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Five of the best places to visit in Tonbridge (and why these hold a special place in my heart)
Five of the best places to visit in Tonbridge and why these hold a special place in my heart
We have lived in Tonbridge for about seven or eight years now (I lose track!) and although I grew up locally in Tunbridge Wells I didn’t know Tonbridge that well until we lived here. It has really surprised me how much I love it, the community, the facilities, the proximity to some beautiful countryside and it’s location not too far from London and not too far from the coast. What really makes it though are some of the wonderful independent shops and beautiful buildings we are able to enjoy. I based my Tonbridge illustration series on some of these and have included a little run down below of each one and why I chose it.
65mm Coffee
One of the best and most well loved coffee spots in Tonbridge David and Jade have created a cosy, welcoming and beautiful hub next to the river. Their coffee is excellent (I am not a coffee expert by any means but it tastes the best, and know people who are ‘experts’ and they love it too) and cakes and pastries perfectly accompany it (these also gives me five minutes sitting down on a day out with the small ones!). The days they serve food are always popular and their menu is all delicious, a perfect spot for brunch all year round.
A lot of nostalgia for me comes from the early days of baby number one and meeting friends and babies here for coffees and catch ups (before lockdown arrived and put a stop to that), but having that support in those early couple of months of becoming a Mum was so important to us all. Moving through lockdowns with takeaway coffees and walks along the river, and now being able to sit down inside again with my second little baby is like it’s come full circle. I am so glad that the team were able to keep things going and hope Tonbridge and it’s visitors continue to support little gems like this that make our town such a special place to live.
2. Fuggles Beer Cafe
The second of the Fuggles sites (the first in Tunbridge Wells is still going strong and we spent many hours in there when we lived with my parents for a while before buying our first house in Tonbridge) and the better in my opinion! It’s not a competition and the best is really the one that’s closest to you (quickest to get to the beers and toasties)!! Alex Grieg very kindly opened the Tonbridge Fuggles not long after we moved here and we spent way too much money tasting their impressive (and ever changing) range of craft beers, wines and spirits, especially the gin!
The Fuggles team are always really knowledgeable and passionate about what they sell which is so helpful (especially for indecisive people like me). They are brilliant for gifts, selling bottles to takeaway and will always help suggest things for the people you’re shopping for. Fuggles also have their bottle shop in Tunbridge Wells, but if you’re not travelling that far the selection in the Tonbridge beer cafe is plentiful.
My mother in law who lives a three hour drive away will always try and fit in a visit to Fuggles for a coffee and a cheese and ham toastie (The Jamon) and if you’re willing to make a three hour trip it’s got to be pretty good (she pretends she wants to see her grandchildren, but we all know it’s the toasties she’s coming for).
Fuggles is one of those constants for us, since returning from university spending hours playing cards and board games there, then buying our own house, getting married (wedding evening drinks in Fuggles) and first trips out as new parents (for a toastie and an extra large coffee). Aside from the fact that you can guarantee excellent drinks and some great food, it will always hold a special place in our hearts.
3. The Bakehouse at 124
Home of some of the most delicious baked goods around, this artisan bakery is a cut above the rest. The window piled high with beautifully baked breads often with seasonal ingredients (think wild garlic sourdough) and counter full of enticing cakes, pastries, buns and tarts (the salted caramel pecan blondie is a current favourite of mine!), it is almost impossible to walk out with just one thing. With tables inside and outside it’s a perfect spot for tea and toast or coffee and cake (while you pick up the rest of your treats to take home) and they pride themselves in making everything in house including all sorts of jams and chutneys which are just delicious and make wonderful gifts. They also make things to order including a delicious range of Christmas delights which are oh so popular and not to be missed!
I held my first ever calligraphy workshop at the bakehouse, collaborating with my friend to raise money for the Downs Syndrome Association and had the pleasure of creating some chalkboard signs for them too. We have had wonderful afternoon teas there, as well as the always popular pizza nights. It is an iconic building with its striking monochrome facade sitting proudly at the top of the high street. The smell of fresh baking, buzz of the morning bakery rush and the cosiness inside welcomes customers all year round.
4. The Old Fire Station
Now Escape Arts Centre at the Old Fire Station, this beautiful building sits just off the high street and backs onto Tonbridge Castle grounds. It is another iconic piece of Tonbridge architecture and the beautiful arched doorways and red doors are a well known sight. The left door is currently housing a mural done by artist Otto Schade showing a huge eye with a nod to the fire station at the centre (my son loves spotting the eye and showing anyone who comes to visit!), There’s an impressive timelapse video here on their instagram of how this came together and it’s becoming iconic in it’s own right (resisted the temptation to write eye-conic). This cultural hub offers a wonderful collection of artwork with different exhibitions running throughout the year. They host a range of events including regular life drawing sessions (which I really want to try, I haven’t done life drawing for years!), as well as selling coffee, toasties, beers, wines and spirits.
For me this is another one of those regularly frequented places, and actually used to house 65mm Coffee for a while before they moved to Gilbert House where they are today. With regular coffees and catch-ups with friends as well as the location for my husbands 30th birthday party, this is another lovely spot holding lots of memories for us. I have also had some lovely stories from people who have purchased my Old Fire Station prints, including from some who have had their wedding receptions here. It’s really wonderful to share those stories and memories and hear how it’s such an important part of so many peoples lives.
Owner Richard Collins and internationally renowned local sculptor Guy Portelli have done a fantastic job giving it a new lease of life as a cultural hub and I would encourage everyone to visit and show their support to keep them going for years to come.
Escape Arts Centre at The Old Fire Station, Castle Street, Tonbridge
5. Tonbridge Castle
I saved the castle until last as it’s not a small business in the same sense as the others, but Tonbridge Castle is such an integral part to the town. Sitting proudly above the river just off the high street, it is hard to miss and creates a real focal point of the town.
Being a wedding venue this also holds wonderful memories from people further afield as well. I’ve heard from people who have bought my Tonbridge Castle print for anniversary gifts to evoke special memories of the beautiful venue.
Before having small children I spent a bit of time at the castle here and there, I always quite liked it and usually attended local events if we were around. However since having our son a couple of years ago, the place has come into its own!!! Walks with babies, coffee and friends, a place for walking practice, feeding ducks and squirrels and now wearing out little legs climbing ‘all the way up to the top’ (of the Norman Castle motte).
The feeling I get when I think about it reminds me of a scene at the end of Notting Hill where they’re in a park with trees surrounding it and the camera pans across following some children running and chasing each other. A Tai Chi group are practicing on the grass, an elderly couple are walking, a young couple are having a picnic with their children and Will and Anna (Hugh Grand and Julia Roberts) are on a bench. She is laying with her head in his lap and he is reading Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. There is a sense of serenity and community, people living their own lives with their own stories wound around each other in this one beautiful space. I love that film so there is probably a huge sense of nostalgia in that for me, but the point is that the castle and immediate surrounding area has become this central hub for so many people. From quiet strolls, relaxing on the grass, a coffee on a bench, watching out over the river and town below, to days spent in the sun at the Tonbridge Food and Drink Festival, evening concerts and cinema screenings and the wintery scenes and twinkling lights of Castlemas (yup that’s at Christmas, see what they did there!), we are lucky to have this beautiful space and heritage right on our doorstep.
As for the rest…. my other favourite Tonbridge independents to visit:
I would love to illustrate the whole town (ok maybe not all of it, but the best bits!) and we are so lucky to have such a great selection of local independent shops and businesses. I have done a little list below of some others that I love which I think you might like to check out, and I would be delighted to hear any suggestions you have that I might have missed to add to the list!
Zilch Zero Waste - your local refill shop that is SO much more than ‘just’ refills. Toys, gifts, snacks, treats, friendly chats and so many brilliant eco swaps to help you reduce your impact on the planet.
Verdigris - More excellent coffee, outstanding food, wine and cocktails, this beautiful spot on the river is perfect for a special occasion or just a weekend treat!
Ian Chatfield butchers - If there’s a queue down the street near Christmas, you can guarantee it’s going to Ian Chatfield! This friendly butchers and deli have an abundance of locally sourced meats and other produce, the perfect way to support our community on the high street and local farmers beyond.
Sankeys Fishmonger - One thing Tonbridge High Street had been missing was a fishmonger, but Tunbridge Wells favourite Sankeys came to the rescue!
Little Blue Finch - A local favourite for beautiful cards and gifts, jewellery and clothing. This is my go to for gifts, especially last minute or people I’m not quite sure what to buy for, there is always something wonderful to be found.
Organic Village Market - This little gem near the castle is stocked full with local fruit and vegetables. Their in house bakery creates the most delicious breads and pastries drawing on their Cypriot roots and the baklava is the best I’ve tasted outside of the Mediterranean. They also have an incredible deli counter with marinated olives, vegetables and home made delights to take home, a must visit in the town.
This is a small selection and the list goes on and on, so please do try and support local where you can!
Speaking of supporting local, have you heard of the TN Card?
Have you heard of the TN Card and if not why not?! If you are local to the TN postcode area then I highly recommend checking out this brilliant incentive to support small and local businesses. Founded by Jess Gibson in 2020 the ever growing TN community opens up discounts, offers and rewards for shopping with your local independents. I am proud to have been a member since the start and am also delighted to be on their directory with a little discount on cards and prints in my Etsy shop for members. They are also a proud supporter of West Kent Mind and 10% of each membership sale goes towards the local charity, you can read more about their work together here.
There we have it!
Whether you’re a tourist or a resident of our wonderful town of Tonbridge, I hope you can make some of your own memories in these really special places and urge you to support them all to help keep our town unique. Supporting the small business, shopping local and spreading the word about all the people and places who make this town so wonderful is so important. It is cliche to say ‘if we don’t use them we will loose them’, but it’s incredibly true and we are so lucky in Tonbridge to have some amazing independents adding colourful stories to the high street and beyond, and we need to make the most of them all to keep them doing what they’re doing!
Thank you so much for reading and just a reminder my Tonbridge illustration series is available as a pack of cards or individual prints. They can be purchased via my Etsy shop or locally in Zilch Zero Waste, you can also go and have a look at the originals on display in 65mm Coffee.