Travel
KENT CALLING Chris Sullivan explores three towns on the Kent coast for signs of a decent holiday in the sun
I
’ve always had a soft spot for the British seaside but it took Covid restrictions for me, and many other Britons, to once again become tourists in our own land. Previously, I considered it a duty to visit as many foreign countries as possible and, consequently, surfed the wave of cheap flights, grazing the budget airlines each week looking for an economical conduit into pastures extraneous. That’s all changed of course but, entirely undaunted, I plumped for a series of adventures in the resorts on the North Kent coast, and was rewarded beyond my every expectation. My first port of call was Margate. I’d visited the vicinity a few times way back, decked out in my peg trousers, plastic sandals and Hawaiian shirt to attend the Bank Holiday soul sessions at the Ballyhai but, after a fearsome battle with big angry
“The Bay itself, with its pier and adjacent amusement arcades, is classic Kiss Me Quick territory but, if that’s not your cup of Rosie Lee, one can sit outside The Hampton Inn and rejoice in its ample seating, look out to sea, imbibe copious amounts of liquor and acquire a spiffing sunburn, which, in my book, no holiday is complete without” 110
