Gravesend pubs

Gravesend is a town of many, many pubs.

Through history Gravesend has always been a town of the sea. It was the start of the 'long ferry' that sailed travellers up the Thames to London. The ferry being safer than the road up the Kent coast with its threat of highwaymen and footpads.
Later it was a pleasure town with ferry boats bringing revellers from London to enjoy all the pleasure gardens that had been developed around town. There were many pubs to cater to people in the town.
Today there are still many pubs around, but like everywhere the trade is struggling. Many pubs have closed and many more get rebranded and renamed in an attempt to make them commercialy viable

To track this there is a website dedicated to recording these changes. Gravesend Pubs

I contribute images to the site. They are of little artistic merit and no commercial value. but they are an important document to record the changes that are happening around town.

Gravesend Pubs

Gravesend is a town of many pubs. There is even a book on the history of Gravesend pubs called 'A Pub On Every Corner'

In recent years the town pubs have had a hard time and many are now closed and reused for other purposes.

I have been photographing these buildings as they change. Many have changed their names and most now are being repurposed.

One bar called the HQ Bar closed down last year and has been up for sale. Before It was HQ Bar it was the R Bar.

When I went past it yesterday I saw that the builders had been in and the front of the building was out.

What was interesting was the Borough Shades sign was visible. 

Also at either sides there were the advertising signs for the old pub.

No doubt when I next go to town a new shopfront will be in and a new tenant will be trading.