140 Hempstead Road

Hempstead

01634 231287

https://www.whatpub.com/flying-saucer

Above photo, date unknown, showing the pub whilst it was operating as a club.

Above photo, April 1951.

Above photo 2014.

Above sign, August 1989. With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above sign left 1987. Sign right 2011.

Above sign, 2020, kindly sent by Jamie Goatman.

Above photo, 2020, kindly taken and sent by Jamie Goatman.

Above photo, 2020, kindly taken and sent by Jamie Goatman.

Foreseeing future space travel, and possibly ‘star wars', is the "Flying Saucer", one of the first pubs in England to depict space-craft on its sign — on one side at least. In 1987 the reverse shows an old man and woman staring in fascinated horror as two of their breakfast saucers fly off the kitchen table and out of the window.

It is said that it started life as one of the farm buildings from the old farmhouse that still exists behind the pub in Harrow road and the building started life as an agricultural hall but it was also used as a shop, club then a pub.

The pub was one of several pubs that had their licences transferred from pubs in Brompton as the Brompton 'slum clearances' took place in the 1930s and 1950s. At these times large numbers of the Brompton population were re-housed in the newly developing areas of Wigmore and Rainham Mark (1930s) and Hempstead and Twydall (1950s). The original licence for the Flying Saucer had belonged to the "Shipwrights Arms" at 22 Westcourt Street, Brompton. On 2 Mar 1951 (Confirmed 20 Apr 1951) the licence was transferred to the premises at 140 Hempstead Road, Hempstead which opened under the name of the "Flying Saucer."

I will be adding the historical information when I find or are sent it, but this project is a very big one, and I do not know when or where the information will come from.

All emails are answered.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Jenni Horn, 1 December 2014. The Flying Saucer pub in Hempstead Road, Gillingham, owned by the Spirit Pub Company, is creating five new jobs. A pub is creating five new jobs after a £180,000 make-over. The Flying Saucer, in Hempstead Road, Gillingham, will close temporarily from today (Monday) to begin an extensive refurbishment that will see it reopen on Friday, December 12. Owned by the Spirit Pub Company, it promises a modern decor and some new signature pieces of furniture. Flying Saucer pub in Hempstead Road. The bar will be revamped, as will the menu, which will include wild boar burger, steak and ale pie and Korean spiced salad. The pub is seeking to recruit five new full and part-time staff to work in the bar and in the kitchen.

LICENSEE LIST