Kent’s drinking culture is changing - but are we changing too?

For centuries, the pub was pretty much our only option. In more recent decades, thousands flocked to nightclubs to down alcopops and dance the night away.

Then came the rise of micropubs - the very first one was launched in Kent - with the real ale on offer their unique selling point.

Now, with climate change contributing to the county’s booming vineyards, the number of wine bars is on the up. There are now at least 26 in Kent.

Undoubtedly, the influx of Londoners has been a major factor - but are we all now becoming gentrified?

In an attempt to learn more, we begin in what Time Out magazine branded one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods.

Cliftonville in Margate is home to Sete, a wine bar where boss Natalia Ribbie says “Welcome to France” to punters as they walk through the door.

“I have a real love affair with Parisian wine bars - there’s a real style, a bit more relaxed and fun,” she says.

According to some estimates, the county is still home to more than 1,000 pubs, although many are closing every year.

Natalia says: “Here in Kent we have a great pub culture, but a wine bar culture is still foreign and new, and it's nice to see people get excited about it.

“It doesn't have to be an occasion - you can come here, have some olives, a couple of glasses, a chat with a friend and then go home.

“I wanted to be in Cliftonville because I wanted to be in a neighbourhood where you know everybody, and you can have that mix with tourism but still have a sense of community.”

The bar, which celebrates its second anniversary this month, began with just 15 covers but has now expanded to 20 in the dining room and 40 in the garden.

The upmarket venue - where a bottle of red can range from £28 to £88 - has also become one of Kent’s representatives in the Michelin Guide, the fourth in Margate to feature.

But will it be a difficult task to keep guests flooding in as we head into the off-season?

Natalia says: “I think the hospitality industry as a whole is very challenging at the moment. I see many London restaurants closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and it makes me feel like if they can't make it work, how can we?

“I think in this cost-of-living climate, you need people to feel value. So, if we charge a bit more for a glass of wine, what else do they get from that experience?

“A part of that is we really try to get to know people as we talk them through our wines and maybe get people to drink outside of their comfort zones. It’s become a huge part of the service here at Sete.

“I would say the middle of the week is obviously locals here, and the weekends are predominately tourists coming to Margate - it’s definitely a DfL (Down from London) hotspot.

“But I always say to people who live here who couldn’t get in on a Friday or Saturday: you live here, come during the week because that’s the only way us seasonal businesses survive is if we have consistent trade from our local community.”

According to a 2022 YouGov survey, wine is the most popular alcoholic drink in the UK, with 32% of adults giving it top billing.

And some of the very best is being made right here in Kent, with Chapel Down, based in Tenterden, cementing its position as the country’s most celebrated winemaker.

Not only was its Brut Rose served to guests at Prince William and Princess Kate’s wedding in 2011, its Rose Sparkling Wine was hailed as best in show at the Decanter World Wine Awards this year.

This success is rubbing off on bars across the county.

The Tudor Peacock opened last December in a 14th-century building in Chilham, near Canterbury, where the medieval surroundings in this quaint village transport guests back in time.

Co-owner Greg Taylor says: “We do get visitors from all over, and the wine industry has a lot of momentum in Kent. This perfect venue showcases one of the most beautiful squares in the wine trade.”

The Tudor Peacock only offers wine produced in Kent, which Greg says is a unique selling point. Wine-tasting events are also drawing people in.

Greg says: “It’s been great having people together who are interested in wine, and they’ve also enjoyed that camaraderie and fellowship of learning and enjoying wines at the same time.

“There's space in that market to grow as people become more aware of the high quality of the Kent product.”

Tourism has become a growing part of the wine industry, with 300 vineyards in the UK now offering visits.

Trade body Wine GB says 1.5 million such visits occurred last year, up 55% from 2022. Tours now account for a quarter of the wine industry's total income.

But are wine bars loved by locals as well as tourists?

Alexandria Lewis-Wortley, owner of Valerie’s in Lower High Street, Ashford, says: “We’re in the Garden of England, and we’re seriously good at producing wine. We need bars - like breweries need pubs - to shout about how good we are at making wine.”

One issue that may put potential punters off is the cost of English wine.

The introduction of an increased alcohol levy in August 2023, bringing the tax on a standard-strength bottle of wine produced in England to £2.67 a bottle, has seen prices of homegrown products rise.

In comparison, France taxes at three cents a bottle, whereas Spain and Germany do not tax their wines at all.

Alexandria says: “We would like it to be more accessible.

“But the fact that we can get wine imported from Europe, Australia, or America, and it's cheaper is nuts.

“I’d love to see something happen, and I hope the government can talk more about the fact we’ve got such a good wine hub and potentially look at ways to work with our producers here.”

The average cost for a bottle of English sparkling will set you back £40 at the Tudor Peacock, whereas at Sete, with a list mainly from the Continent, it is a couple of pounds cheaper at £38.

Another spot that’s received praise from locals is John Dory in Sandgate, which celebrated its second anniversary in August.

The recent addition to the village is often full to the brim with eager guests taking in the atmosphere.

The cosy bar uses a long communal table as a social hotspot, along with smaller tables for customers to take a seat and enjoy a few glasses.

It was launched as a joint venture between local wine experts Zeren Wilson and Louisa Walls, alongside the team behind the Space bar in Folkestone, rated this year by The Sunday Times as the best place to live in the south east.

The paper described neighbouring Sandgate as having a “villagey vibe”.

A recent Guardian article praised John Dory, especially for removing some of the snobbery around wine - sommeliers are out, and servers are in.

Part-owner Zeren is often seen sporting a Megadeth T-shirt as he makes the rounds past punters, for example.

But what’s been the secret to their success?

Louisa says: “I think that people like to have the experience, and wine is naturally a very social thing.

“People are familiar with the concept of a more wine-focused bar but it wasn’t something that existed in Sandgate.

“Those who are leaning more towards wine have also been a part of that success, and there are a lot of people like that in Sandgate and Folkestone.”

But for some hospitality businesses, it is proving more of a struggle to survive.

Last month, The Providence Inne pub in Sandgate, a high street staple that had served the village for 75 years, unexpectedly closed its doors.

Zeren says: “It’s a shame, and hopefully it will be taken on swiftly, but it just shows that this industry is tough at the moment due to a combination of factors, including the price of everything.

“Pubs have had to shift over the last couple of decades to include more of a food offering. The term gastropub didn’t exist 30 years ago.”

With a traditional pub shutting and their wine bar thriving, do they think the area is becoming gentrified?

“In Sandgate, there are a fair few Airbnbs, and we do get people from London, certainly during summer, bowling in from Hackney, who say Sandgate feels like a little bit of London,” Zeren added.

“I grew up in London - it’s not that far away, and the high-speed train makes it really accessible to anyone. I wouldn’t have moved down here without it.

“Gentrified is one word that can be used, but I know not everyone likes it. I suppose it describes the way Sandgate and Folkestone, in particular, are moving.

“It’s been hard work to transform Folkestone from what it was 20 years ago, but I’ve seen the area improve and see a lot more going on than when I moved here six years ago.

“I think it's all gone the right way, and the John Dory is a part of breaking down the barrier between what people thought a wine bar is, for example.

“Come in, have a taste, take a seat. It’s casual and unintimidating. We’re just a cosy home from home, I suppose.”

Elsewhere in the county, some pubs are in fact benefitting from the tourism Kent’s wine offering attracts - such as The Print House in Tenterden.

Formerly known as the William Caxton, it was snapped up from Shepherd Neame by Seonaid Macdonald and her late husband Andrew.

With six rooms added to the first floor, they transformed it into The Print House and it is now the top-rated hotel in the town, according to AA and Tripadvisor.

Seonaid says about 75% of the trade comes from wine tourism as visitors look to stay near the Chapel Down Winery.

“I think that Tenterden is becoming a more popular place for visitors in Kent,” says Seonaid, who faces competition from the town’s five other pubs.

“I think the town is now identifying itself as a destination spot.

“So as long as there are more offerings like wine bars and pubs, more people will come because there are places for them to visit.

“I don’t find anything wrong with being gentrified - it’s offering people many different things.

“And if you’ve got a movement away from the cities then they’re going to want these different things and a part of that is probably a move towards wine bars, gastropubs - because that’s what this generation wants.”

Tenterden’s high street also welcomed The Grapevine Champagne and Jazz bar in July, as owners Oliver Kinsley and Peter Ockleden took the plunge on their second venue after enjoying success over the last nine years in Rye.

Competition is set to increase with the ground floor of the former high street M&Co building earmarked for takeover by popular chain Loungers. An alcohol licence application has also been submitted for the site that used to be home to Kagu Interiors.

So, how will The Grapevine cope?

“I'm a huge pub lover, and there’s no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than to sit in a pub, next to a fire in the winter or in the garden in the summer,” says Oliver.

“But I think our concept is so different with live jazz all the time, red lighting, candlelit, that I don’t see the pubs as competition. We only offer bottled beer, and that’s it.

“But we were thrilled to hear about a potential new bar opening next door and any other expansion plans.

“It’ll definitely be a form of competition because we’re sharing the same clientele, but we absolutely love and encourage it because as long as we are all contributing to the same economy, the only way is up as far as I’m concerned.”

While the golden days of the traditional pub may have passed, it’s clear that for those in Kent wanting to go out for a drink, there has never been more choice on offer.

Based on current trends, more and more wine bars could soon be opening near you.