From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk  By Danny Boyle, 26 March 2012.

Russell Crowe spotted in pub as Les Miserables filming begins in Chatham.

Hollywood actor Russell Crowe has been spotted enjoying a drink at a pub in Chatham as filming began for the musical Les Miserables.

Chatham's Historic Dockyard has become a little piece of France for the movie, which also stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham-Carter.

Crowe, was spotted in the Ship and Trades pub, Chatham Maritime, on Friday night.

He had been filming during the day and was seen walking around the site in casual clothes before getting into costume and riding a horse.

The production was being set up on Thursday and crews were busy creating the set at the historic site.

A large marquee has also been set up in the car park of the site and is thought to house changing rooms and costumes.

The film is being directed by Tom Hooper, who won an Oscar for directing The King's Speech.

It is being filmed in the same spot as the recent BBC series Call The Midwife.

The directors held auditions for extras in the film in February at the nearby Rochester Building at the University of Kent.

Thousands of people waited in the cold, hoping to get a part, with some queuing for hours only to be turned away. Those who were selected were due to start filming scenes this week.

The film will be released in Britain on January 11, 2013.

From the https://www.kentlive.news By Sian Elvin, 21 May 2018.

A man was confronted by paedophile hunters outside the Ship and Trades pub in Chatham.

He was accused of attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl in Canterbury.

Police arrested the 28-year-old man.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of grooming following a confrontation with paedophile hunters outside the Ship and Trades pub in Chatham.

A team of self-styled paedophile hunters, called Predator Down, streamed the incident as it took place outside the pub off Maritime Way.The hunting team, which has carried out other stings in the Medway area, accused a man of attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl in Canterbury as part of a video live streamed to Facebook.

Officers were called to the scene by the online hunters and arrived to arrest the suspect at the end of the video.

A 28-year-old man has since been released pending further investigation.

The confrontation was filmed by paedophile hunting group Predator Down.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "At 6.36pm on Friday, May 18 officers attended Maritime Way, Chatham, where they arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of grooming.

"He has since been released pending further investigation."