Shepherd Neame has announced that plans to build a landmark pub hotel at the Ebbsfleet Garden City development in north Kent have been approved. Construction is expected to begin in late 2019 for a mid-2020 opening.
Ebbsfleet Garden City, the largest housing, employment and infrastructure project in the south-east, will see the delivery of 15,000 new homes within the next decade.
The development, situated near Bluewater Shopping Centre and capitalizing on transport links offered by HS1 at Ebbsfleet International Station, the nearby M2 and a proposed Crossrail extension.
Shepherd Neame’s new pub hotel will boast 17 bedrooms, a 150-cover restaurant and a function suite. Once open, the venue will increase the total number of bedrooms across Shepherd Neame’s estate to 311.
The announcement by Shepherd Neame follows the company’s acquisition of three central London sites and announcement of increasing profits in the 53-week period ending 30 June 2018.
Chief executive Jonathan Neame commented: “This is an exciting project at the heart of a major development in north Kent at the strategic crossroads between London and the Garden of England.
“This fits perfectly with our programme of investment in our pub and hotel estate, providing a great drinking and dining experience and high-quality accommodation for our customers in unique and interesting locations.”
The Morning Advertiser recently spoke to Jonathan Neame to discuss how the close ties Shepherd Neame maintains to its home county of Kent provide both the storied history around which the brand has been built as well as unique challenges and opportunities.