George Dean's Boat Yard

I was sent the photograph below after the recent post on George Dean's tea lounge and gardens formerly situated on the town's river. It's an image of a Tonbridge family on a boat that has just left the boat yard, and in the far right-hand corner one can just make out the white cafe, known as the bungalow, and a number of boats moored to the landing station. Unfortunately the image believed to be taken in 1953, has deteriorated over the years.

The reader who kindly provided the photograph was the child in the foreground of the image.

Tonbridge Tea Lounge and Gardens

I recently came across two ads for George Dean's boating business in a 1924 Tonbridge tourist guide.  It seems there was a 'Tea Lounge and Gardens' on River Walk, that not only served refreshments on the banks of the river, but also provided picnic baskets for those customers hiring boats in the town.

We are extremely lucky in Tonbridge to have a river running through the centre of our town.  However, unfortunately there are now very few opportunities to eat and drink along the water, and the river frontage is not used to its best advantage.

Over the years, as the waterside businesses have been lost, they have not been replaced, and Tonbridge is now crying out for cafes along the river. There are many ideal spaces for new cafes to be built or for pop-up cafes to be sited, the kind that place fold-away tables, chairs and umbrellas and serve a decent coffee and snack. This could only enhance the town and bring a sense of well being, and pleasure for residents and visitors alike, to socialise and enjoy the open spaces along the Medway.

I believe it needs serious consideration, and would be interested in readers' thoughts on the idea.