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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk
By Max Chesson, 3 December 2025.
The Berry in Walmer could be turned into house if no buyer for pub
is found.
A pub landlord has warned his award-winning boozer might be turned
into a house – as nobody wants to buy it.
Chris Barnes, who has run The Berry in Walmer for 20 years since
taking it over in 2005, put his beloved 19th-century inn on the
market earlier this year.
He made the decision after falling in love with life as a teaching
assistant, and listed it for £495,000 in June in the hope of seeing
a new owner take over a pub once deemed the best in Kent by the
Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
However, after months on the market with little interest, Mr Barnes
has confessed that The Berry’s future may no longer be as a pub.
In a statement to punters on the pub’s social media page, the
long-serving landlord says it will be turned into a home for his
family as “we can’t make a buyer appear”.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision. We’ve spent over 20 years
pouring our hearts into this place,” said the Barnes family.
“We’ve loved it, we’ve loved you, and we’ve loved the life the pub
has given us. But things have changed.
“Since the summer, the financial climate has been incredibly tough,
and despite dropping the price and genuinely trying our best to sell
the pub as it is, there just isn’t anyone out there who wants to
take it on.
“So, if nobody wants to buy the pub, our hope is to make it our home
- a family home, filled with love, memories, and the next chapter of
our lives.
“We know planning applications can sometimes cause worry, which is
exactly why we wanted to be upfront with you before the notice goes
up.
Inside The Berry in Walmer. Picture: RightMove.
“We really hope we can count on your understanding and support. This
community has been a huge part of our story, and we’d be so grateful
if you could stand with us now as we take this next step.”
Having been trading as a pub for 160 years, Mr Barnes sought to
reassure customers it will not be shutting anytime soon.
With planning permission not expected to come until next year, The
Berry will remain on the market – and it could yet be saved from
closure if a new owner comes forward.
Now listed for £480,000, the pub in Canada Road benefits from a
sizeable bar area as well as a courtyard and a four-bed flat for any
incoming landlord.
Opening in 1865 as the "Royal Arms," and located near the former
barracks of the Royal Marines, it changed its name to The Green
Beret in 1965 and retained the moniker until the late 1980s.
It was rebranded the Green Berry after insurers requested an extra
£5,000 in cash due to its military connections and threats from the
IRA - the green beret being the headwear of Royal Marines commandos.
The pub dropped the ‘Green’ from its name in 2015. |
