Star and Garter 1970s

Photo from Folkestone Herald

Folkestone Herald 5-9-1970

Local News

When the roof fell in on publican Kenneth Cardno`s world he was surprised – but delighted. For down rained relics of a bygone age when gin was only 3s. (15p) a gallon, and the highlight of a family evening at home was a magic lantern show.

Mr. Cardno sat in the bar of his pub, the Star and Gar­ter, in Folkestone’s Harvey Street, surrounded by his treasures, and explained how it happened. “The ceiling of our bed­room was raised after it fell in the First World War”, he said. “We left the windows open during a recent spell of bad weather and the high winds caused the ceiling to collapse. When they rebuilt the ceiling in 1918 they must have sealed off an old attic, which contained bills and other items – dating from 1885 – relating to the pub”. At first Ken did not realise what these were, and his wife, Anne, started to burn the musty old sack they were in, only realising how old the pieces of paper were when the sacking collapsed. The Cardnos have rescued some of these documents – among them a butcher`s bill for four pounds of pork costing 2s. 11d (14½p).  One of the items rescued was a copy of the old Graphic magazine of 1891, with a front rover of an engraving show­ing the wreck of the Benvenue, off Sandgate in that year. Other finds include a set of hand-painted magic lantern slides, and a little-used version of one of the first types of primus lamps.

Mr. Cardno now plans to explore another attic which was covered up during reno­vations. To do so he will take a piece out of a neighbouring wall.

Folkestone Herald 7-2-1976

Local News

Rumours that Whitbread Fremlins were closing pubs throughout the Folkestone area because of financial problems were denied this week. Word got round that pubs were being forced to shut after three local houses closed, changed hands or were placed on the market within a matter of weeks.

It is now believed that the Raglan in Folkestone is be­ing offered for sale as a free house, and that negotiations are in hand to open the former Fleur-de-Lis at Sandgate as a club. The Star and Garter, also in Folkestone, is now in temporary use as a social dub. But on Monday, although no official company statement was available, it was made clear that Whitbreads have no ulterior motive for these moves. Any recent closures or changes, it was said, were simply in line with the com­pany’s normal procedures. “There is nothing parti­cularly dramatic going on”, said one employee, who re­fused to be quoted as a company spokesman. “All brewers are gradually disposing of small houses, particularly those which are unsuitable for modernisation. This is really just a continuation of something that we`ve been doing since the turn of the century”. He added that the three Whitbread houses in question had all arrived on the market at the same time as “pure coincidence”. “Tenants have left or retired for various reasons and this is just a process that is going on all the time, anyway”, he said.

A spokesman for the Folkestone and District Licensed Victuallers` Association commented “We haven`t been told anything officially, but what happens to these houses is entirely up to the brewery. I believe it is what is called rationalisation. If a place is uneconomical, then when it becomes vacant the brewers are going to sell it. After all, they, like a licensee, have to make a living”.