Kent pubs benefit from Tour De France

Pubs across Kent reaped the rewards of the Tour De France, as 189 riders swept through the county for the first leg of the legendary cycling competition.

Licensees along the route reported bumper trade from the thousands of spectators that lined the streets on Sunday, July 8, with some struggling to meet customer demand.

Following the trials in Central London on the Saturday, the riders began in Greenwich, passed along the Thames to Gravesend, went through Tonbridge and Ashford, and finished against the backdrop of Canterbury Cathedral. Richard Allen, licensee at the Halfway House in Horsmonden, which was directly on the route, hosted the Cyclists' Touring Club and said business was "manic".

"It was very difficult to forsee what sort of trade we were going to do, but had I known we'd have had an outside bar and a beer festival. It was just manic. It was a festive occasion," he said.

Jeremy Springett, licensee of the Gun & Spitroast, also in Horsmonden, said: "Trade was absolutely fantastic.

"We had a barbecue in our garden, which was sold out, we were fully booked in the restaurant and bar, we had six people behind the bar and we were absolutely swamped."

But some publicans were left disappointed after road closures cut off access to their pubs.

Rachel Leadbitter, licensee of the Globe and Rainbow at Kilndown on the edge of Goudhurst, said her trade was down.

She said: "They were closing the road off for the race. There was nothing we could do about it, but no one came and had a talk about that road being closed off.

"I'm very pleased that it came through and Goudhurst got a lot things out of it. Unfortunately for us it wasn't the best day."