Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Been meaning to put this on here the last couple of weeks. I`m informed that a new Toby Carvery is amongst those new building`s along Honeywood Road Whitfield, in the old army barrack`s. Any knowledge of it someone?
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
Yep. It's called The Kittiwake, and it opens May 17th. It's not a Toby Carvery, it's a Marston's Pub/Restaurant, similar in style to Toby Carvery/Harvester. The building work and the car park are finished, it's just a matter of fitting it out and recruiting the 40 staff who will work there.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Thanks for that Andy. I wonder if it`ll affect the Brewers Fayre down the Duke of York`s?
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Hopefully, never impressed with the Duke of Yorks !
Been nice knowing you :)
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Lots of new build near there Colin,an extending Community
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Yes Sue, certainly sprawling out, and hoping it stay`s a good community. Haven`t heard any bad report`s yet. Mind you, it does seem a strange place to have that eating establishment.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
If it is marketed properly and signposted correctly, the people coming down the A2 will know about it before they get to the Duke of York on the next roundabout.
Roger
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
I'd never been to a Toby Carvery before until recently when on a trip to QEQM we popped in there afterwards for lunch over at Westwood Cross. It was packed to the rafters and this was on a Tuesday, the carvery was obviously very popular and I must say it looked scrumptious and all for only £5. What a great price! We sat in the bar area as we only wanted a light lunch but I will go back there to sample their carvery very soon. Will certainly try the Kittiwake when it opens
ooh sounds nice! i will also pay a visit.
Guest 684- Registered: 26 Feb 2009
- Posts: 635
More stuff for glorious Whitfield New Town again. Deep joy.
What's wrong with the town down in the valley which used to be known as Dover? Why can't something like a Toby Carvery open down there? The town (proper) is crying out for variety and vitality.
It's all about the internal combustion engine, of course, as ever. Hell in a handcart (or should that read 'hatchback'?), and that.
Dover town centre just doesn't need anymore charity shops or nosheries. It needs a greater variety of retail to get people to go down there shopping.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I agree Sid
There are over 24 various types of eateries and cafes in central Dover and I'm surprised they can all be profitable.
Good quality shops of all varietes are what is needed; the problems they face and those faced by people wanting to start up are discussed on another thread.
We also need to support the ones we have a lot more than we are, otherwise we'll never encourage new ones to come and open here.
Roger
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I, too, agree with Sid.
I still miss Mary Ann's in Bench Street - Bob tried his damnedest to make it work, but it was just vastly under used and it was doomed. Sad, because that was one of the best places for a decent nosebag in the town.
True friends stab you in the front.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
bob did a wonderful breakfast, the main problem was it did not have enough footfall.
he tried everything, even opening up for steak evenings, people could bring their own wine and beer.
The usual problem of over supply methinks.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Whilst agreeing with your over supply Sid, at the same time, owner`s can offer that little bit extra in the way of personal service, of which I have experienced a number of example`s since patronising local establishment`s within the past 10 month`s in Dover. Personal service can be given equally in a very busy place as well as a more quieter one, and can go a very long way towards making a business popular, regardless of the distance or location. Word soon spreads. Reading Andy`s post above though, it obviously doesn`t always work out.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Raising awareness is the most important thing because if no one knows about you or your business, you may have the best cafe/restaurant, whatever, in the World, but if no one knows of it, you may as well not open; this should be followed by a good product and good service - in equal measures.
If I had more emails on my email address groups, then I could advise more and more people about public information, up and coming events and local business news - all via blind emails.
Most of the cafe-type offer something different:
C'est la Vie cafe - dining and drinking outside anytiime of the year;
Beano - greasy spoon type of place;
Weigh Inn, a peaceful oasis, where you can buy your soft-drinks (hot or cold), snacks (hot or cold) and all kinds of nuts, pulses, seeds, herbs spices and a good range of cereals in big tubs and just buy what you want to buy;
3 Cooks - freshly cooked pastries, cakes, baguettes, rolls and hot and cold drinks;
La Salle Verte coffee shops, good quality service, food and ambience (and has just been voted the best Cafe in the Country;
Subway - filled baguettes and good salad range;
Mandie's Tea-rooms - been spoken well of on here and does good food, always looks very, very clean and you're always met with a smile;
Baguette Ella - great baguettes (brown or white) massive range of fresh fillings and salads.
And many more, all a little bit different, depends on what you want and the mood you're in.
Roger
Roger that sounds good but let's not forget the the many Indian and huge number of Chinese takeway/nosh-in places, McD's, and other unhealthy food retailers. Then there is the place Andy mentioned in Beaconsfield I think, the Pig Trough or whatever it's called on London Road, Blakes, the two Italian restaurants, the 6 kebab shops, umpteen fish & chip shops, the pubs that sell food etc., etc., etc. The list is endless! Just how many eateries does a tiny town like ours need? Is it any wonder most go to the wall?
Colin, you are right of course, in a situation of over-supply, which now looks like total saturation, business owners have to find a way to differentiate themselves from their competition, and let the public know they exist and are OPEN.
That is something Roger is striving hard to get them to understand, with some measure of success. However, I can't help feeling he should put together a campaign, supported by a number of successful local businesspeople, to present to the others the secrets of their success etc. I use the word campaign as that adequately describes the series of battles/events that would need to be run to pull as many in as possible. I would expect financial support from KCC/DDC/DTC/CoC for such an initiative, particualry as I see no evidence of them doing anything similar. If they are, then maybe the funding, which wouldn't be huge, could come from another source.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Sid, you don't have to go very far to see how many Eateries there are in Dover, just look at Our Very Own 'Dover Restaurant Guide' which we have to constantly amend as it changes on a monthly basis. There are more that we need to add/delete over the following week.
I am constantly pounding the streets spreading the word that Doverforum works as an advertising medium and we have ongoing support from restaurants who are very happy with the custom that it brings in, as we are the only highly active, interactive website in Dover, we are ideal as an advertising vehicle to communicate with local people and beyond. We're Buzzing!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the renaissance pub on the folkestone road is converting into a take away.
no idea what food they will offer.
baz is right about the eateries locally gaining from exposure here.