PIER HOTEL Pub of Greenhithe

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Monday, 04 September, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1851+

(Name from)

Pier Hotel

Open 2020+

6 High Street

Greenhithe

01322 382291

https://whatpub.com/pier-hotel

Above photo, 1921. In this year, the main entrance to the pub was situated at the rear of the building facing the river. In the following year work was done to essentially 'turn around' the pub so that the main entrance was on the High street. Information by Shaun Gardiner. Photo taken from http://www.garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk/

Above photo 1922. After the pub entrance was moved to the front, creating the look that we can still see today. The people in the doorway are the same as the previous photo, as is the Jack Russell. Was supplied by City of London Brewery at this time, as can be seen in the 3x panels above the pubs name. Information by Shaun Gardiner. Photo taken from http://www.garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk/

Above photo 1930s. From The Hoare & Co Brewery archive (later Charrington's Brewery). The photo was taken by Wakefields Fine Photographers & Publishers of Ealing & Brentford, circa 1930's. Note that the three panels are newly painted over. This must have been taken by them soon after acquiring the pub. Information by Shaun Gardiner. Photo taken from http://www.garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk/

Above photo 1930s. This is a view of the Rear of the pub dated 1930's. The tall window on the right, is now a door that leads onto wooden decking with Tables and chairs. The river is just behind where the photographer would have been standing.

Information by Shaun Gardiner. Photo taken from http://www.garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk/

Similar shot taken 2019 by Shaun Gardiner.

Above photo 1952. This shows a Darts match between The Crazy Gang ("Pier Hotel") and The Twickenham Cygnets ("White Swan," Twickenham). I can also confirm that a dartboard is still in the same place to this day. Information by Shaun Gardiner. Photo taken from http://www.garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk/

Above photo, showing the "Pier Hotel" right of the picture, date unknown.

Photo taken 3 January 2011 from http://www.flickr.com by Glen.

Above sign left, October 1986, sign right, May 2015.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com

In 1869-70 the pub was part of a consortium who were advertising their goods of selling tea in response to grocers' selling beer and wine. (Click for further details.)

The pub was previously called the "Admiral Keppel."

Southeastern Gazette, 6 September 1853.

GREENHITHE. Inquest.

An inquest was held on Thursday evening last, at the "Pier Hotel," on the body of Mr. Henry Barton, of Greenhithe. Deceased went to bed on the previous night to all appearance in good health; he complained in the middle of the night of a pain in his chest, and died almost instantaneously. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased died by the visitation of God.

Gravesend Reporter, North Kent and South Essex Advertiser, Saturday 26 October 1889.

Greenhithe Capture of Hotel Thieves.

Superintendent Wahetar, of the Kent County Constabulary, has made an important discovery of stolen property at a house in Camberwell Road.

Two men would charged at the Dartford Police Court, on Wednesday, was stealing property at Greenhithe, and they gave the names of William and George Frampton, and, after making investigations, a cart load of stolen property from Sidcup, High Wycombe, Hatfield, and other places, was recovered, the greater part of it having been pawned.

The prisoners appeared to have made a practice of visiting hotels, ordering tea, and afterwards taking a room for the night. During the night, they packed up all the valuables they could lay their hands on, and left the premises.

At the "Pier Hotel," Greenhithe, they were unable able to unfasten the door, so they cut away the lock, but were unable even then to escape, as the landlord had a secret fastening on the door. Finding themselves foiled, and unable to get through the windows, they returned to the room again, but left their intended plunder stowed about. The landlord had them arrested, and this led to the recovery of the stolen property.

The prisoners were remanded in custody.

From The Reporter, Friday, March 10th, 1967.

Above photo, 1967 showing licensee Arthur Abbott.

From the http://www.kentonline.co.uk 01 November 2013 by Thom Morris.

Body taken from river at Greenhithe near Pier Hotel.

Rescue crews pulled a man out of the River Thames at Greenhithe this afternoon.

Two police cars, two ambulances and the air ambulance were at the Greenhithe Causeway following reports of someone found near the "Pier Hotel."

Essex police said a white van had stopped on the Dartford bridge and motorists then saw a man fall into the water below.

The air ambulance was at the scene.

Staff at the crossing then called emergency services at 1.50pm.

Gravesend RNLI were called and the body of a man, believed to be from east London, was pulled from the water.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The body was taken away by ambulance just after 3pm today.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Messenger Reporter, 7 April 2015.

Jack Spring, 29, of Johnsons Way, Greenhithe, found safe and well after appeal.

The parents of a man whose disappearance sparked a big search by emergency services have appealed for help to trace the woman who found their son.

Jack Spring, 29, of Johnsons Way, Greenhithe, had been out with friends at the Pier Hotel in High Street, Greenhithe, on Easter Monday.

He was reported missing hours after leaving the pub alone just before 8.40pm.

His disappearance was said to be out of character, prompting police to scramble their helicopter and issue a full-scale media appeal.

Volunteers from Lowland Rescue, who are called out directly by the emergency services when they require specialist resources, were also spotted in the area.

But it was thanks to social media that Jack was found in the Temple Hill area of Dartford, safe and well on Tuesday afternoon.

A stranger, who had seen the appeal to find him on Facebook, recognised him sat there and raised the alarm.

His father James said: “I just want to ring her up and thank her. I cannot fault the response that we got – it was far better than we expected.

“I cannot praise Kent Police enough. He just went walkabout and they thought he was in the river. Luckily, it turned out OK.”

He said his son had run out of medication he was on and that, coupled with a tough time emotionally, may have triggered his son’s ‘walkabout’, of which he had no recollection.

James’s wife, Christine – step-mum to Jack since he was two after his mother died – said Jack did not remember anything.

She said: “As long as he is back safe, that’s all that matters.

“Kent Police, I really thank them for what they have done. I don’t know why people run them down. I praise them 100%.”

From the https://www.newsshopper.co.uk By News Reporter, 13th November 2018.

Greenhithe pub granted late licence despite local concerns.

A pub in Greenhithe has been given permission to extend its weekend opening hours despite concerns relating to noise and anti-social behaviour.

The Pier Hotel in the High Street will now be able to serve alcohol for an extra hour on Friday and Saturday evenings – until 12.30am – with a drink-up period of 30 minutes.

Concerns were submitted to Dartford Borough Council by local residents, who complained of “noise” and “bad-languaged behaviour” from customers leaving at the end of the night.

Incidents included people sitting on window ledges, drunken arguments on the phone, and the slamming of taxi doors.

Carly Brook told councillors on Friday (November 9): “There is not a group of people who do not like the pub – the general consensus is the pub and the way it is run is a good thing.

“The reason for the objections is because of the anti-social behaviour that patrons from the pub – mostly those leaving – could be described as a public nuisance which really affects the quality of life.”

Neither Kent Police or the council’s environmental health team raised concerns, with the letter having never received any complaints from residents.

Ms Brook suggested this may be down to relationships formed with Phil Grigg, who has been landlord at The Pier for 12 years.

She added: “I’m quite different from other residents in that I’ve only been there four months. From what I hear, Phil is quite charasmatic and a nice guy.

“He has a friendship with a lot of these residents – particularly some of them are quite old – and they think if they report something it kind of goes against that. I’m here as a bit of a renegade.”

Bryan Parry, who has lived on the High Street for 40 years, also spoke against the application. He said the noise created by the pub is a problem in his home.

He added: “Being in a conservation area, buildings do not benefit from modern soundproofing – including double glazing – so our properties are noise sensitive.

“When there is regulated entertainment with loud music, we can hear it throughout the house and it can prevent us from enjoying our home and getting to sleep.”

In a bid to mitigate some of the complaints, the applicant removed the request to extend the playing of recorded music at the pub until 12.30am on Friday and Saturday nights.

But other suggested measures such as having door staff and noise limiters were deemed to be “excessive” by solicitor George Domleo, who represented the applicant.

He said The Pier has had 27 temporary event notices in recent years, allowing the pub to stay open until up to 2am, and there have never been any complaints.

Mr Domleo added: “We’re not changing the concept – it’s just the extra hour to allow customers to stay and enjoy what’s on offer at the Pier instead of going to other premises.

“Phil and his wife live on the site, so they are local residents. They don’t want customers congregating outside at the end of the night – that’s the last thing he wants for himself, his wife, and local residents.”

The extended hours were granted with some restrictions including no admission after midnight, and the banning of drinks being taken outside at the front of the pub.

Mr Grigg was told he must ensure customers do not smoke at the front door, although people who have left for the night still can. He was heard whispering: “I can’t enforce that – how can I enforce that?”

Licensing sub-committee chairman Arron Bardoe (Con) concluded: “I appreciate the residents’ concerns and they have formed a large part of what has changed between the original application and today.

“I’m very aware of the problems, and if there are further instances the committee has the option to call the application back in.”

LICENSEE LIST

TAYLOR William 1858+

WATT W 1862-70+

WINGROVE John George 1874+

WINSGROVE Frederick J 1881+ (age 25 in 1881)