Above photo, 1971 showing landlady Babs Clow. Kindly taken and sent by Gunnar Schrøder.

Above photo, 17 February 1984, by Jim Ashby.

Above photos taken from Google 2010.

Above photos taken from Google 2010.

Above photograph taken from their web site 2010.

Above Google image, August 2025.

Above sign, February 1978, by Roger Marples.

Blazing Donkey sign left July 1986, sign right August 1991.

Blazing Donkey August 1991.

Above with thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com

Above beermat, date unknown, kindly sent by Mike L.

Above card circa 1974.

Advert from the Dover Express 11 January 2007.

From an email received 24 November 2018.

Dear Sirs or Mrs.,

I have just come across your article of The Blazing Donkey near Ham in Kent.

Interesting article and for your information I may add the following:- I first visited the pub way back in August 1967 with two Norwegian friends. We spent a few days in Deal as I had a girlfriend there whom I met two years earlier in Morpeth, Northumberland.

I do remember very well the Pianola they had inside to the left of the door. A charming landlady from whom I ordered four pints of bitter.

The next round I asked again: "Same again please" with a Georgie accent. She asked me to say it again please as the accent aroused her interest. She took me for being an Irish! What a nice compliment to have for a Norwegian.

Anyway, when my wife and I called in at the same pub in 1971, August again, I saw no change inside and the same lovely and friendly lady behind the bar. Luckily we talked her into having a picture of her outside the premises and this is attached to this mail.

Same pianola inside and I wonder what happened to it?

Gunnar Schrøder.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 10 September, 2025.

Upset for wedding couples as The Blazing Donkey announces business is in administration.

Couples with weddings booked at The Blazing Donkey in Ham, including some from Thanet, have discovered the business has gone into administration.

The venue, owned by Richard Martin, has a notice on the building informing people of the situation although it is understood there has been no direct contact.

Suppliers are also understood to be affected.

The notice says: “It is with regret that we announce the appointment of administrators to the business known as The Blazing Donkey.

“In January this year the lives of co-directors Richard and Sherry Martin changed irreversibly when Sherry was admitted to hospital with a rare and aggressive brain stem cancer following several months of ill health.

“Mr and Mrs Martin have always been very hands on operators but this illness removed them both from the day to day running of the award winning business they had built together over more than three decades. Inevitably as hands on owner operators their absence was felt acutely and has ultimately proved devastating to the business.”

The notice says non-event operations were immediately halted with the reduced team focusing on weddings already booked in.

It adds: “However, despite significant and sustained cash injections from the couple’s personal resources, without the wider core business operating and with overheads remaining high, it has become unviable to continue delivering those events and operating the business in any form.

“The family acknowledge the disappointment this may cause to couples affected by these circumstances and extend their deepest regret that such action has so sadly become necessary.”

The notice says Mrs Martin passed away aged 63 and Mr Martin has been unable to return to the business.

The administration details have not yet been published on Companies House but the notice says contact details will be “released soon.”

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 11 November, 2025.

The Blazing Donkey in Ham went bust owing £380k to wedding couples – but had just 62p in bank.

Fifty-four couples who booked weddings at The Blazing Donkey in Ham have lost a combined total of £380,000 after the venue went into administration in September with just 62 pence in the bank.

The venue, which was owned by Richard Martin, put a notice on the building informing people of the situation in September.

A report now published by administrators Opus Restructuring LLP shows that money recouped through a sale of the site, expected to net £1.45m will cover the debt owed to Metro Bank of £1.27m.

Staff have claims amounting to £24,549.

HMRC is owed some £40,000 but is unlikely to receive anywhere near this sum.

Unsecured creditors, which include the 54 wedding couples and trade suppliers, are unlikely to see any reimbursement from the sale. A number of couples and suppliers are Thanet based.

Couples are owed amounts ranging from £250 to £17,580. Traders are also owed circa £78k, with another £228k owed in unpaid utilities to EDF.

The Blazing Donkey had previously been owned by Mr Martin’s parents. He had been involved with the business since 1992 and it became a licensed wedding venue in 1997. He bought the freehold in 2007 and, with wife Sherry, expanded the business to include a garden marquee and glamping site.

In 2022 the company was offered £1m for a 12 month contract to house asylum seekers but this was turned down due to concerns over the impact on business and reputation.

In January this year Sherry was admitted to hospital with a rare and aggressive brain stem cancer following several months of ill health.

The administrators’ report says: “This illness removed both directors from the day to day running of the business and resulted in all non-event operations being ceased with the team remaining focused on delivering the weddings and other events that were booked.

“In addition to the reduced services and lost income deriving from this, the business faced several external challenges including increased food, utilities, employers NIC and other costs as well as a general downturn in the leisure market generally.

“Despite sustained cash injections from the directors, there was insufficient income to cover the increased costs. The position was exacerbated further following the death of Mrs. Martin earlier this year and the resulting impact this had on Mr. Martin and his wellbeing.”

The Blazing Donkey ceased all trade by September 8 and then went into administration.

The dire financial situation showed 62p in one account with others believed to be overdrawn. There was no petty cash at the venue despite a listed £707 float.

Staff were issued with forms for the Redundancy Payments Service.

The administrators add: “Immediately upon appointment, the Joint Administrators and their staff took steps to contact the 54 couples who had future wedding bookings to confirm the Company’s Administration.

“They were advised to speak with their bank and/or credit card provider as appropriate, and were referred to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

“Individuals who had taken out wedding insurance were also advised to contact their insurance providers in the first instance to seek further advice in claiming any monies paid to the Company prior to the administration.”

Unable to continue the business, or market it as a going concern, the decision was made to sell the property.

Ten parties expressed interest and formal offers of £1.2m and £1.4m were received with sale to the higher offer expected to be complete by the end of the year.