When did you last visit a Sevenoaks pub? According to new research published last month and our own online survey, it seems most of us have abandoned the traditional local boozer. A pint of real ale and a packet of peanuts? No thanks, we’d rather a skinny latte with a poppy seed muffin. Across Sevenoaks and in the villages, pubs everywhere have been disappearing for years. Most have been replaced by houses and trendy restaurants: The Royal Oak Tap and The Vine Tavern, for instance. Others, like the Farmers, have been demolished to make way for flats and offices. Each closure brings a sad end to hundreds of years of history, community and Kentish tradition. With village pubs closing at a rate of four a day in the UK, times are increasingly tough. So in part two of our series on the changing face of Sevenoaks, John Morrison’s exclusive six page report asks if it’s last orders for our local pubs. As always, we would love to hear your nostalgic memories, pictures and accounts so please get in touch. On a separate note, as Vine steams ahead towards issue 12, we want you to help us celebrate our birthday: tell us about the features you loved, the articles you hated, the images that inspired you and the stories that made you laugh. We’ll publish the best comments in our birthday edition next month and perhaps we’ll send you a cake!
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Last Updated ( Friday, 02 May 2008 )
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