THE CHIC LIST: Forget waders and wellies – 7 ways to embrace the ‘fisherman aesthetic' this summer
There's a chic new look in town and I've fallen for it hook, line and sinker. It's called fisherman-core but forget waders and wellies – this aesthetic is all about celebrating easy, breezy coastal living.
Yes, I live in a city but that won't stop me from unleashing my inner mariner. I'll be spending part of summer by the coast and I love the seaside, so that's reason enough for me to embrace the look.
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Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
My day drinking in Britain's biggest Wetherspoons
A pie-eyed 60-something lady blows me a kiss before collapsing on the backseat of a cab outside The Waterfront pub. It's 5pm and she's peaked too soon. But haven't we all? Alcohol consumption is in terminal decline, apparently. It's all bubble tea and kombucha from here on in, people. Not in this town it ain't. Not in Ramsgate. The quayside pubs are heaving on this sunny Saturday afternoon, literally overflowing with red-skinned drinkers clutching fags and pints. Talk of the faded British seaside feels wide of the mark here. Ramsgate is pumping. I watch a white-aproned man pack his seafood kiosk up for the day as wide boys drive their bulging biceps and Botoxed babes around in Beemers. Bronzed families with the sand between their toes flip-flop home from the beach, past pretty yachts in the marina and hipsters sucking roll-ups outside the Queens Head. Dapper pensioners pick a path through the eclectic human traffic with a smile. They were young once. I head to the Wetherspoons for a pint. The Royal Victorian Pavilion is not just any 'Spoons – it's Britain's biggest, a cathedral of a pub, and fresh from a £750,000 refurb. Not that the punters have noticed. 'I'm not sure what they've done apart from plant these flowers, which look nice – I might slip them into my handbag,' says Lin Brown, who's drinking on the rooftop terrace with her friends. The girls are here for pre-drinks – 'we'll shimmy into town later' – and life admin. 'We're booking tickets to see Spurs in the Europa League Final,' says Brown (who won't regret that purchase). 'We booked a holiday to Egypt last week.' Why the 'Spoons? 'It's cheap,' they say, in unison. They're not wrong. My pint of Ruddles cost an almost laughable £1.79. It's like being in the Eighties again. Shame about the atmosphere, though, which inside the pub was flatter than my ale, forcing me out onto the busy terrace where I pulled up a pew near the girls. 'I thought you were a stripper when you came over,' says Jen Cavelle, or 'Mrs C', clutching my arm. 'It's my birthday tomorrow. I thought these girls had got me something.' I can't work out if Mrs C is disappointed or relieved that I'm not a stripper. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I'm flattered or offended that she thought I might be. The girls have been coming to the Pavilion – originally a concert hall – since before it was a 'Spoons. 'It used to be a nightclub,' says Mrs C, who went on the pull here. 'The lights would come on at the end of the night and I'd think 'f****** hell, who's this?' Beer goggles!' While other British seaside towns have withered since cheap flights pulled the beach towel from under their feet, Ramsgate is holding its own, reckon the girls. This despite being in Thanet, one of England's most deprived regions. 'It's got a buzz,' says Brown. 'The pubs are busy, even in winter. It's vibrant, there are always bands on.' The g-word inevitably rears its head. 'It's gentrifying,' says communications officer Natalie McAleer, who moved here from the capital. 'There weren't many London-type places a couple of years ago but now there are more wine bars, more coffee shops. I think it's following in the footsteps of Margate, which is basically Shoreditch-on-Sea.' Ramsgate's liberal London blow-ins make for odd bedfellows in a region that has traditionally shown strong support for Nigel Farage's party du jour. The town's dichotomous demographic was brought into sharp focus in May's local elections, which saw Reform take the largest share of votes – followed by the Greens. It's two-party politics, but not as we know it. One certified vote winner would be to reinstate the Ramsgate to Dunkirk ferry. 'We used to do 'flasher trips' to France, didn't we girls?' says Mrs C, to a hum of approval. 'You'd get on for a quid, flash your passport, have a disco and a smorgasbord, then stock up on duty-free and sail home. We didn't even get off in Dunkirk. Happy days. They need to bring the ferry back.' That's the plan, only attempts by Thanet district council (rated 1.8 out of 5 on Google) to entice a new operator have hitherto failed. The region's nascent wind industry has at least got going, bringing jobs to a region where the once-thriving fishing industry clings on like a limpet. Doing my bit for the local economy, I head across the road to Pete's Fish Factory, which lures me in with the smell of deep-fried delights. I order cod and chips to eat near the marina. Mick Huggett has the same idea. 'I'm here on a beano,' the Londoner tells me. A beano, for the uninitiated, is a traditional Cockney daytrip to the seaside, usually involving pub visits and sunburn. Watch the Jolly Boys' Outing episode of Only Fools and Horses and you'll get the gist. 'We got off the coach at midday and were straight in the pub. We've been on it since. It's nice to get out of bloody London,' says Huggett, a technical services coordinator. 'We've done Brighton a few times, Margate, too. I'm pleasantly surprised by Ramsgate. People said it was a bit rundown, but it's lovely.' It's hard to disagree as I walk around town, which Van Gogh wrote fondly of during his brief stint here as a teacher. Ramsgate's Victorian architecture is charming. I lose myself down narrow lanes, lingering outside antique shops and art galleries, and pretty pubs like the Horse and Groom, where leather-clad punks share space with pensioners wearing Reform badges. Acting on an earlier recommendation from McAleer, I walk uphill, following the giant Victorian arches overlooking the marina to Seabird, one of her favourite bars. I'm passed three times along the way by a bloke driving a flatbed Transit, with branches in the back, techno on the stereo and a beer in his hand. But that's Ramsgate. 'You could walk down the street wearing a bin bag on your head and nobody would bat an eyelid,' says Seabird's manager Ellie Dobson, while a flat-capped DJ spins funk. Seabird, which sells 'killer cocktails' and small plates, is new to Ramsgate and a welcome step change from the raucous old town. 'Everything is made here,' coos Dobson, tickling my palate with fragrant potions which slip down with notes of fresh mint and coriander. Seabird's owners Damian Williams and Stuart Langley are hospitality veterans from London, which is not a dirty word in here. 'There are two types of DFLs,' Dobson explains. 'You've got your down-from-Londons and your d***s-from-Londons.' Her colleague Frankie Alphonso belongs to the former camp, but encountered plenty of the latter in nearby Margate, where she moved on an impulse, but never felt accepted by the cliquey 'cool kids'. She feels more at home in Ramsgate, where she lives now. I'm minded of a sense of belonging later, walking past the Red Lion, where a band covers Creep by Radiohead. 'I'm a weirdoooooo, what the hell am I doing here?' the singer wails. He's in good company. Plenty of weirdos in Ramsgate, thank heavens.
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
Trendy English seaside town is home to beachfront rooftop bar that feels ‘more like the Med'
ONE of the UK's coolest seaside spots has a rooftop bar that will make you feel like you are abroad. Guesthouse No.42 first opened in Margate in 2023, making it the third of their hotels to open in the UK after York and Bath. 5 5 And that same year, they opened their new rooftop terrace bar that has 360 degree views over the beachfront. Serving cocktails as well as local beers and wine, The Rooftop Bar has reopened again this summer. You don't have to be staying at the hotel to use the bar, although it is first come first served. Otherwise you can rent the entire space out to yourself for any birthdays or special events. The hotel said on Instagram that it was a "taste of Mediterranean Margate" with sunset views less than and two hours from London. And the Guardian said it felt "more Le Touquet than Thanet". Tourists have raved about it too - one person said: "Absolutely stunning view of the beach. We were so lucky with the weather, watched the sun set. Could have been abroad." Another wrote on Instagram: "It has stunning panoramic views over the beach and on a sunny day it's hard to believe you're in the UK!" It is the only rooftop bar currently in Margate so its likely to be busy in the summer months. If you fancy staying, rooms at the hotel start from £166, with the hotel named the best in Margate according to Tripadvisor. The secret UK beach without the crowds – it has a free sauna and the largest tidal pool in the country 5 5 Although it might not be the only rooftop bar for long. The closed Winter Gardens theatre has revealed grand plans to open, which will include a rooftop bar. Set to cost as much £11million, it hopes to reopen by the end of next year. The Kent seaside town has seen a huge surge in tourists in recent years. Cliftonville in Margate was named the coolest neighbourhood in the UK by Time Out back in 2022. This is where the town's huge tidal pool is found, with it being one of Europe's largest lidos. And the town's theme park, Dreamland, is not only opening a new log flume this summer, but also has huge live music acts including Haim performing. Here's everything you need to do in Margate according to The Sun experts. 5
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Pregnant Kelsey Parker spotted sharing kiss & looking at rings with boyfriend as couple enjoy windswept walk in Brighton
THE widow of tragic The Wanted star Tom Parker has a 'kiss me quick' moment at the seaside with her dad-to-be boyfriend. Kelsey Parker, 34, who is eight months pregnant, also checked out rings with 27-year-old tree surgeon Will Lindsay. 4 4 The loved-up couple went on a windswept walk in Brighton with Kelsey's two young children by Tom. The singer died in 2022 aged just 33 from brain cancer. Before going public with her new relationship in September last year, Kelsey said she knew her late husband would 'send the right man for her.' Tom captured the hearts of fans as one-fifth of chart-topping boyband The Wanted, known for hits like Glad You Came and All Time Low. Even while undergoing treatment, he continued to perform, famously taking to the stage with the band in emotional final performances during their reunion tour. Since his death, Kelsey has worked tirelessly to honour his legacy. She has organised an annual charity football match in his name to raise funds and awareness for brain cancer research - a cause that now means everything to her. The Sun revealed last year that Kelsey had found love with tree surgeon Will Lindsay, two years after Tom's death. Kelsey Parker reveals heartbreaking way boyfriend has stepped in to do things Tom Parker couldn't for kids after hitting back at trolls 4
