern Thai barbecue restaurant Khao Bird will be staging a one-day pop-up at the John Dory wine bar in Sandgate on Saturday, August 8. The restaurant’s chef and co-owner Luke Larsson will be cooking dishes inspired by his travels in Thailand, with wines paired by the John Dory team. To make a reservation for either lunch or dinner, email johndorywine@gmail.com.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Moana and The Odyssey. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎵 Love singing but don’t want the commitment of joining a choir? Folkestone Singing Club at the Music Workshop is a relaxed weekly singing session where you can simply turn up, sing, and enjoy making music together. It happens every Tuesday between 10am and 11.30am. More info here.

🎞️ Steven Spielberg thriller Jaws will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, August 7, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🧵 The Beer Shop hosts its monthly Sewing Social, organised by Verity from Miss Gingers Fabric Shop on the Old High Street, on Wednesday, August 5. It is not a workshop, just an opportunity to socialise and get creative with other like-minded crafters over a drink or two. Sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet—if you can do it on your lap or at the table then bring it along. You can find out about this and other events at The Beer Shop here.

🚶 Leas Lift Summer Heritage Walks are taking place this month, including one tomorrow morning, August 4. These guided walks give you the chance to learn more about the history of the Leas Lift, Folkestone’s coastal heritage and the stories behind one of the town’s best-loved landmarks. Walks start at the Leas Lift lower station at 11am, and you can book your place for free here.

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💫 Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Leas Cliff Hall pantomime Cinderella—and if you book before the end of August you can save £10 per ticket on selected seats. The panto will run from December 16 to December 31. You can buy your tickets here.

🎭 Jim Cartwright play Two is being staged at the Tower Theatre in September. Played by just two actors, the drama shines a light on the lives and loves of 14 characters. Tickets for the three performances, which are being staged in the venue’s Blue Room, are on sale here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

Developers behind the planned transformation of a landmark town centre building say they hope to avoid the difficulties faced by other high-profile property schemes by creating homes to rent rather than for sale in a “risky” market.

During a behind-the-scenes site visit at the former home of Folkestone’s branch of Debenhams, Arcvelop directors Marc Turnier and Alastair Cross told the Dispatch they are well aware of the challenges facing those looking to deliver properties aimed at the more exclusive end of the market. Sluggish sales at the Shoreline development, where one two-bed flat is currently listed for £1.95 million, and the apparent collapse of the Leas Pavilion project amid questions over financing are two examples.

Arcvelop’s plans for Folca 1, the Edwardian section of the one-time department store at the junction of Sandgate Road and Bouverie Place, include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats as well as the restoration of commercial space at street level.

But rather than looking to market the residential units for sale upon completion, and risk being unable to find buyers, the firm intends to retain the properties and rent them directly to tenants.

“There is so much risk with development and taking on a property like this,” Mr Turnier said during our tour of the building. “In this market at the moment there is not enough confidence to go and sell these units. It’s too risky.

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“So we look for assets that we can create for ‘build to rent’. Folkestone as an area has got a really good tenant profile and we’re in an area that could be a real thriving part of Folkestone. But it is fundamentally about risk. If we’re going to take on millions of pounds of debt to do this, the last thing you want is to be relying on 24 months of sales to try and get out of a deal.

“Because we’re architect developers we do come from a different angle. We make things look well designed, well considered, but they have to work commercially. We’re very conscious about risk, and unfortunately I think people are falling foul at the moment of doing ego projects and not considering the exit hard enough.

“They’re not being true to what’s actually going on in the market at the moment, and that is a very, very risky model and route to take at this moment in time. There’s a lot of contractors, a lot of developers that are going under. It only takes one bad development, and that’s what you’re seeing.

“That is fundamentally because people are overestimating on the exits, or underestimating the build costs, and they’re just getting it fundamentally wrong.”

Reminders of the building’s former life as a busy high street department store are everywhere you turn, but when exploring the upper floors you can also see evidence of its residential past—in the proportions of the rooms and in surviving details like fireplaces, staircases and ornate windows. The developers hope this underlying architecture can be used as the basis for the sensitive restoration of the building, retaining many of its historic features.

Mr Turnier said: “It’s a big property that needs a lot of work doing to it, but it has a lot of characteristics that we look for.

“The building is beautiful on the outside. It obviously needs a lot of love but there is no need to make any large exterior changes, it just needs restoring, and actually what we can focus on is bringing the inside up to modern standards.”

“There’s a sense of ownership with these buildings,” Mr Cross added. “As we would be looking to keep hold of these buildings we are almost caretakers, so if something happens to it we are the face of this building. For us, because people know who we are, if this building starts to fall apart we are going to take responsibility for the building itself rather than just make a quick buck and move on.”

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Folca 1, which Arcvelop is set to transform, and Folca 2, the section of the former Debenhams which faces onto Sandgate Road, were purchased by Folkestone & Hythe District Council in May 2020 following the closure of the department store the previous year.

Although the two parts were previously linked, they are now in the process of being separated. The council remains determined to produce a suitable mixed-use scheme for Folca 2, which could include working with the NHS to deliver much-needed new medical facilities in the town centre.

Outline plans for Folca 1 were approved by the council’s planning committee in May. Voting on whether to support the officers’ recommendation before them—that prior approval be granted under Class MA permitted development rules allowing conversion of commercial property to residential—the committee passed the motion by 11 votes in favour to 1 against.

Redevelopment of the site appears to be a crucial part of the wider regeneration of the town centre, with the district council driving a multi-million pound project which is seeing the nearby site of the former bus station in Bouverie Square transformed into a park and improvements being made to the pedestrian precinct in Sandgate Road.

“We’ve worked closely with the council,” Mr Turnier said. “The council selected us out of five or six bidders because they liked the vision that we had and what our track record is. It’s a long-term play, we’re not here to make short-term wins.”

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News in brief

🚧 Tontine Street is set to remain shut to through traffic until the middle of next week to allow Southern Water to complete repairs to a collapsed sewer. The road had to be closed on July 22, and the ongoing work is currently expected to be completed on August 5.

🚍 Subsidised £1 bus fares between Folkestone’s railway stations and the harbour are now available. The discounted tickets, which are being funded by Kent Council Council, replace the dedicated Reach the Beach bus service which operated in previous summers. The initiative offers £1 single adult bus tickets on Stagecoach routes 102 and 103 from Folkestone Central, and route 10 from Folkestone West, to the harbour until August 30. Spencer Dixon, KCC’s deputy cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We want everyone to be able to enjoy what Folkestone has to offer this summer and we hope these £1 fares with Stagecoach will help make days out more affordable for families, and visitors alike. Whether it’s a day on the beach, meeting friends for an evening at the Harbour Arm, or enjoying everything the town has to offer, we want travel to be one less thing people have to worry about.”

🛝 The children’s play area at the Lower Leas Coastal Park is due to reopen to the public on Friday following an extensive £750,000 revamp. The refurbished facility will feature “more equipment and more inclusive elements” than were part of the previous play area. Following feedback from residents, there will also be additional seating as well as buggy and cycle parking. An official opening celebration is expected to be held on Tuesday, August 4.

🔍 Nearly £5 million in cash and assets linked to crime has been recovered by Kent Police’s financial investigators. The force says that during 2025/26 a total of 61 confiscation orders were made, which saw assets totalling £1,820,667 seized from Kent criminals following investigations into their finances. Additionally, 80 civil cases were successful and saw a total of £3,104,391 forfeited or recovered. DI David Godfrey said: “This is a significant result and is testament to the determination of our financial investigators, who will dig deep when it comes to finding money and assets built up by fraudsters, thieves and others while they were breaking the law. The Proceeds of Crime Act is an important piece of legislation because it supports our officers as they seek to deter criminals from restarting illegal enterprises. Without the funds, organised criminality can be harder to return to.”

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That’s all from me today. I hope that you have been enjoying our new what’s on email, On The Town, which comes out on Monday evenings. I am always looking for ways to improve what you receive from the Dispatch, so if you have any feedback you would like to share then please do get in touch. I always enjoy hearing from readers! Next week’s main newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to On The Town, your weekly guide to what’s on in Folkestone. Now, it has been clear for some time that the live music scene across the country is under threat, with the charity Music Venue Trust reporting the loss of 30 venues nationwide in 2025. Beyond the immediate impact of livelihoods lost and fewer places for a night out, this also means there are fewer and fewer opportunities for new artists to hone their craft and find their audience. So let’s be grateful for the efforts of people like the team behind Compass Festival who are giving up-and-coming musicians a platform. After all, even the biggest names had to start somewhere.

Alternative music festival returns in November

A two-day celebration of up-and-coming artists is to return to Folkestone later this year—with organisers hoping to make the town Kent’s home of independent music.

Now in its third year, Compass Festival aims to provide a stage for musicians who might otherwise struggle to secure a spot elsewhere. The team behind the event, which will be held across multiple town centre venues in November, point to the closure of scores of festivals in recent years and the diminishing opportunities this leaves for new acts to perform.

Geraldine Zanaska, founder and director of Compass Music, said: “Compass Festival exists because there is extraordinary music being made along this coast, and not nearly enough places for it to be heard. What we have built in two years is a weekend where independent artists from Kent and Sussex share stages, in the best small venues this town has, and where every single one of them gets paid.

“It matters to us that the money stays here too, in our venues, our bars, our printers and our sound engineers, and that people discover Folkestone in November rather than only in the sunny summer season.”

Research carried out by Folkestone Music Town estimates that last year the festival generated approximately £20,000 in spending in the local economy, much needed at a time when hospitality in particular is struggling. Venues lined up to host gigs this time around include Blackmarket and The Blind Pig in Tontine Street, as well as the F51 skatepark and the Quarterhouse.

Spots on the bill are open to independent artists across the UK, Ireland, France and Belgium, with the organisers promising that at least half of those booked will come from Kent and Sussex. “If you make original music and you want to be part of that, please apply,” Ms Zanaska said. “And if you just want a brilliant weekend of new music by the sea, come and join us to support this independent, non-profit festival created by and for the local community to showcase our brilliant local artists.”

BOOK NOW: Compass Festival is taking place on Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28, at venues in the centre of Folkestone. Early bird tickets are on sale now, with one-day tickets from £12 and two-day passes from £25.50. To buy tickets—or apply to perform at the festival—visit the Compass Music website here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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What’s on this week

🐟 The annual Folkestone Trawler Race celebrations will be taking place at the harbour on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2. The trawler race itself is taking place on Saturday, and on Sunday there will be paddle board and raft races. There will also be live music on the quayside across the weekend. You can find out more details and timings on the Folkestone Trawler Weekend Facebook page.

🗣️ Club VD returns to the Beer Shop on Thursday evening, July 30. Join host Jimi Odell for an evening of verbal discharge and be inspired as local writers read from their work in progress. Prose, poetry, spoken word, you can expect all sorts. The two-hour event starts at 7.30pm.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include Toy Story 5, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Moana and The Odyssey. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎤 Folkestone-based comedian Alex Boughton is staging his latest ‘chat show’ at Kollectiv on the Old High Street on Friday, July 31, at 7pm. Each month Alex features a variety of fantastic local guests in a light-hearted evening of chat and comedy. You can find out more about this month’s guests and buy tickets here.

🎵 Show off your pop knowledge at The Ultimate Millennial Music Quiz at the Music Workshop on Friday, July 31. It is £5 per player to enter, with a maximum of six players per team, and there’s a £50 bar tab up for grabs for the winners. It starts at 7pm and you can get tickets here.

📖 The Folkestone Bookshop will be hosting its regular Storytime session on Thursday, July 30, at 11.30am. The tales will be best suited for children up to five years old, but everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be available for both kids and adults and there is no need to book in advance, just turn up and enjoy the stories.

🎞️ Teen comedy Clueless will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 31, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

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🎙️ Comedian Paul Smith has announced a second date at the Leas Cliff Hall as part of his new tour. The stand-up’s show at the venue on September 3 has sold out, so he will return again for another night on February 25. You can get tickets here.

🎬 Screen South is putting on a number of free Culture Camps events for young people next month. They are taking place in Folkestone, Ashford, Canterbury and Dover. You can find out more about the workshops, and secure your place, here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

Folkestone is to be part of a new Mid Kent unitary authority after Whitehall confirmed the final shape of the biggest shake-up of local government in the country for more than half a century.

The new council—which will provide services to a population of more than 400,000 people—will stretch from Dungeness in the south to Sheerness in the north. It will cover the areas of the existing Folkestone & Hythe, Ashford and Swale district and borough councils which will, along with Kent County Council, cease to exist in 2028.

Under a proposal known as Option 4B, the existing two-tier system of local government in Kent will be swept away, with existing councils replaced by four unitary bodies covering North Kent, West Kent, Mid Kent and East Kent.

During consultations into the Labour government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation, 4B failed to gain any backing from councillors on Folkestone & Hythe District Council. The majority expressed support for Option 3A, which would have seen Kent carved into three and our district become part of an East Kent unitary authority. 4B was supported by three councils—Dover, Thanet and Swale.

Reacting to last week’s decision to proceed with four unitary authorities, district council leader Cllr Jim Martin said: “Although this was not the option for local government in Kent that I and fellow councillors supported, we shall be endeavouring to ensure that the reorganisation is carried out so that we continue to deliver the very best services for residents and businesses in the Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh district.”

Cllr Tim Prater, a Liberal Democrat who sits on both the district and county councils, was less diplomatic. “Of the potential local government models, one that nails together Folkestone & Hythe and Ashford with Swale is insane,” he told the Dispatch shortly after the news broke on Thursday. “We have few educational, health, policing, business, infrastructure, transport, social care or even entertainment and hospitality links, and it’s futile to think they are going to evolve.

“It fails the most basic tests of an idea of community aligning with other service boundaries. It even fails to unite our cross-Channel operations—which are vital to this country’s economy—into one council area, which could have led to much more strategic planning and unpicking of the complexities of Operation Brock, Dover TAP, EES and the rest.

“If you are interested in getting to know the new Mid Kent unitary authority area by public transport, you’d better have time on your hands—it is hours from one end to the other and, without building a new road network or railway, it always will be.

“This is a plan put forward by other councils not for positive reasons, but to try to avoid worse options for them. It leaves us saddled with one of the most nonsensical options for Folkestone & Hythe, and has been forced on our area by someone in Westminster with clearly either no idea about our area or no concern for it.”

A significant change of direction

Although drawing boundaries on a map is always liable to produce the occasional quirk, it is likely to prove difficult—at least at first—for people in Folkestone see themselves as part of something called Mid Kent.

Healthcare here is provided by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. The town is in the East Division of Kent Police. Our buses are operated by Stagecoach South East as part of a network largely designed around Canterbury. Further education is provided by the East Kent Colleges Group. Now, rather than being part of a council area covering Canterbury and the coastal communities of the east of the county, we are being told to look towards parts of Kent with which we share no deep historic links.

Want to get to Swale by public transport? Best of luck, you’ll almost certainly have to cross the new council’s borders before heading back in. As one observer quipped when asked about where the new Mid Kent council should have its HQ: “It really should have good transport links from all parts of the authority, and on that basis, I guess we have to look at St Pancras.”

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When Folkestone & Hythe District Council announced its support for the three-unitary Option 3A in November, Cllr Martin said: “I have been visiting town and parish councils across the district and listening to local views on what future local government should look like in our part of Kent.

“Local government reorganisation is quite simply an erosion of local democracy, but we must look for the positives. What came across to us from the majority was that the three-unitary option looks the best one for our district. The fire and police services and the NHS all support the three-unitary option and it reflects the existing links we have with the other areas, including where people travel to work or look to for further education or healthcare.”

It was not to be. Now, despite all those existing ties to the eastern portion of the county, we will be asked to look towards Ashford, Sittingbourne and Sheerness, with councillors there deciding on matters affecting Folkestone, Hythe and the Romney Marsh. How that works in practice remains to be seen.

One council, all the services

The new Mid Kent unitary authority, along with the other created by this restructure of local government, will have responsibility for vast swathes of our everyday lives. From education to emptying the bins, and from social care to libraries and leisure centres, they will take on the full range of services we currently receive from the county and district councils.

Announcing the final plans last week, the government restated its belief that these changes will bring about “more streamlined and accessible services” for residents. Cllr Prater cautioned against the assumption that pooling of services would automatically produce better outcomes, pointing to the experience of East Kent Housing. That body saw four councils unite to deliver housing services under an umbrella body, but it was eventually disbanded following health and safety failings and board dismissals.

Cllr Prater told the Dispatch he believes the best approach may be for the new authority to be “set up with three operational area committees from day one—let’s call them Folkestone and Hythe, Ashford and Swale—and continue to deliver services on that basis, ring-fenced as much as possible to those areas”.

He continued: “Folkestone & Hythe pooled all its council housing into East Kent Housing, and it was a complete bin fire. Area committees, with real delegated powers and authority, might just avoid some of those bin fires, if it is set up with and by councillors that know what they are doing and are strong local representatives. If new councillors with no idea of how services are delivered try to create merged services across that area from day one—bin fire you can see from space.”

Heading to the ballot box

Elections to the new unitary councils are scheduled for May 2027, ahead of the new councils starting to deliver services in April 2028. It will be interesting to see what the make-up of the Mid Kent authority looks like after the voters go to the polls.

Combining the seats held by the various parties on the three predecessor councils, the political picture looks decidedly mixed, with the Conservatives, Labour and the Greens well represented alongside significant groupings of independents in both Swale and Ashford.

But the three councils were last contested before Reform swept to power at County Hall at the most recent elections to Kent County Council. With a new man in Downing Street, and Nigel Farage facing lingering questions over his finances, it could be all to play for when votes are cast next spring.

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News in brief

🌳 Five of the district’s best-loved parks and green spaces will proudly fly the Green Flag yet again after retaining the prestigious status. Kingsnorth Gardens, the Lower Leas Coastal Park, Radnor Park and the Royal Military Canal have all been recognised for 2026/27, along with KCC-managed Brockhill Country Park. The Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces that display the highest environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities.

Cllr Connor McConville, district council cabinet member for assets, said: “I’ve visited these parks for many years, and have always tremendously admired the amount of dedication our staff undertake to keep them to a well maintained, award-winning standard. We’re incredibly proud to retain Green Flag status and continue to offer these spaces for generations to come.”

🪜 If you fancy owning a slice of 20th century military history—with the added bonus of far-reaching sea views—then local estate agents Miles & Barr have just the thing for you. They are marketing a plot of land in Crete Road West that is advertising as coming complete with its own ‘Cold War bunker’. It is understood the subterranean installation was used during the final years of the stand-off with the Soviet Union for the monitoring of any potential nuclear conflict. The land, which the agents say could be used to park up a motorhome, is listed for auction with a guide price of £45,000.

🚲 Folkestone Academy has officially opened its new mountain biking track. The construction of the facility was funded by the charity Friends of Folkestone Academy, which supports both Folkestone Academy and Folkestone Primary School. Head of school Ben Williams said: “Our new track is really exciting because it’s yet another sport our children can try out. If it’s something they really like, we are hoping that for some of them it will become a life-long love of mountain biking and biking as a sport. Now the track is up and running, we will have a weekly club to provide access to pupils if they have a bike. Our longer term goal is to raise funds for bikes for pupils who don’t currently own a bike who would like to ride the trail.” The track was opened by former World Cup downhill rider Gareth Northam, pictured below during the ribbon-cutting, earlier this month.

Got a story?

That’s all from me this week. I’d like to wish everyone who will be partying at Pride this weekend the very best of fun. Let’s hope the sun is shining and a good time is had by all. Next week’s Dispatch will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday, and on Monday evening you’ll have the next edition of On The Town arriving with plenty of ideas for things to do in the week ahead.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to this week’s edition of On The Town. With the school holidays now upon us, plenty of you will be on the look out for things to do with the kids in the coming weeks. If you have any child-friendly events taking place that you would like us to promote then please do get in touch with details via the usual channels. It can be hard to spot everything that’s happening in Folkestone’s packed summer calendar, so tip-offs are always welcome.

Folkestone Pride is back and bigger than ever

This year’s Pride celebrations promise to be “louder and prouder” than ever as the town comes together to celebrate its thriving LGBTQ+ community. Saturday will see the parade set off from the bottom of the Old High Street at 1pm, reaching The Leas for the picnic and party from 2pm.

Artists performing at the bandstand between 2pm and 6pm include drag act Tiana Biscuit, Chappell Roan tribute The Midwest Princess, and dance troupe Homoparody. After the daytime fun is done, the party will continue at the Quarterhouse from 9pm until late, with DJ and broadcaster Jaguar headlining OutOut: Official Folkestone Pride After Party. She will be supported by Oli Keens and Teutonic Kaboom.

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Folkestone Pride director Rosie Percy said: “We’re thrilled for Folkestone Pride to return on Saturday. Now in our ninth year, it’ll be louder and prouder than ever before with a larger parade, all-new line-up for the daytime event that’s free and open to all, and an incredible headliner for our biggest official after party yet. It’s the ultimate celebration as part of our year-round commitment to support our local, much-loved community and we can't wait for you to join us.”

BOOK NOW: The parade and party on The Leas are free to attend and everyone is welcome. Tickets for the after party at the Quarterhouse, which is for over-18s only, are £18 and can be purchased on the Creative Folkestone website here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

What’s on this week

🎙️ Comedian Gary Delaney is coming to the Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, July 24. The comic’s last UK tour ran for two and a half years across 378 dates, and now he’s back with a fresh show, Gary On Laughing. The gig starts at 7.30pm and you can get your tickets here.

🥁 There will be musical fun for little ones at the Quarterhouse tomorrow, July 21, as Mrs H and The Sing-a-Long Band come to town. Bringing together elements of folk, soul, Afro, Latin, dub, comedy and theatre, the aim is to play great music for children that adults will love too. Aimed at youngsters aged five and under, the show starts at 11am and tickets are on sale here.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include Moana and The Odyssey. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎻 Baroque violinist Walter Reiter will be performing music by JS Bach at St Mary & St Eanswythe Parish Church on Saturday, July 25, from 3pm. Tickets are £15 for adults, but free for children and students, and you can get yours here.

🍷 Wine expert Matt Walls is hosting a tasting of 25 wines made with the Cinsault grape at John Dory in Sandgate on Thursday, July 23.

🎨 An exhibition entitled ‘Queer before pride, stories left untold’ is being staged by the Queeriosity Collective at Whelkboy Gallery in the Old High Street, showing work by artists by Susan Churchill, Clare Unsworth and Sue Venables. It is open to the public from 10am to 4pm daily until Sunday, July 26.

⛳ Channel Rotary is hosting an Adventure Golf Championship on Friday, July 24, from 2pm to 8pm at Folkestone Harbour. The event costs £10 per person to enter, with all money raised going to local charities. There is no need to register in advance, simply turn up on the day and post the best score you can.

☀️ Pomus is launching a summer series of Sunday Sessions with drinks offers and a DJ playing tunes in the garden. The first is this Sunday, July 26, from 4pm.

🎉 Community group Go Folkestone is hosting an all-day festival at The Grand on The Leas on Saturday, July 25, to celebrate its 25th anniversary. There will be free events during the daytime, and then a ticketed concert in the evening featuring a number of local performers. You can find full details here.

🎞️ Teen comedy The Lizzie McGuire Movie will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 24, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

Book now

🎥 This year’s Folkestone Documentary Festival opening night film will be The Cycle of Love from Academy Award-winning director Orlando von Einsiedel. Tickets for the screening at Silver Screen Cinema on October 22, which include access to the opening night party and a Q&A with the director, are now on sale here.

🎵 Fun House, a night which sees up-and-coming local acts performing alongside a house band, returns to the Quarterhouse on September 4. Tickets on sale here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

In case you missed it…

Jo Bavington-Jones always wanted to be a writer, but for a long time life got in the way until she finally decided to take the plunge. This week A Crow of Murders, the fifth instalment in her Folkestone-set crime series, hits the shelves. The Dispatch went to meet her to find out more about her journey to becoming a published author and hear about some of the challenges facing aspiring writers in the age of the celebrity blockbuster…

You came to storytelling later in life, so how did you get into writing and becoming a published author?

“I always wanted to be a writer from a very young age. I was always the teacher’s pet in English, loved reading, always had a book in my hand. But then I discovered boys, and the idea of becoming a writer went out the window. Then life happened and I had to work—you have bills to pay. I think I was 49 when I finally said, ‘you’ve got to do this, otherwise you’re always going to regret not doing it’.”

Your first two books were centred on female experiences and relationships, so what made you decide to start a crime series?

“Well, they say write what you know. And what do I know? I know about being a woman, a mother, a divorcee. So I invented a character who was unhappily married and I wrote two books based on Lucy, but it really wasn’t what I wanted to do. I always read crime. Crime was my first love, Richard Scarry’s The Great Pie Robbery was my favourite book as a very little girl.

“During the first Covid lockdown I was completely on my own. My son was with his dad, and at the time we didn’t think we could share the children between houses—I was completely cut off. So I thought I’m going to write a crime novel. I sat down and I started writing without really having a plan and The Write Way to Die was born in 10 weeks.

“I loved every minute of it, and so that gave me the motivation to create a series and I haven’t really looked back from that. I’m just publishing the fifth book in the series. They are quite dark and grisly in places, but there’s a lot of humour. It’s quite dark humour, lots of sarcasm, a bit sweary. One of my characters has got a real potty mouth, but she’s a joy to write and I love coming back to her and being able to develop the characters in the series.”

The books are all set in and around Folkestone, does the town itself provide inspiration for your writing?

“Folkestone is just the perfect location, as far as I’m concerned. There are spots just screaming out to have dead bodies placed at them. So Folkestone has always come through for me. Would it have worked without the town? It probably would, because obviously most of the ideas are still in my head, but there is a lot of interest and support for local writers and creativity is in the air everywhere you go in Folkestone. You feel like you’re in the right place to be a creative.”

Writing the first book in the series in just 10 weeks is pretty good going, can you give some insight into your process?

“I have no plans. I’m rubbish at planning, so I am a ‘pantser’, you write by the seat of your pants. I’ll have a jumping in idea and I might have an idea of how it’s going to end, but it probably won’t end like that because the ideas come while I’m writing. Writing one sentence will trigger another idea, so it’s very organic. The characters do whatever the hell they want.

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“For the next book I have got something in my head. I can feel it brewing back there but I have got no clue what that actually looks like. I think if you’re too rigid then you might miss a really great twist or a change in the storyline, and for me, it works. I only write one draft, because editing, I haven’t got the patience. So say I write two chapters one day, the next day I will read through those chapters, edit, done. They will never be touched again. So when I write the ending the book is done, apart from a proofread, because I could do 10 drafts. I would find that soul destroying and I think I would end up hating the book.”

Anyone who has tried writing for a living will know how difficult it can be, so do you find it a challenge to get your work in front of readers?

“You start off trying to do it right. You try to get a literary agent, but even if you get a literary agent they can only sell about 1% of books now. Unless you’re a celebrity or have the right contacts it’s almost impossible, so more and more authors are self-publishing.

“There’s a limited number of deals to go around, and if they’re all nabbed by celebrities? There’s nothing wrong with Richard Osman’s books, but if I wrote one [of his novels] and submitted it to a publisher they’d be like, ‘no, thank you very much’. But it’s Richard Osman, and suddenly it’s a multi-million bestseller. I have a fan who said he had just finished all the Richard Osman books, then read mine, and he enjoyed them just as much. But how do I reach people beyond Folkestone to find my readers? Because people do love my books, and it’s taken me nine books to be able to say I can write.

“Waterstones won’t stock my books, even though I live in Folkestone and write books set in Folkestone. So we have an outlet here [at Petticoat Lane Emporium in Sandgate Road] and we have a hut at the Harbour Arm. Waterstones in Folkestone have been completely unsupportive, which is quite sad. I am going to try again, when I’m feeling brave. But it is hard, you have to use every contact you have got. If you know other authors, use them, get reviews. Anything you can do, to be honest, but it is really hard.

“I would say write because you love it, go to every event that you can, and put yourself out there. Try and grow a local following, try to get some raving fans who will tell everybody about your book. How you get it beyond your local area, I don’t know.”

Hopefully this piece will help get the word out, so how would you pitch your series to Dispatch readers who are on the hunt for their next summer read?

“If you like dark British crime with a big dollop of funny, then hopefully you’ll enjoy them. If I can make a reader laugh out loud, happy days. But don’t have nightmares.”

You can find out more about Jo Bavington-Jones and her books on her website, where you will also find links to purchase copies of her work. Her latest novel, A Crow of Murders, is on sale now.

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Subscribe via this link to save 10% on an annual subscription to this newsletter and we will donate £3 to our 2026 charity of the year, South Kent Mind. Support the Dispatch, and help us support a wonderful charity helping people in our community

News in brief

⚽ The final of this summer’s men’s FIFA Wold Cup will be shown at the Harbour Arm—if England manage to beat Argentina in tonight’s semi-final in Atlanta. So far during the tournament, matches have not been screened at the Goods Yard. Announcing the provisional plans for a final appearance for the Three Lions, bosses at the seaside venue said: “As we have said before, England reaching the final would be a historic moment, and we will show it on the harbour screen. This will be a ticketed event so we can provide that family-friendly environment for all to enjoy, with family tickets, child tickets and a limited number of general admission tickets available.” If England are victorious this evening, tickets for the harbour screening on Sunday night will go on sale at 1pm tomorrow.

👶 The Office for National Statistics has released details of the most popular names for babies born in 2025, and in the Folkestone & Hythe district the most common names for boys and girls last year were Theo and Lily respectively. Across the whole of England and Wales, Olivia held the top spot for the 10th year in a row for girls’ names, while Muhammad topped the list for boys’ names for the third year running.

🎨 The shortlist for UK Town of Culture 2028 has been announced—and Folkestone has missed out on the chance to compete for the accolade. Almost 400 places applied, with just 15 making the cut to receive £60,000 to draw up their full bids for the title. Commenting on the failure of the town’s bid, a spokesman for Folkestone & Hythe District Council said: “This is a real disappointment for the team and for everyone involved. A huge amount of hard work, insight and passion from our community shaped the bid, and we are extremely grateful for the time and commitment that was contributed. We hope to carry forward some of the momentum and ideas generated through this process into our wider tourism agenda for Folkestone. We’d like to thank everyone who supported our bid and brought their enthusiasm to the campaign.”

🏠 Plans have been submitted for the building of eight new homes on the current site of engineering firm NIC Instruments Ltd on Gladstone Road. The business is seeking to relocate as it has outgrown its existing location, and the redevelopment of its current premises for housing will fund that expansion elsewhere. The application is out for consultation until August 3 and full details of the plans can be found here.

🎞️ A local film-maker currently working on a short documentary about the golden age of cinema in Folkestone is looking for people to share their memories on camera. Sebastian Cater is planning to enter his work for the film-making challenge competition at this year’s Folkestone Documentary Festival. He said: “I worry that people think that their stories aren’t important, but I’m really interested in recording social history—the little details like what people wore, what drinks and snacks they had—all with the ultimate aim of conveying the excitement of experiencing something together as a community when cinema-going was more of a cultural event.” If you would like to share your stories, contact lostcinemasfolkestone@gmail.com.

Got a story?

On Monday the first edition of our new what’s on email, On The Town, went out to our Dispatch subscribers. If you have not had a chance to take a look yet, you can follow the link immediately above. I want this addition to the newsletter to be full of great stuff that’s happening in Folkestone, so please do get in touch if you have something you would like us to promote. On The Town will be with you on Monday evenings, and next week’s Dispatch will be in your inboxes at the usual time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Good evening, and welcome to the very first edition of On The Town, the new weekly what’s on newsletter from the Folkestone Dispatch.

Promoting the many wonderful things happening in the town each week has been a feature of the Wednesday email since we launched more than a year ago, and 85% of respondents to our new reader survey have told us that what’s on content is one of the areas of coverage they most want to see from this newsletter. So, after much deliberation, we have decided to expand this coverage with the launch of a stand-alone Monday email.

Folkestone has a thriving cultural scene that has truly put the town on the map. Every week there is so much going on, and we want to make sure you never miss out on that night on the town that could be the highlight of your week. Whether it’s what’s showing at Silver Screen, the opening of a new bar or restaurant, a big name gracing the stage at the Leas Cliff Hall or the Quarterhouse, this Monday email will keep you in the know.

Unlike the events listing section in the current Wednesday email, we won’t be focusing purely on what’s taking place this week. After all, plenty of great events are sold out long in advance, so we will also be telling you about what you need to book now to make sure you don’t miss out.

If you are signed up to the Dispatch mailing list, you will automatically receive On The Town, you don’t need to do anything. However, if you happen to be among the 15% not interested in more what’s on coverage, you can opt out here. Just toggle off notifications for ‘what’s on’. It’s that simple and only takes a second.

Live music, performing arts, exhibitions, food and drink, comedy, festivals and community events—we want On The Town to be full of all this and lots more. So if you have something cultural that you want to tell the readers of the Dispatch about then drop us a line.

Here’s to many more great nights on the town!

Folkestone Book Festival programme revealed

A line-up packed with literary heavyweights has been announced for this year’s Folkestone Book Festival, which returns to the town this autumn. The programme was revealed by Creative Folkestone’s outgoing chief executive Alastair Upton and festival curator Sophie Haydock, pictured above, at the Quarterhouse on Wednesday.

Among the big names coming to town for the celebration of ideas and storytelling are novelist Ian McEwan, Booker Prize-shortlisted AL Kennedy, and iconic crime writer Lynda La Plante. The festival will open on November 12 with an appearance by Sir Tony Robinson, who will be discussing his new novel The House of Wolf. And it will conclude on November 22 when cult Kent-born artist Billy Childish takes to the Quarterhouse stage.

Speaking at the launch event last week, Ms Haydock admitted that the flourishing reputation of the town is helping her secure some of the biggest names in the literary world for the festival. “I think Folkestone really helps me do my job,” she told the audience who had come see the programme unveiled. “People keep seeing Folkestone in the news, they keep seeing Folkestone in the Sunday papers over their breakfast, and I think they are intrigued. They want to know what’s happening here.”

Reflecting on the breadth of topics being covered in this year’s packed programme, Ms Haydock encouraged those coming to the festival to take a chance on events and authors that might not catch your eye at first glance. She said: “There are events you might think are not your cup of tea, but I think going to things that you don’t necessarily think you’re really passionate about and taking a chance on authors you might not have heard of before can be really rewarding.”

As well as figures from the literary world, the festival will also feature events with big names from the worlds of politics, the media, the environment and science. They include former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid, high-profile journalist and broadcaster Robert Peston, and volcanologist Bill McGuire.

BOOK NOW: Tickets for the 2026 Folkestone Book Festival are on sale now, and events with some of the biggest names on the bill are likely to sell out fast. A Book Festival Pass, which allows the holder to access all talks and events, costs £150. Full details of all the festival events, and how to book tickets, can be found on the Creative Folkestone website here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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What’s on this week

🎸 Ready for a hit of 90s nostalgia? Local legends Prophets of Pop will be playing a one-off show at the Quarterhouse this Friday, July 17. The Folkestone five-piece will be rolling back the years with a Britpop blend of rock and pop—sure to delight fans who remember their exploits on the local music scene first time around. The gig is being staged in support of Harry’s Village, raising money to help support a young man called Harry Clapham who suffered a serious spinal injury. The show is at 7pm and you can get tickets here.

🎙️ There should be laughs aplenty at the Quarterhouse on Thursday evening, July 16, as comics Huge Davies and Bella Hull preview their Edinburgh shows. The work-in-progress double bill kicks off at 7.30pm and you can get tickets here.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include Minions & Monsters, Moana, and, from Friday, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited screen adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎸 Tribute act Rumours of Fleetwood Mac will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, July 17. Fans of Fleetwood Mac, old and new, can expect an uplifting evening featuring the iconic rock outfit’s biggest hits. The show starts at 7.30pm and you can book tickets here.

🕰️ Browse for vintage finds and work by local artists at Folkestone Flea at the Docker Brewery & Taproom on Saturday, July 18, from 12pm to 5pm. As well as the market, there will of course be pints, pizza and coffee available.

🎞️ Comedy-romance 13 Going on 30 will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 17, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🎻 The Folkestone Symphony Orchestra returns to the Leas Cliff Hall on Saturday, July 18, for its Summer Prom concert. It will be hosted by television presenter Jan Leeming, and will feature some of the best-loved and instantly-recognisable pieces of classical music. The show starts at 7.30pm and you can get tickets here.

🎥 As part of this year’s filmmaking challenge, Folkestone Documentary Festival and Screen South are hosting a workshop on Wednesday, July 15, helping would-be directors learn how to make short films using their phones. The two-hour Film It on Your Phone! session takes place at Screen South in Mill Bay from 6pm and you can secure your free spot here.

🎨 Turner Schools Trust is staging its Creative Art Exhibition 2026 at the Folkestone Academy on Wednesday, July 15, as a showcase of work by pupils at schools across the group. Inspired by the theme Roots, the exhibition explores ideas of identity, heritage, community, nature, growth and belonging through a variety of artistic mediums. It is open to the public from 4pm until 7pm.

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🎸 Rock four-piece Don Broco are bringing their blend of metal, post-hardcore and electronica to the Leas Cliff Hall in October. The band—who have sold out shows at Wembley Arena and Alexandra Palace—are touring their fifth studio album, Nightmare Tripping, and will be taking the stage in Folkestone on October 11. Tickets are now on sale here.

🎙️ Comedian Andy Parsons will be performing his latest stand-up show, Please #@!$ off to Mars, at the Quarterhouse in September. The comic, perhaps best known for his appearances on panel show Mock The Week, says ‘life is hard, come and have a laugh about it’. The gig is on September 17 and you can get tickets here.

🎭 Folkestone and Hythe Operatic and Dramatic Society will be staging hit musical Gypsy at Tower Theatre later this year. The company will be performing the show over six nights in September and October. You can find more information and book tickets here.

That’s your lot for this week. On The Town will be in your inboxes every Monday evening, helping you get a jump on your plans for the week ahead. If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

Once it has you tightly in its clutches, addiction can drag you down and further down into the darkest of places. “Sometimes I just wanted to die,” admits Nikki Bradfield, when she reflects on the depths to which she sank in the grip of crack cocaine. “I had just had enough. But it wasn’t even so much dying, I just hoped I wouldn’t wake up this time. It was just like a relentless cycle of greyness. It’s such an awful life, it just sucks your soul away.”

Now a year into her ongoing journey of recovery, and a year clean from drugs, Nikki sat down with the Dispatch to speak about her role as a volunteer with ‘lived experience recovery organisation’ ROAR, which works with recovering addicts in Folkestone and across Kent.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for someone who has had to do much self-analysis as part of the recovery process, the 51-year-old is unflinching when reflecting on how drugs came close to destroying her life entirely.

“I lost my home, I’ve slept in an underground car park, I’ve lived in a tent, I’ve shoplifted. You do what you have to do to make ends meet… Well, not ends meet, to get your drugs—because that is the focus of life: getting and using drugs. That’s the bottom line.

“When you’re on the street that’s when the final morals dissolve, because it’s shit. People say don’t give homeless people money because they’ll spend it on drugs. Too fucking right. Do I want a sandwich or do I want to get high? That’s the reality.”

So how did this former Folkestone School for Girls pupil go from a marriage, three children, a job in education and training to become a teacher, to living on the streets and looking no further than the next hit? She admits that the collapse of that relationship was the trigger for a period where her life spun out of control.

Until the age of 11 she lived with her family in the United Arab Emirates, and during that time she was the victim of sexual abuse by a man employed by the family. That trauma, she has come to understand, caused lasting damage that altered something fundamental in her personality.

“I became a lot quieter,” she said. “I was never a loud kid, but things changed. Now I have done a lot of work on myself I can trace things back. At 14 I discovered alcohol, and I loved it because it changed the way I felt. I didn’t realise that was the deal at the time, but [addiction] is a progressive disease, and the more regularly you indulge it the worse it will become.

“Luckily I met someone and got married, and had 18 years that were probably the happiest, but I very much had to control my life. Then I came out the other side of a marriage and I had no anchor.”

Beyond dabbling with cannabis during her youth, drugs had not been something Nikki had used regularly. “I was quite naive, really,” she admitted. “I got offered a line at an after party and I never really thought about it. Then it came to that stage after a while where I bought [cocaine] so I could go to the pub or a club and enjoy a bit more drinking time. But then it’s an ultimate progression if you’re doing it regularly, which I did.

“I didn’t try cocaine until I was 38. Roll on six, seven years and I’m smoking crack. It was lockdown, and I met this guy with no job, no money, no prospects, no home, and a crack habit. And he moved in [during the pandemic]. I never saw that trajectory. But I was naive, so naive, if you hang around with crackheads you’ll become a crackhead.”

Addiction robbed her of almost everything, leaving her homeless and destroying relationships with friends and family, including her children. At one stage she was placed in temporary accommodation with one son, who was 15 at the time, and they were living alongside the chaos of other drug addicts in a hotel she said was almost unfit for habitation.

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Things started to turn around a year ago when she started recovery with a month-long spell in residential rehab, followed by a longer period of attending day rehab sessions. It was during this time that she was first introduced to ROAR, which helps people who are in the process of attempting to rebuild their lives following addiction.

The organisation, which started out in Canterbury, Margate and Folkestone but now serves eight communities across Kent, provides ongoing support to those on the path to recovery. This includes regular drop-in sessions and peer support, as well as activities including cooking classes, walking groups and indoor football. Last year more than 1,600 people engaged with its services across the county.

For Nikki, having volunteers who themselves have experienced addiction and associated issues such as homelessness makes the work ROAR does in our communities all the more powerful. “I’m actually getting to help people that I used [drugs] with,” she said. “Being a lived experience organisation, people can relate to us a lot better.

“It’s not like we’re talking from a textbook—addiction took me out, wiped the floor with me and spat me out. We work in communities to build connections for people because addiction is so isolating. Learning to reach out and connect again, that’s what it’s all about for me.”

After a year clean, Nikki sees clearly that recovery is a journey she will be on for the rest of her life. She is now beginning to rebuild the relationships that were wrecked by the years in the grip of addiction, and working hard to better understand what it was inside her that took her into that dark place.

Despite all she has been through, she tries to hold on to the positives and channel her energies into helping others on their journey.

“In some ways I feel very blessed to have gone through the journey I have,” she said. “I wish I hadn’t hurt so many people, but I’m lucky to understand who I am today. I understand myself so much better now and I can stop that bad behaviour from wrecking my life again.

“It’s a tough game to try and help people recover, because if we had a magic answer we wouldn’t be in such a fucking mess. But it’s possible. I think when people have hit rock bottom there’s no other option. We can show people there is a better way out there.”

You can find out more about ROAR and its work here. This story came about following a request for organisations in our community to come forward with a story to tell. If you know of other groups working locally that we should be speaking to about their work, please contact rhys@folkestonedispatch.com.

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News in brief

🔥 Dover Road was shut yesterday as the emergency services responded to a fire in a flat at the junction with Grove Road, just south of the Folkestone to Dover railway line. Kent Fire and Rescue Service sent five fire engines and a height vehicle to the scene at around 1.30pm, as flames shot from a top floor window and smoke billowed across surrounding streets. Residents living in the area close to the fire were told to keep windows and doors shut, but this warning was lifting at 4pm. Kent Police and the ambulance service were also in attendance, but it is not known at this stage whether anyone was hurt in the fire. In the last update given yesterday afternoon, a spokesman for KFRS said: “Five fire engines and a height vehicle remain at the scene and crews are making good progress.”

🏆 The Dispatch has been recognised for its coverage of the Folkestone community at this year’s Kent Press & Broadcast Awards. The newsletter was ‘highly commended’ in the Kent Voices Award category, which aims to recognise ‘journalists and news outlets going the extra mile to serve their local community, demonstrate inclusivity and diversity, amplify voices that struggle to be heard and shine a light on underrepresented groups’. Judges praised the Dispatch for showing “a real commitment to hyperlocal journalism” and for its coverage of a diverse range of voices within the Folkestone community. The category was won by KMTV for its News Nuggets programming, which produces current affairs coverage for kids.

The awards ceremony, which was hosted by Maxim PR at Kent County Cricket Club last Friday, also saw a win for KentOnline reporter Alex Keir in the Kent New Journalist of the Year category. Judges said Mr Keir, who grew up in Hythe and attended Dover Grammar School for Boys, “created the agenda rather than just following it” and noted that he is “very mature for someone who’s only been in the job six months”. All the winners at this year’s KPBAs can be found here.

🚨 A “viable explosive substance” was discovered at a property in Hawkinge after police responded to reports a man had allegedly used a crossbow to fire arrows at a neighbour’s front porch. Officers arrested suspect Mark Humberstone at his home in Churchill Walk on June 16, and during a search of the property police discovered a number of suspicious items which had to be assessed by a specialist team from the Army. “The items have since been removed for further examination,” a police spokesman said, “with one to date confirmed as being a viable explosive substance.” The 61-year-old has since been charged with possessing an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose, causing criminal damage to his neighbour’s porch, and possessing four unlawful weapons—all knuckledusters—in a private place. He has been remanded in custody and is next due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court for a plea hearing on August 3.

📚 Folkestone Academy has been found to meet the ‘expected standard’ in most areas following an inspection by Ofsted in May. In a report published last week, the education watchdog praised the school’s “welcoming and inclusive ethos” after rating its efforts on inclusion to be of a ‘strong’ standard. However, the Academy—which is part of the Turner Schools chain—has been told the achievement of pupils at the school ‘needs attention’. Inspectors said that students’ result in exams at the end of Key Stage 4, when youngsters typically sit GCSEs, is “below the national average over time”. The report goes on to state: “This limits pupils’ readiness for the next stage of education, training or employment. Leaders recognise that pupils’ outcomes need to be better. They have made changes to the way that the curriculum is implemented to address this.” You can read the report in full here.

❓ Saga is launching a public consultation on plans for the future of Enbrook Park—which could see part of the sprawling Sandgate site developed for housing. The company returned to its headquarters last year following its closure during the Covid-19 pandemic, and is now looking to redevelop the facilities there to meet the needs of a reduced number of employees working on-site. The over-50s travel and insurance firm says it wants to listen to feedback from local councillors, community leaders and residents as it develops its plans for the future. The next step in that process will be a public consultation event next Monday, July 13, to be held in the main reception of the Saga Building from 4pm to 7pm.

Today between 400 and 500 staff come to work there each day, compared to more than 1,000 before the pandemic brought in hybrid working patterns. Part of the business’s vision for Enbrook Park is the transformation of the Pavilion—which once housed its canteen and creche—into a space which could also be used by the local community. The event next week will provide an opportunity for people to view the proposals, ask questions and share their feedback. Further information about the plans for the site can be found here.

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What’s on this week

🪇 Strange Cargo’s annual summer carnival, Charivari Day, takes place this Saturday, July 11, and this year it is celebrating the National Year of Reading, with all costumes inspired by literary characters. A procession of 800 participants will parade from the Stade to the bandstand on The Leas via the Old High Street and the town centre. The parade sets off at 2pm and there will be live music at the bandstand until 5.45pm.

🪦 A tour of Shorncliffe Military Cemetery exploring the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the history of the cemetery is taking place on Sunday, July 12. The free tour will be led by an experienced guide and will start at 2pm. You can find out more and secure a ticket here.

🎞️ Comedy-drama Coyote Ugly will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 10, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

That’s all from me this week. Keep an eye on your inboxes on Monday, as I am planning to send our very first On The Town newsletter, a new weekly email from the Dispatch keeping you up to date with all the exciting things happening both here in Folkestone and further afield. It will be sent to all existing subscribers—you do not need to do anything. Next week’s main newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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In case you missed it…

Mention Indiana Jones to an archaeologist and the chances are you’ll be met with an eye-rolling reaction. The action-packed adventures of Harrison Ford’s rugged on-screen professor are a world away from the reality of long, laborious days spent excavating in the hope of a significant find that may or may not emerge from the earth. Gunfights with egomaniacal rivals and car chases with power-crazed Nazis? Leave all that to the Hollywood scriptwriters.

That said, there was something of the cloak-and-dagger intrigue of Indy’s cinematic adventures as the Dispatch negotiated access to a top-secret dig site in the rolling Kent countryside ahead of Folkestone Museum’s blockbuster exhibition Raising the Dead: Life and Loss in the Kingdom of Kent, which opens to the public this weekend.

Only after swearing not to reveal the location, or take any photographs that could identify its whereabouts, were we invited into the trenches alongside an international team working methodically to reveal the secrets of this Anglo-Saxon burial ground.

Arriving on a blisteringly hot morning during the recent heatwave, we looked out over the sloping site to see archaeologists and students crouched close to the chalky soil, painstakingly removing the earth concealing remains and artefacts buried in the centuries immediately after Roman rule in Britain came to an end.

Our guide, University of Lancashire professor of archaeology Duncan Sayer, is now in his third year of work on this site, which is nestled in the picturesque countryside outside Folkestone. The work he and his colleagues are doing in this pretty yet unremarkable corner of Kent is helping to shed more light on a period of English history that was for a long time, inaccurately, described as the Dark Ages.

“We’re looking at a world of huge change that’s taking place between the 5th and 7th century and that’s really what we’re interested in—the impact on these people and the communities that they created,” Professor Sayer said when we sat down to discuss the project, which has featured on BBC Two show Digging For Britain, in a sweltering temporary office overlooking the site.

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“We’re looking at a period of time that starts off just after the Roman administration comes to an end, and our earliest burials that we’ve been able to identify are very much in that sort of mid-5th century kind of zone.

“The Romans have packed up, then there’s this sort of space. Who is there? There are plenty of indigenous people around, the Romano-British didn’t go anywhere, but at that point there is this idea that you get this migration of people from the continent into the east of England.

“Genetic research that we’ve done elsewhere, and we will continue to do with this excavation, is able to identify first-generation migrants and their offspring and trace the evolution of family trees and the inter-marriage between indigenous populations and incoming communities. That’s very much what’s going on here. We’ve got a mixed community coming in and creating what we call Anglo-Saxon England.”

Far from the outdated vision of the so-called Dark Ages as a time of civilisational decline and post-Roman parochialism, the exploration of this extensive Anglo-Saxon cemetery is revealing a time when the then-independent Kingdom of Kent was awash with objects of exquisite craftsmanship and goods that place it within the context of trading networks stretching hundreds and thousands of miles across Europe and as far as Sri Lanka and the east of Africa.

Grave goods unearthed during this dig have included broaches, beads, belt buckles and, perhaps most notably, a ‘ring sword’ identifying the burial of an extremely high-ranking member of this early Kentish community.

“Swords were really important to the Anglo-Saxons,” explained Coralie Clover, a former Folkestone School for Girls pupil who is today curator at Folkestone Museum. “Having a very fine sword was a sign of what a leader and a man you were.

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“Compared to other ring swords that we have found, for example the ring sword at Buckland [near Dover] which is now in the British Museum, this sword is unparalleled in that it’s complete and because of the quality of the work. These swords were often passed down for generations by the Anglo-Saxons, but this sword was buried with this man and it says a huge amount about their respect for that person that they chose to bury that sword with him.”

The ring sword discovered during excavations at the cemetery promises to be the highlight of the new exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday, July 4, and will run until September 30. The giving of rings, such as that found attached to this weapon, is understood to have been a sign of allegiance to a ruler, suggesting that whoever was buried with this sword in their grasp was personally connected to the Kings of Kent.

Professor Sayer has no doubt that a find of this significance would be worthy of display in the collection of an institution of the standing of the British Museum, so for Ms Clover and the team at Folkestone Museum the chance to show this and other finds from the cemetery dig to the public is a remarkable opportunity.

“These finds are of national, if not international importance, so to be able to host them here is amazing,” she said. “We’re really proud, and very grateful to our partners for giving us the opportunity to show people how amazing our place was in the past.

“I feel very strongly that local museums should have that stake in their local history. Archaeology is my love, so to be able to bring in local finds from our local area of such importance feels like the most important thing that we’ve had at the museum.”

But why should the people of Folkestone care about these artefacts from centuries ago? “We are part of a long history of people, and these ones are the first generations that really started to shape the landscape that we recognise today,” Professor Sayer said.

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“The village is here because these guys were here. The landscape in this region is shaped by these early Anglo-Saxon settlers. The field boundaries, where the villages are, where the churches are—it’s all because of where they put their settlements, where they put their cemeteries and how they shaped their landscape.

“So it’s a very important part of our history, almost the foundation of it really. If you want to know who we are, look at the past. I think it gives us a sense of purpose and belonging that goes beyond what’s immediately in front of our faces, and it’s really important to be rooted in that.”

It is the location of these finds that give them great significance for Folkestone and the east of Kent as a whole. And while we would love to be able to tell you where they were uncovered, the fact is there remains lots more work to do on the site, where the dig will continue for some time to come. Allowing trained archaeologists to carry out these investigations is, Professor Sayer said, crucial to allowing us to fully understand the stories these grave sites tell about the people who walked this land before us.

“We’ve got really good quality material culture coming out of the cemetery in association with the graves,” he said, “and it’s really important that we keep that association because we can tell more if we find a sword or a brooch in a grave with a person than if it’s found out of context.

“If someone comes in with a metal detector and takes all that stuff away we’ve lost the history of it and that’s devastating. It might be worth a few quid—it’s not a huge amount of money—but it would destroy the archaeology in that context so much that it’s just not worth taking that risk.

“It’s a balancing act, because we want to get the high profile, we want to do the museum exhibitions, we want to use this as a way to talk to people about the early medieval history of Kent, but at the same time we don’t want our publicity to result in the destruction of that history.”

Raising the Dead: Life and Loss in the Kingdom of Kent is at Folkestone Museum from July 4 until September 30. Entry is free, and you can find out more about this and other exhibitions and events at the Guildhall Street museum here.

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News in brief

❌ Plans for the £5 million redevelopment of the site of the former Methodist church in Sandgate Road have been axed due to difficulties in raising the money needed to finance the project. The scheme had been drawn up by the Rainbow Centre and the South Kent Methodist Circuit, and would have seen the existing building torn down and replaced with a new purpose-built home for both the charity and the congregation. Services currently delivered by the Rainbow Centre a short distance away on Sandgate Road would have relocated to the new facility, and there would also have been on-site emergency accommodation for those facing homelessness. The planning application for the plot has now been withdrawn, with the two groups admitting it is “no longer feasible” to continue with the proposed redevelopment.

“This was not an easy decision,” said Adrian Roux, superintendent at South Kent Methodist Circuit. “But we are not stepping back from Folkestone or from the people who need support here. We are stepping back from one approach and looking for a more impactful one.” Dr Peter Le Feuvre, chairman of trustees at the Rainbow Centre, added: “Our commitment to the people of Folkestone and the South Kent Methodist Circuit continues, as we work together to help to restore stability, dignity and hope for those experiencing deprivation and hardship in our town.”

🏠 Folkestone & Hythe District Council has snapped up a new block of flats in the town centre to help with its accommodation of residents facing homelessness. The two-bedroom apartments are self-contained and will give families a stable roof over their head while they wait to move into permanent housing. As the Dispatch revealed last month, the council faces a spiralling bill for providing temporary accommodation for those at threat of being made homeless. Figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws showed that from April 2025 to March 2026 inclusive the local authority spent £1,956,456.39, a staggering 112% year-on-year increase on the previous 12-month period. Last year, the council approved a £5 million investment in its own temporary accommodation portfolio in a bid to bring that bill down.

Commenting on the acquisition of the eight new flats, Cllr Rebecca Shoob, the district council’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “These new homes will provide safe, secure and high-quality temporary accommodation for people when they need it most. By investing in our own housing, we are improving standards for residents while also reducing the costs associated with private sector provision.”

🏠 Folkestone care home Millfield House has been told by the Care Quality Commission that it “requires improvement” following an inspection in May. In a report published last week, the watchdog said although staff at the home—a residential setting for people with physical or learning disabilities—were caring and compassionate “they were not always sufficiently knowledgeable about people’s needs or how to support them safely”. Millfield House was last rated as requiring improvement in January 2023, and it remains in that position following this latest visit by inspectors. “We received positive feedback from people and their relatives about living at Millfield House,” the report published last week states. But although this feedback was positive, it concludes that “people were exposed to greater risk of harm through areas of inconsistent risk management, governance and staff training and knowledge”. You can read the report here.

🛝 Users of the district’s play areas are being asked to share their views with the council as it prepares to invest £670,000 in upgrades. A number of sites are in line for investment, including those at Cheriton Recreation Ground and East Cliff. Proposed works could include adding more modern play equipment that appeals to a wider age range, improving surfacing and seating, better paths and fencing, and features to support inclusive and sensory play. Cllr Connor McConville, the district council’s cabinet member for assets, said: “We know how important play areas are for children, families and local communities. These improvements will help us create safe, more inclusive and more enjoyable places to play across the district. We are committed to supporting healthy, active lifestyles and encouraging outdoor activity. So, we want to hear ideas from residents about what they would like to see in our play areas. Share those exciting and imaginative ideas and we will see what we can do to create them.” You can complete the survey here.

🏏 Folkestone Cricket Club’s women’s softball cricket team have taken part in their first international tour, travelling to Valenciennes in northern France for a weekend of games against cricketers from a local club. The women’s side was only formed last summer, and since then the team has progressed significantly as a squad made up mostly of first-time players has gained experience with bat and ball. Led by coaches Malcolm and Alwyn, they returned home unbeaten in three matches.

A spokesman for the club said: “The Folkestone players received a warm welcome on arrival and took part in three matches against mixed teams made up of men, women and children. Every game was close, but the visitors demonstrated just how far they have come in a short space of time, producing impressive performances across the weekend and winning all three matches.”

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What’s on this week

🎭 The folks at Folkestone Improv Theatre are promising two hours of hilarious improv comedy tonight, July 1, at The Loft in Sandgate Road. The monthly ‘improv jam’ sees pros and students create spontaneous scenes right before your eyes. It all kicks off at 7.30pm and you can get your tickets here.

🎙️ Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on Saturday, July 4. Jools will be joined on stage by special guest Roachford and vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka. The show starts at 7.30pm and you can get tickets here.

🚶 Leas Lift Summer Heritage Walks are taking place tomorrow, July 2, and Saturday, July 4. These guided walks give you the chance to learn more about the history of the Leas Lift, Folkestone’s coastal heritage and the stories behind one of the town’s best-loved landmarks. Both walks start at the Leas Lift lower station at 11am, and you can book your place for free here.

🎞️ Romantic drama Dirty Dancing will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 3, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🧵 Tonight, July 1, The Beer Shop hosts its monthly Sewing Social, organised by Verity from Miss Gingers Fabric Shop on the Old High Street. It is not a workshop, just an opportunity to socialise and get creative with other like-minded crafters over a drink or two. Sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet—if you can do it on your lap or at the table then bring it along. You can find out about this and other events at The Beer Shop here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

That’s all from me this week. Work is currently going on behind the scenes for a planned launch of a new weekly email, to go out separately and in addition to your regular weekly Dispatch, which will expand our coverage of Folkestone’s thriving cultural scene—including the arts, entertainment, food and drink, and lots more. I would love to know how you think I could better cover this side of life in our town, so if you have any ideas please do drop me a line. Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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Walk among the ordered rows of headstones on the grassy slopes of Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, and it will not be long before your eyes rest on a maple leaf engraved into the soft Portland stone of these memorials to the fallen. The cemetery, nestled into the hillside overlooking the sweep of the coastline beyond, contains a total of 471 First World War burials, 305 of them Canadians.

During that conflict, which broke out in the summer of 1914 and lasted for more than four bloody years until the signing of the Armistice in November 1918, tens of thousands of Canadian military personnel were stationed in Folkestone as they made their way to the trenches of the Western Front.

Their distinctive presence in the town as they passed through their staging post at Shorncliffe was long-remembered by local people, and the lasting presence of those hundreds who now lie at rest in the Kentish soil has created an enduring bond between Canada and Folkestone that remains even as those dark days have eventually passed from living memory.

And so on Wednesday next week the town will once again mark Canada Day, the North American country’s official national holiday, with a service of remembrance for those Canadian soldiers buried in the Shorncliffe cemetery who died during the First World War and in other conflicts.

The tradition, which began in the immediate aftermath of the First World War and is led by Folkestone Town Council, sees local schoolchildren lay flowers on the graves of the fallen in a touching moment of connection between the generations.

The simple act of placing the floral tributes upon the graves is, Sandgate Parish Council chairman Tim Prater told the Dispatch, a recognition of the fact that so many of the families of those men who lie thousands of miles from home would never have the opportunity to do so themselves.

“It’s worth remembering why there are so many Canadians buried at Shorncliffe,” Cllr Prater said. “It was their staging barracks in the First World War. Troops would be transported here by rail, taken to the barracks for some final training and to wait for their crossing over the Channel.

“But thousands of those soldiers did not return—they of course are buried in the battlefields of France, Belgium and elsewhere in Europe.

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“The ones that returned, with often horrific injuries, were brought back to Shorncliffe and the hospital on the hill. If the injuries were too much, then to the nearby church and the cemetery, to stay forever thousands of miles from home, away from families and friends, and remembered by us on July 1 in their stead.

“I’ve had a number of contacts over the years from families in Canada, grateful that their relative is being remembered, and Folkestone has had the thanks of the Canadian Ambassador and others over the years for continuing the tradition into its second century.”

Behind every name etched into the hundreds of gravestones lining the slopes of the cemetery is, of course, a unique story. Cllr Prater himself discovered one of them in 2022 when he was contacted by a retired police officer from Eastleigh in Hampshire.

The man never knew his biological father, but family research had identified him as a Canadian soldier who died during the Second World War and was buried at Shorncliffe. By this point in his 70s, he was able to attend that year’s service and lay flowers on his father’s grave for the first time.

For Canadians living locally, the service of remembrance on July 1 provides an opportunity to connect with their homeland. Melissa Charbonneau, originally from Ontario, now lives in Folkestone and works at a school in the town. This year her son will be among the schoolchildren taking part in the Canada Day service.

“Moving to Folkestone from Toronto 17 years ago, I never realised the historical connection that Folkestone shares with Canada,” she said. “Since then, I’ve learned that my great-great-grandfather walked down the Road of Remembrance to board the boats over to the continent during the First World War.

“Now my son gets a chance to pay homage to his Canadian heritage in what is his hometown, by attending the Canada Day ceremony this year with his classmates.

“With them being half Canadian, I’ve always tried to celebrate all things Canada with my children. But we’ve never been able to attend the Canada Day ceremony before, so I’m quite excited he gets to do something special to celebrate its history.”

In 1927, the then Mayor of Folkestone said: “As far as Folkestone is concerned, the ceremony should last as long as it is in the power of human beings to do so.” It is a call the people of the town answer every July 1 with a deep sense of respect and gratitude for those who came from across the ocean and gave their lives in the terrible conflicts of the previous century.

Poet Rupert Brooke, writing in 1914, imagined a fallen soldier’s final resting place being ‘for ever England’. Today, and in the future, we can reflect on the fact that one small, tranquil corner of Kent will be for ever Canada.

The Canada Day service will take place at Shorncliffe Military Cemetery on Wednesday, July 1, at 11.30am. All members of the public are invited to attend.

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News in brief

🚨 A man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after almost 70 vehicles were vandalised in streets across Folkestone in the space of three days. Kent Police received reports of damage to parked cars in several parts of the town, including Black Bull Road, Radnor Park Road and Wear Bay Road. The spate of vandalism began on Friday, June 19, and lasted until Sunday, June 21. In all it is reported that 67 vehicles sustained damage, including smashed windscreens. A 32-year-old Iraqi national was arrested on Sunday evening and taken into custody while police enquiries continued.

DI Carlo Capozzi said: “Officers are working to contact those affected and keep them updated as the investigation progresses. I understand that damage to personal property can be distressing, and we are continuing to pursue all lines of enquiry. At this stage, we are not seeking to arrest anyone further in connection with these offences, but we are keen to hear from anyone who may have information which can assist our investigation.” Police are keen to speak with anyone who has not yet made a report of damage to their vehicle or property, while residents with private CCTV and motorists with dashcam are also asked to check for relevant footage. Anyone with information can call Kent Police on 01843 222289, quoting reference 46/99421/26.

🏊 The Sports Trust is to receive £386,542 from the National Lottery Community Fund to help with the costs of reopening Folkestone Sports Centre. The cash injection was confirmed last month and announced by the charity at the weekend. Closed to the public back in the summer of 2024 after the previous operators ran out of cash, it is hoped the Radnor Park Avenue leisure centre will be able to open its doors once again this summer. Folkestone & Hythe District Council has already agreed to contribute £2.4 million towards the renovation and repairs required.

Commenting on the latest financial boost, The Sports Trust chief executive Dan Hulme said: “The funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will be transformational for both The Sports Trust and our community. Reopening Folkestone Sports Centre is about much more than restoring a building, it is about creating opportunities, improving health and well-being, and bringing people together.” You can read our recent interview with Mr Hulme, published in April, here.

🔥 Southeastern is warning people to “only travel if absolutely necessary” as temperatures peak during the latest heatwave. The rail firm says customers with tickets for today, June 24, and tomorrow can apply for a fee-free refund if they decide not to travel due to the heat. Folkestone is currently subject to an amber weather warning for extreme heat, with the temperatures in the town expected to reach 32C tomorrow, June 25. It will be even warmer inland, with a rare red warning in place for much of the south of England.

🎨 Creative Folkestone is hunting for a new curator to deliver the town’s 2028 Triennial exhibition. Announcing the search, the arts charity said: “We are looking to appoint a freelance curator with an ambitious vision for the next Triennial, building on the legacy of previous exhibitions while continuing to shape Folkestone’s reputation as an art town that welcomes contemporary artists into its everyday life.” Applications for the role are now open and more information can be found here.

🚨 A wanted man was arrested by police after being pulled over during a road safety operation in Folkestone. Officers were carrying out checks in the Cheriton Road and Dover Road areas of the town when the 55-year-old driver was stopped and found to be without insurance. Subsequent checks revealed he was wanted on warrant for an unrelated offence and he was arrested and his vehicle was seized. In all, police seized eight vehicles during the operation on June 12, and issued more than 30 traffic offence reports. Sgt Kevin Marsh said: “We proactively stopped many vehicles and gave advice in relation to safer driving and ensuring vehicles are in a safe condition to be driven. We were also joined by the local council, who targeted taxis and waste removal vehicles to ensure they were complying with relevant licences.”

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What’s on this week

🎙️ Chump’s Comedy returns to Quarterhouse this evening, June 24, with a lineup of great acts. Never Mind The Buzzcocks regular Jamali Maddix and SNL UK star Paddy Young will be joined by Tiff Stevenson, Basil Crumbwick and host Amy Annette. The show starts at 7.45pm and you can pick up the last remaining tickets here.

🎸 There will be live music at the Music Workshop on Friday evening, June 26, as part of the nationwide Everywhere At Once festival supporting the country’s small venues. Headliners on the night will be local alt-rock outfit Vesu, supported by Margate’s Fruit Band and Folkestone DJ Mr Moor. It all kicks off at 7.30pm and you can pick up your tickets here.

💬 Local historian Shay Collyer will be giving a talk about Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of the Sikh empire, and his connection to Folkestone on Saturday, June 27, at 2.30pm. The event, which is organised by the New Folkestone Society, is taking place in the Back Hall at the Cornerstone Centre in Castle Hill Avenue. More information can be found here.

🎖️ This year’s Armed Forces Day celebrations will take place on The Leas on Saturday, June 27. Honouring the service of our military community, among the attractions will be a planned air display by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The free event takes place from 10am to 6pm and you can find more information here.

👋 Folkestone Fellas—a community for men who want to make new friends—will be staging its latest ‘walk and talk’ get-together on Saturday, June 27. The group will be meeting at Orchard Lane Coffee House in Sandgate at 9.30am before heading off for a leisurely stroll and chat. All men are welcome to attend, and you can find out more about Folkestone Fellas by reading this Dispatch piece from last year.

🎞️ Musical fantasy Wicked will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, June 26, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🐟 The town’s annual Blessing of the Fisheries service will take place on The Stade overlooking the harbour on Sunday, June 28. A procession will leave St Peter’s Church at 2.45pm, heading down to the harbour for the Blessing ceremony at 3pm.

🗑️ Local litter heroes the Folkestone Wombles will be staging their latest litter pick on Sunday, June 28. Anyone wanting to come along and help keep the town tidy should meet at the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue for a 10am start. All equipment will be provided. You can read more about the Folkestone Wombles initiative here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

That’s all from me this week. I know many of us, myself included, will be doing our best to enjoy the summer sunshine, but of course extreme heat can be dangerous for many, so please do consider checking in with anyone you know who might be vulnerable during this week’s heatwave. Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.

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To mark Refugee Week 2026, in this week’s Dispatch we look at the work of local charity Kent Refugee Action Network and hear from their media ambassador, who herself came to the UK from Eritrea, as Sarah Linney reports…

Imagine, if you can, having to leave your homeland because of war, persecution or some other terrible danger. Imagine being uprooted completely, having to leave everything, maybe even your family, behind.

Now imagine having to do that when you are barely out of childhood.

Since 2003, a local charity operating in Folkestone and Canterbury has been helping young people in this truly horrible situation. Kent Refugee Action Network works with unaccompanied refugees and asylum seekers aged between 16 and 26, helping them access education, teaching them life skills and linking them up with mentors and advocates.

Their aim is to enable the young people to integrate, study and become able to support themselves—but also to offer them support, care, safety and connection. Many of them are traumatised, lonely and struggling with mental health issues.

The charity’s Learning for Life classes help young people to improve their English and maths, but they also teach important life skills—everything from adapting to UK culture to booking a GP appointment, from getting the bus to applying for jobs.

The classes are delivered at a Learning for Life hub in Folkestone and at its headquarters in Canterbury, with some higher-level classes at East Kent College to help the students make the transition to college life.

The young people can take part in a range of other activities too, including football, art, drama and cookery, and a weekly forum gives them an opportunity to discuss any issues they are having.

The charity also connects them with mentors—volunteer befrienders who can meet up with them once a week or so—and there are caseworkers who can help with issues like finding housing, reading official letters or accessing legal support.

One of the young people the charity has helped is Rishan. She came to the UK from Eritrea as an unaccompanied child in 2015, when she was just 17. Now 28, she is an NHS nurse and a media ambassador for KRAN.

“A lot of young people come here without their families and are traumatised by their journey,” she explained. “They feel isolated, and because of the language barrier they find it difficult to be close with other young people from the UK. So the classes are also for building connection with other people. It really takes courage for them just to be here, and we appreciate that and are really proud of them.”

While a refugee arriving in the UK has the immense relief of having reached safety, their difficulties are not over. They face another enormous task: that of having to rebuild their lives.

This week’s lead story has been written by journalist Sarah Linney and originally appeared in her recently-launched newsletter, Canterbury Tales. If you are interested in reading stories about life in the cathedral city, please do consider subscribing to Sarah’s work and help support Kent’s growing independent journalism scene

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“It is one journey to come to the UK, another journey to live in the UK,” Rishan said. “There is the barrier of the language, and there is also the barrier of the system which they need to learn how to navigate.

“All we try to do is provide a safe environment for them to learn and be themselves. They make friends at the classes, and they laugh, and we see that they are learning and have potential.”

Most of the young people the charity works with come from a few countries. Eritrea, a totalitarian dictatorship where there has never been an election. Sudan, where there is a civil war. Afghanistan, which remains under Taliban rule. Vietnam, where human rights abuses are widespread. Syria, where conflict continues even though the 13-year civil war, which displaced 12 million people, has officially ended.

Rishan and her family originally fled Eritrea, where human rights abuses are rife, for Sudan. But without documentation, she faced the threat of being sent back to Eritrea and imprisoned for leaving without permission. So she took the decision to make the treacherous journey to Europe.

It was 2014 when she crossed the border into Libya, a country where migrants face exceptional danger, running a high risk of being killed, kidnapped, enslaved or attacked. Rishan was one of the lucky ones—she got through. By the time she made it to Italy, Calais and then finally the UK, it was 2015.

How did she cope with such a terrifying and protracted journey? “I had faith in God—and the adrenaline kept me going,” she said. “You always have to look over your shoulder to check you are safe.”

And why continue to the UK? Why not stop in Italy or France, both safe, prosperous countries? “I didn’t feel safe there,” Rishan said simply. “Sometimes people want to reunite with family who are already in the UK—although the family reunion scheme [which had allowed refugees to bring immediate family members to join them here] has been taken away. Another reason might be the language: even if you don’t speak English fluently, you will be able to understand.”

Rishan was placed with a foster family in Faversham. “I was loved and cared for and we are still in touch,” she said.

“My English was good enough that I understood my foster carer, but I used to stay in my room most of the time, because of how scared and tired I was. But gradually they found a way to support me and communicate. We watched a lot of Emmerdale and EastEnders.”

Rishan began to work towards her ambition of going to university, enrolling at college and taking her GCSEs before studying nursing at Canterbury Christ Church University.

“It took me a very long time. I used to come to KRAN for help with my homework and exam practice,” she said. “I started working for the charity as a youth ambassador in 2020. I wanted people to hear our story and not what is in the media.”

We’re the media, so here are some numbers. Some 93,500 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to March 2026. Of those who apply, around half are successful—42 per cent of applications were granted in 2025. But around a quarter of those initially refused tend to win their appeals.

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Is this too many? Is it putting a strain on resources? Is that strain not just a necessary part of helping those in greater need than ourselves? Germany, France, Italy and Spain all took more refugees than the UK in 2024.

“This country welcomed me. My foster family, my neighbours and the community around me have made me feel that I am not different,” Rishan said. “I see it as one community. But there is a negative narrative in the media which creates division, which is bad for the public and bad for refugees.

“I don’t feel I should be divided into two because I fall on both sides. I am not only a refugee—I am a nurse, I am contributing to society and the community I live in. My story is the story of the support and help that I had, but also of the support I give to patients in my work.

“But there are people outside of that creating a different story. You are seen as a statistic rather than a human who has potential.”

A big problem is the fact that the government is so slow at dealing with applications. The average asylum application takes more than a year to process. Rishan’s took a year and a half. Asylum seekers cannot usually work for at least the first 12 months of waiting—however much they may want to.

“If I see someone doing nothing of course I will be upset—I am paying tax. But does that mean that person has everything in their hand? No,” Rishan said.

“A lot of young people are living in limbo. Nobody chooses to be in hotels—the government puts them there while they are processing their claims. I totally understand people’s concerns, but I want to be seen as part of the solution.”

Young people can refer themselves to the Learning for Life classes by filling in a form on the website, or social workers or other professionals can do it for them. Sometimes people just turn up.

And if you’re reading this and want to help, there are lots of ways to do so. You can donate money, raise funds, or give your time by volunteering as a mentor—although there isn’t a great need for more mentors at the time of writing.

You can offer to teach the young people and share your skills with them. Or your organisation might be able to offer them a work placement or apprenticeship.

This week is Refugee Week in the UK, and the theme is courage. But Rishan says that doesn’t just mean the courage of the young people who have made the journey to be here.

“I would like to invite people to have the courage to understand our story,” she said. “Every person will seek refuge in some way at some point in their life. If someone is seeking refuge in your country, what would you want that to be like for them?

“I was determined and worked hard, but the support, care and welcome that I had helped me to be the person that I am. I would love other young people to have that welcome too.”

You can find out more about Kent Refugee Action Network and the charity’s work supporting young asylum seekers on its website here. Refugee Week 2026 runs from June 15 to June 21 and you can find out more here.

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News in brief

⚖️ Two fly-tippers have been fined and ordered to carry out unpaid work after dumping household waste in the countryside outside Folkestone. Nigel Craker and Harry Smith, both from Dover, were paid to dispose of the rubbish after advertising on social media. But neither of the men held waste carrier’s licences, and instead of getting rid of the waste via legitimate channels they fly-tipped it at six locations around Acrise. Paperwork left among the discarded waste allowed environmental officers from Folkestone & Hythe District Council to trace the pair. Appearing before magistrates in Margate last week, Craker admitted six offences and was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 costs. Smith admitted two offences and was sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid work and also ordered to pay £100 costs.

Cllr Polly Blakemore, the district council’s cabinet member for regulatory services, said: “These two men thought they had got away with pocketing the payment they received and simply dumping the rubbish collected. Fly-tipping blights our district and where we can gather sufficient evidence, we will track down those responsible and put them before a court. Residents should also be aware that they have a duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act to ensure that any household waste is transferred to an authorised person who holds a waste carrier’s licence.”

🚍 The dedicated Reach the Beach bus service will not be returning to the town this summer, Kent County Council has confirmed. For the last two years the subsidised route has operated during the summer holidays, with dedicated double-deckers connecting the town’s railway stations with the Creative Quarter and the harbour. However, KCC insists the initiative has not been “cancelled” and instead it will support subsidised fares on regular bus routes in the town. It is understood the offer will be in place during the school holidays, but exact dates are yet to be confirmed.

A county council spokesman told the Dispatch: “KCC has supported the Reach the Beach promotion in Folkestone for the past two summers, recognising the benefits it brings to the area. We have not cancelled the initiative and will support it again this year. In previous years, additional transport services were needed, but regular bus links are now available through Stagecoach routes 102 and 103 between Folkestone Central station and the harbour. We instead intend to offer reduced fares on the Stagecoach services so that visitors can continue to reach the beach at lower costs.”

🔥 Resources at Folkestone fire station could be bolstered under Kent Fire and Rescue Service plans set to be put out to public consultation later this month. The proposed changes would see firefighters redeployed to the town from elsewhere in the county, guaranteeing two fire engines available during the day and one at night. KFRS chief executive Ann Millington said: “This part of the consultation is about deploying our resources more strategically to make sure we can provide the right protection at the right times, especially during high demand periods in the day.” The restructuring would also see five on-call fire stations—in Grain, Wye, Chilham, Westerham and Cliffe—closed. You can read more about the plans here.

🏏 Folkestone cricketer Nathan Ingleston has been selected to represent Panama at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Bermuda. Mr Ingleston, pictured below, started playing at Folkestone Cricket Club as a boy, and went on to become a first-team regular before moving to Panama for work. A club spokesman said: “This is a remarkable achievement for Nathan—not only earning a place in the national side within a growing cricketing nation, but also competing on the international stage in an ICC pathway event. His cricketing journey began right here at FCC at just nine years old, and it’s fantastic to see how far that passion has taken him.”

🎨 Local artists are being invited to apply to be part of a three-day arts festival taking place in Folkestone in October. The organisers of Open Art Folke 2026 describe the event as a chance for visitors to enjoy a “unique insight into artists’ practices, spaces, hobbies, thinking and obsessions”. Participating artists have until July 1 to sign up to take part via the Open Art Folke website here.

🛩️ Year 8 students at Turner Free School took part in an interactive RAF workshop that introduced them to the world of drones and coding. Pupils worked together to design and test flight programmes, directing drones through a series of challenges that required them to think critically, solve problems and refine their coding skills. Neha Sohi, the school’s deputy director of science, said: “The workshop was both educational and highly engaging, allowing students to develop valuable skills in coding, teamwork and problem-solving. We would like to thank the RAF for coming and inspiring our young people through this innovative workshop.”

🐶 South Kent Mind—the Dispatch charity of the year for 2026—is staging a sponsored dog walk in Hythe later this month and there is still time to get involved. A spokesman for the charity said: “Bring your four-legged friends, enjoy a scenic walk with others, and help us raise vital funds to continue our work supporting mental health.” The Paws for Mind event takes place on Sunday, June 28, and you can find out more on how you can take part here.

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What’s on this week

🍲 As part of Refugee Week, local community group Napier Friends is hosting a pop-up feast of Ethiopian food at the Docker Brewery taproom on Park Farm Road on Friday, June 19. There will be two sittings, between 3pm and 6.30pm. It is free to attend, but there is a suggested donation of £15 per person. You can secure one of the handful of remaining free tickets here.

🎙️ Cult comedian Rich Hall will be returning to the Quarterhouse on Sunday evening, June 21, with his new show Chin Music. The American stand-up, whose shows combine “sharp, splenetic” comedy with improvised musical numbers accompanied by guitar, will be on stage at 8pm and you can get your tickets here.

🧺 Folkestone Action Network is hosting a community picnic on Sunday, June 21, in Kingsnorth Gardens. Everyone is invited to come along between 1pm and 4pm to share food in the sunshine. There will also be a bake sale raising money for three charities, as well as arts and crafts activities to get involved with.

🎞️ Musical Moulin Rouge! will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, June 19, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

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That’s all from me this week. Thanks for Sarah at Canterbury Tales for letting us run her piece about Kent Refugee Action Network, the work the charity does to support young people is really vital and I am very happy to tell their story this Refugee Week. Do you know of any other groups or organisations who deserve to have their story brought to a wider audience? Then drop me a line and let me know. Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.

All the best, Rhys

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