Folkestone Herald 14-3-1970
Local News
Brian Michael Flynn - a man who was said to have
spent half his life in institutions - was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment
by Folkestone Magistrates on Tuesday, the sentence to be suspended for two years.
Flynn, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty
to two charges of assaulting police officers, to obstructing a police officer,
and to wilful damage.
The magistrates found him guilty of all the
offences and sentenced him to three months for each assault, and one month for
obstructing a police officer, the sentences to run concurrently. He was fined £5 for wilful damage and
ordered to pay £1 15s. restitution and £4 10s. costs.
Mr. R.A. Webb, prosecuting, said the offences occurred
when Flynn interfered with police officers who were assisting a drunken man
from the East Kent Arms public house, Folkestone. “Flynn tried to push himself
between the police officer and the drunk”, said Mr. Webb, “and on one occasion
struck one of the officers on his left arm. When a second officer spoke to Flynn
he was threatened. Flynn put his hand on his left side and when told to let go,
gripped tighter”.
Flynn told the court that he thought the policemen
were handling the drunken man roughly, and he decided to intervene.
He said “I remember knocking the policeman’s hand from the man’s arm,
and the next thing I knew I was being cuffed and shoved in the van”. That, said Flynn, was the only time he
touched a policeman. He denied damaging a cell inspection flap at Folkestone police station.
A probation officer said that Flynn was almost 30
years old, and at least half of his life had been spent in institutions. He said much of Flynn’s trouble was
caused by drink.
Folkestone Herald 15-5-1971
Local News
When 1,400 continentals visit Folkestone next Thursday
the doors of local pubs will be open to them all afternoon. On Tuesday local
Magistrates decided in favour of a second application to allow 17 pubs to
remain open especially for the visitors. They had vetoed a previous
application. The second made by publicans was amended to allow for a half-hour
break at 5.30 p.m. before their premises opened for the evening session.
Mr. J. Medlicott, for the publicans, told the Magistrates
that the visitors were delegates attending a conference in Bruges. One of its
highlights was to be a visit to England. He referred to a letter received by
Folkestone Corporation from the British Tourist Authority supporting the
publicans` application. The visit – by Dutch, Swiss, Belgians and Germans – was
a special occasion, not just a shopping expedition, said Mr. Medlicott. It had
been arranged by a Bruges tourist organisation which had particularly asked
that pubs should be open in the afternoon.
Police Inspector R. Sanders made no formal objection to
the application – but doubted whether the visit was a special occasion.
The Chairman of Folkestone Chamber of Trade, Mr. Alan
Stephenson, said later “The cross-Channel visitors` committee of this Chamber
is very pleased that this has been seen as a special occasion by the Justices. When one is reminded that this
extension is no more than happens in many market towns every week of the year,
it seems a fair request, especially as Folkestone’s image abroad could be much
influenced by the original decision not to allow the pubs to open”.
The pubs which will stay
open are; Jubilee, Ship, Oddfellows, Royal George, London and Paris, True
Briton, Harbour Inn, Princess Royal, Clarendon, Brewery Tap, Earl Grey, Prince
Albert, George, Globe, East Kent Arms,
Guildhall and Shakespeare.
Folkestone Herald 22-5-1971
Local News
About 1,400 Germans successfully invaded Folkestone
on Thursday to enjoy themselves. The visitors - members of the BMW enthusiasts’ club
- strolled about the town shooting local scenes with their cine cameras and
went shopping. Many
bought driving gear, ranging from tyres to goggles and crash helmets - but
fewer than expected went to the pubs. They were visiting Folkestone during an
international convention of their club, held this week at Bruges, in Belgium. Local licensees had gained extensions
of opening hours to cater for them. But it was the locals who patronised some
of the 17 town centre and harbour area pubs that stayed open.
At the Shakespeare, in Guildhall Street, Mr. Ron
Balsom, said “It was a complete waste of time staying open. I only had 13 Germans in all day”.
Mr. John Tobin, landlord of the East Kent Arms, in
Sandgate Road, said most of his customers had been regulars.
The Oddfellows Arms, in The Stade, was closed by
3.15 p.m. A
spokesman there said “It was a complete and utter waste of time”.
At the True Briton a spokesman said “We did very well - thanks largely to our
regulars”.
The
London and Paris, at the harbour, was busy, but a spokesman said the pub had
not taken a great deal of money.
However,
one very pleased landlady was Mrs. M.M. Lewis, at The Guildhall. “It has been absolutely fantastic”, she said, "We have teen completely packed
out with both German visitors and regulars".
Folkestone's publicity officer, Mr. Charles
McDougal, said “The original letter we received from Belgium about this visit
gave the departure time as 6 p.m. It was not until two days before the visit that we
learned otherwise".
Mr. Alan Stephenson, chairman of Folkestone Chamber
of Trade, said “These people wanted to come to Folkestone, and their visit gave
them an opportunity to sample the pleasures of the town as a holiday resort
rather than just a shopping centre”.
Retired postman Mr. Herbert Philpott is such a regular regular
that the landlord of the East Kent Arms at Folkestone sets his clock by him. On the rare occasions when he fails to
appear, someone telephones him at home to find out if he is on his way. Mr. Philpott, known to the locals and
the landlord, Mr. John Tobin, as Pop, has been coming to the pub for 74 years. In recognition of his loyalty, the pub
and the brewery, Bass Charrington’s, presented him, on Wednesday, with a
silver goblet inscribed with the words “To Herbert Philpott, Pop, from the
East Kent Arms - many beers for many years - June 1971”.
Folkestone Herald 19-6-1971
Local News
Pop has been granted an extra perk - a free first
drink every night for the rest of his life. The presentation was a complete surprise to him.
His family had managed to keep it secret, and eight
of his nine children were at the East Kent Arms to join the celebration. He also has 19 grandchildren and 25
great grandchildren.
Mr. Peter Stevens, district manager for Bass Charrington’s,
called the occasion unique. He
said “It is a little bit of history. And we are proud to think we are associated with it. Pop started coming here when he was 13
years old - he only had a lemonade! Seventy-four years later he is still coming to the
East Kent Arms”.
Pop casually lit his pipe and laughed. After drinking a champagne toast to
him, the crowd that had gathered sang For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow and Happy
Birthday To You. Pop celebrated his 87th birthday this week. A buffet and a birthday cake were
provided by the pub. Pop,
who lives in Bolton Road and was a postman for 48 years, said he would always
make his daily trip to the East Kent Arms – “come rain, snow or blow”.
Members of his family said he drank an average of
two pints of beer a night. The
only time he had ever stopped his nightly ritual was during
A daughter said “He never worries or grumbles. He
laughs at everything. He
can look after himself, and is in good health. Even when he is off colour, he still insists on
going to the pub”.
Pop is also a keen football fan and supports Folkestone
Town at home matches - whatever the weather.
 |
| Photo from Folkestone Gazette 23-6-1971 |
Folkestone Herald 14-4-1973
Advertising Feature
How many times have you walked into a pub tired,
parched and hungry, ordered a long, cool drink, and then asked whether there
was anything to eat, only to be offered a bag of crisps and peanuts? For many
it is a sad and annoyingly frequent experience. But, to be fair, in recent
years, more public houses have woken up to the idea of actually feeding their
customers in addition to offering liquid refreshment. Large numbers provide
rolls and sandwiches, some even supply hot snacks.
The East Kent Arms in Sandgate Road, Folkestone,
has gone one better and joined the ranks of the elite by opening up a food bar.
The bar has been installed by Mr. Brian Sinclair and his wife, Carol, who have
managed the pub since coming to the town from Eastbourne six months ago. It has
enabled the East Kent Arms to provide proper meals for as many as 60 or 65
people at any one time. And they are offered at a reasonable price too. After
all, there aren`t many places where you can buy a four ounce minute steak with
chips and peas for 55 pence.
Mr. Sinclair explained that the idea was to provide
a better variety of food and raise the standards of the pub without charging
high prices. “We have found that we are becoming more and more of a family
pub”, he said. “W get a lot of people in here who enjoy something to eat, but
they obviously can`t afford to spend a lot, so we try to keep the prices at a
reasonable level. The food is fresh,
our fish comes from the fish market and our meat from a local butcher, and it
is cooked in front of the customers while they wait, so they can see exactly
what they are getting”.
 |
| Photos from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald 29-6-1974
Local News
From his early teens, through three score years and ten to the grand age
of 90, Mr. Herbert Philpott has been a regular at the East Kent Arms,
Folkestone.
A drinking life that has spanned 75 years is certainly something of which
to be proud. To celebrate his 90th birthday he was presented with a gold watch by
fellow Folkestonian Mrs. Doris Winder. Present were six of his nine grandchildren - Mrs. Eva
Williams, Mrs. Jessie Carey, Mrs. Elsie Featherbe, Mrs. Lillian Jenner, Mrs.
Joan Musk and Mr. Albert Philpott. Unable to attend were; Fred, Horace and Percy Philpott.
The money for the watch and a special birthday cake was collected by
other regulars. On the back of the time piece was inscribed “To Pop, from all his friends at the East Kent Arms in
appreciation of 75 years’ loyal drinking”. There was also a birthday card
bearing a mass of signatures.
Mr. Philpott, of 14 Bolton Road, Folkestone, worked for the Post Office
all of his life. It was a job that first took him to the East Kent when it was
a coaching inn. As a telegraph boy he delivered
messages to bookmakers who frequented the pubs during race weeks when the
coaches used to leave from the premises with racegoers for Ascot and the Derby. Remembering
old days brought a smile to Mr. Philpott’s face. “They were good days, everyone was far happier then”, he said. “Beer was
only 2d. a pint - and it was real beer”. He
has seen nine landlords come and go at the East Kent. Mine host now is Mr.
Brian Sinclair, a comparative new boy - he has been there for only 18 months.
As Mr. Philpott lifted his glass he said “They all
knew me”.
Folkestone Herald
11-3-1978
Local News
One of the oldest regulars of the East Kent Arms,
Folkestone, Mr. Herbert Walter Philpott, has died at the age of 93.
Mr. Philpott, of Bolton Road, Folkestone, was a regular
in the pub for well over 60 years. A few years ago his patronage was rewarded
when he was presented with a silver goblet by the landlord. Mr. Philpott, who
was affectionately known as Pop to his many friends, was born and lived in
Folkestone all his life. He started working with the Post Office when he was 14
as a telegraph boy, and had various other duties, including sorting and
delivering letters, until he retired at the age of 65. During the 1914-18 War he served with the Royal West Kent Regiment, and
was taken prisoner of war. Mr. Philpott was a regular supporter of Folkestone Football club. A
widower, he leaves nine children.
Folkestone Herald
2-6-1979
Local News
Two punk rockers, one who had blond and green hair, were both fined £200
on Tuesday for assaulting a policeman. They were cleared by Folkestone
Magistrates of a number of other charges arising from a fight in the town`s
East Kent Arms pub on the night of February 17.
Geoffrey Preece and Stuart Denham had denied assaulting P.C. Robert Burns
in the execution of his duty, but they were found Guilty. In addition to the
fines they were each ordered to pay P.C. Burns £50 for his injuries, plus £9
witness expenses and £25 prosecution costs. Seventeen-year-old Denham, of
Sholden Close, Aylesham, and Preece, of Archers Court Road, Whitfield, were
both cleared of behaving in a violen manner in licensed premises, using
threatening behaviour and using violence to get back into the pub.
Eighteen-year-old Preece was also cleared of damaging a table and glasses.
Pub manager Brian Smart told the Court that two youths wearing “punk type
gear” had been involved in a fight in the pub. He did not see how it started.
“One was growling like a bear. He was a bit cross, I think”, Mr. Smart said.
They managed to get them out, but one of them, Preece, came back in again. He
saw Preece push someone over a table, which broke under the weight. He later
pointed out the two youths involved to the police.
A customer in the pub, Alan Simpson, of Hollands Avenue, Folkestone, said
he heard a scuffle, went over and saw two punk rockers fighting. They were
rolling around on the floor. After they were put out of the pub they both
barged back in again and started going for people. They were thrown out again.
Mr. Simpson said the two punks had been behaving like “animals”. He did not
actually see the fight start and said a few people had hit the youths to
restrain them.
Barman Brian Houghton said he first noticed one of the youths because his
hair was blond and green. Some trouble started and he tried to stop it. The two
punks had not been fighting each other, but fighting someone else. Everyone
else started piling in. They were thrown out, ut then came back in. Mr.
Houghton denied that he hit the defendants over the head with a table leg.
P.C. Burns said that when he shouted to the defendants outside they came
towards him. Preece punched him in the stomach and
Denham hit him on the side of the face.
He tried to restrain Preece and they fell over. He fell on top of
Preece. Denham was striking him from behind. Help arrived. Denham was taken
away and he arrested Preece.
Preece told the
court' someone m the pub tapped him on the shoulder and pushed him. He fell
backwards and others joined in. He was being kicked and punched as he lay on
the floor. Denham came over and tried to pull his attackers off. He was knocked
out. Some people picked him up and he came round as he was being taken out of
the pub. Then he was pulled back inside and the barman hit him over the head
with a table leg. The table was broken when he fell backwards after being hit.
He was knocked out again. The next thing he remembered was being outside and
turning round to someone he thought had been one of his attackers in the pub.
He had no reason to believe the person was a police officer. He had come
running up behind them and put his hand on his shoulder. He turned round and
hit him once. He then realised who he was. The officer knocked him to the
ground and he offered no further resistance.
Denham said that when
he was in the pub he heard a crash and then saw Preece on the floor with about
four or five people kicking him. He went over and tried to pull Preece up and
pull people off him. Then the five lads started on the two of them, punching
and kicking. They tried to shield themselves and push their attackers away.
Some friends helped them out of the pub. It seemed that people had been hitting
them purely because they were punk rockers. Outside, someone grabbed Preece,
dragged him back into the pub and struck him with a table leg. Later, after
they had got out of the pub again and were walking up the road, they heard
running footsteps behind them. He thought one of the people from the pub was
going to hit him again. He pushed the man away; the man grabbed hold of him and
he started struggling. When the man said he was a police officer he stopped. He
denied striking the policeman.
Four people who had
been in the pub that night also gave evidence for the defence. One of them, a
15-year-old Dover schoolgirl, said that five men seemed to be picking an
argument with Preece. One of them pushed Preece on the shoulder and he pushed
back. The man hit Preece and a fight started. Other people joined in, dragging
Preece across the pub and kicking and hitting him.
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