SALUTATION Pubs of Sandwich

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Sandwich, September, 2021.

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 29 September, 2021.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1823-

Salutation

Open 2018+

Knightrider Street

Strand Street

Sandwich

www.the-secretgardens.co.uk

Unless I am otherwise told, I am assuming that this picture is of the original "Salutation." Circa 1900. Many thanks to Garth Wyver for sending it to me.

Above photo 2018, kindly researched, taken and sent by Michael Mirams, showing the location of the original pub.

Photos above and below showing what is now called the Salutation or Nightrider House.

Photo circa 2015.

Above photo, 2017.

The original pub called the Salutation I have traced from between 1823 and 1899. The building here today was built by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911-1912 for William, Gaspard and Henry Farrer as a weekend retreat to enable them to enjoy the coastal air. Named after an Inn that originally stood within the grounds, the main house is supported by Knightrider House, Gatehouse, Coach House and Gardeners Cottage.

Having been hidden and neglected for over a decade, there has been a considerable renovation programme carried out on both the house and its gardens which are now open to the public. The main house however remains a private residence.

Set within the town and adjacent to the River Stour, surrounded by 3.5 acres of delightful Lutyens and Jekyll gardens and almost entirely encircled by the old city walls, the house is afforded a remarkable level of privacy.

Jekyll & Lutyens

The above photo showing Gertrude Jekyll circa 1880 I believe to be incorrect. In 1880 she would have been 30 years of age. I estimate this circa 1910-20.

Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll are names synonymous with the creation of the English County Garden style. This style indicated a movement away from the highly formal Victorian garden towards a greater freedom in planting and the inclusion of a wider variety of plants. Attributes of a Lutyens-Jekyll garden included brick paths and herbaceous borders planted with lilies, lupins and lavenders, all of which can be found at The Secret Gardens of Sandwich.

Together this famous duo created many country houses with Lutyens designing the house and Jekyll providing the garden design and planting scheme. In this case Lutyens also designed the Gardens and whilst there is no definitive proof of Jekyll's involvement with this project her influence is clear. She believed that a garden should offer unexpected views and visual surprises and should be made up of many “rooms” each with its own character; a way of thinking which is certainly in evidence at The Secret Gardens.

Above picture showing a map of the gardens.

From the Dover Mercury, 31 January, 2013. 80p.

SALUTATION TOP SCORE IN TV SHOW

THE "Salutation hotel" in Sandwich has achieved some of the highest scores ever recorded on Channel 4 programme Four in a Bed.

Dominic and Stephanie Parker, owners of The "Salutation."

Dominic and Stephanie Parker, owners of The Salutation, in Knightrider Street, featured on the programme which was shown last week (Monday-Friday) together with other guest houses in Cheshire, Blackpool and Hastings.

At the end of the week, The "Salutation" received scores of 143 out of 150 from other B&B proprietors, among the highest ever recorded on the long-running programme.

Marks were awarded for hosting skills, cleanliness of the accommodation, quality of the facilities, how well the guests slept, and how good the breakfast was.

Although the £195 per night "Salutation" was not judged to be best value for money - their rivals charged as little as £40 per night - it did achieve the highest scores of the week for overall quality and Dominic and Stephanie Parker were paid a whopping 106% of the total bill by the other owners. And all the other B&B owners said they would happily stay at The "Salutation" again.

Accommodation at The "Salutation" is in 17 rooms, both in the Grade 1-listed, Lutyens-designed manor house, as well as in three self-contained cottages.

Every bedroom is furnished with duck down pillows and duvets and sumptuous Egyptian cotton sheets, luxury bathrooms, and even a complementary bar.

Mr Parker commented: “Taking part in Four in a Bed was a daunting but truly incredible experience.

“Stephanie and I were so pleased that The "Salutation" scored the highest marks in the competition, and we were glad that the quality and integrity of our accommodation was reflected in these scores.”

The "Salutation" garden.

From the Dover Express, 4 August, 2016.

Goggle-eyed at state of TV B&B’s kitchen.

THESE revolting pictures reveal the shocking state of the kitchen at Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom Parker’s swanky B&B.

Snaps, taken behind the scenes at The "Salutation" in Sandwich, show an oven black with grease and overflowing, blocked sinks.

In one picture, a leg of rotting lamb, wrapped in a leaking plastic bag, drips to the bottom of a fridge which is thick with grime.

Another shows three inches of foul yellow water in the bottom of a leaking fridge with a dead fly floating in it.

Lifeless insects also float in a revolting orange stew of brackish water, fat and leftovers in a blocked waste disposal sink. Other photos show the inside of an ice machine covered in slime and mould, unswept floors and a chaotic storeroom.

Meals prepared in the shambolic kitchen are served to posh guests in The Salutation’s luxuriously decorated restaurant, The Dining Room.

An insider said: “The hygiene standards in the kitchen are absolutely atrocious.

“People have this image of the hotel being a posh, five star hotel but that is not the case when you look inside the kitchen.

“In the ice machine there is mould. They use that ice to serve drinks at the bar.

“The freezers are never cleaned out. The dishwashers aren’t cleaned. The fridges have got mould inside them and there are pools of water dripping from fish and meat.

“The quality of the food is good and the service is nice, but the environment in which it is prepared is dirty.”

The Dining Room was given a one star hygiene rating by Dover District Council on July 12 after an inspection in May. It means “major improvements” are required.

The insider added that standards went downhill when rumours began that Steph and Dom planned to sell the property

Less than a month ago Dom also lost a tribunal against his former chef, Michael Henderson, and was ordered to pay him £3,500 for sacking him with no notice.

A spokesman for Steph and Dom said: “The Salutation takes matters of hygiene and cleanliness very seriously and any matters raised have been noted and addressed accordingly.”

From the Dover Mercury, 14 June 2017. By Eleanor Perkins.

Show goes on as TV Gogglebox couple pull out of fundraiser.

Former Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom Parker have apologised to a charity care home for pulling out of one of their biggest fundraisers of the year at their home The Salutation, just weeks before it goes ahead.

The couple who found fame of the Channel 4’s show Gogglebox had to bow out of hosting the event’s auction like in past years, because they’ll be filming a new show.

Martha Trust, a charity which supports adults with profound learning disabilities at a home in Hacklinge, said the couple have apologised and are “genuinely devastated”.

They say the event on Sunday, July 16, will still be at The Salutation and has plenty of appeal with the likes of The Kingsdown Band, vocalist Rebecca Robinson, reggae ska band Hey Rudi, professional guitarist Tom Abrahams and the award winning Rock Choir lined up.

Fundraising and events officers officer Kerry Rubins said: “Steph and Dom are really good long term supporters of Martha Trust and we know they were genuinely devastated that they’ve had to pull out of our event.

“We’ve built up a great relationship with them over the years and they have been supporting us with events such as wine tasting even before they found fame.

“It is just unfortunate that their filming commitments have clashed but as soon as they knew they let us know.

“We look forward to working with them in the future.”

Spokesman for the couple, Simon Clubley, said: “Steph and Dom are indeed devastated that they will be unable to attend the Martha Trust Prom this year.

“They have supported Martha Trust for many years and continue so to do.

“It is with great sadness they have had to pull out and wish Martha Trust every success with another fabulous event.” Tickets for the prom are still on sale and the event promises something for all the family.

As well as the music and gardens, there will be plenty to keep children happy with six hours of entertainment organised by Lizzie Chittenden.

There will be sensory and messy play sessions for all ages and Kung Fu taster sessions. Super Magical Parties will also be running a session along with Maddie4Music, Drumming by CJ and also Theatre Works.

If that wasn’t enough, there will be face painting by Suzanna Make-Upps and twinkle hair accessories and henna by Hannah Gunton.

Picnics are welcomed and a barbecue will be served.

Doors open at noon and tickets are £30 for a family (two adults and up to three children under 16 years of age), single tickets cost £12 per adult and £5 per child.

Buy them online at www.mar-thatrust.org.uk/sandwichprom or call 01304 610448.

From the Dover Mercury, 5 July 2017.

Tickets running out for charity’s annual prom fundraiser.

Only a few tickets remain for this year’s Sandwich Prom in aid of the Martha Trust.

Above showing the 2015 Sandwich Prom for Martha Trust at the Salutation.

The annual event will be on Sunday, July 16, at The Salutation with music from The Kingsdown Band, vocalist Rebecca Robinson, reggae ska band Hey Rudi, professional guitarist Tom Abrahams and the award-winning Rock Choir.

In addition to the music, the gardens will be open for viewing and there will be six hours of children’s entertainment organised by Lizzie Chittenden.

There will be sensory and messy play sessions for all ages, and Kung Fu taster sessions.

Super Magical Parties will also be running a session along with Maddie4Music, Drumming by CJ, and Theatre Works.

If that was not enough, there will be face painting by Suzanna Make-Upps, and twinkle h&ir accessories and henna by Hannah Gunton.

Picnics are welcomed and a barbecue will be served.

Doors open at noon and tickets are £30 for a family (two adults and up to three children under 16 years of age).

Single tickets cost £12 per adult and £5 per child. Martha Trust provides lifelong care for people with profound physical and learning disabilities at its two homes in Hacklinge and Hastings. Buy tickets at www.marthatrust.org.uk/ sandwichprom or call 01304 610448.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Eleanor Perkins, 27 February 2020.

Liquidators step in at The Salutation in Sandwich as Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom announce garden will reopen.

Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom have announced they will reopen gardens at their famous property as they continue their bid to save the B&B.

The Salutation in Sandwich, which is owned by the Parkers, closed its doors in January after John Fothergill who had a five-year lease to run the business declared bankruptcy.

The announcement saw 33 people left without jobs and all bookings for both its 17 boutique bedrooms and 60-seat restaurant cancelled.

Now, licensed insolvency practitioners Augusta Kent Limited have stepped in to handle the process of liquidation - which will formally happen next week.

The firm is asking anyone who has purchased or received gift vouchers or has a membership to get in touch.

A spokesman for Augusta Kent Limited said: “Following its closure in January 2020, The Salutation Hotel Limited, has instructed Augusta Kent Limited to assist in placing the company into a formal insolvency process called Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation.

"We want to ensure that all creditors of the company are contacted by us so that we can advise them of the process and next steps.

The Salutation is owned by Steph and Dom Parker but was being leased to John Fothergill, who declared bankruptcy in January.

"If you hold or have gifted an annual membership to the Salutation Gardens or have previously purchased a gift voucher for an Eat/Sleep offer; Afternoon Tea; Champagne Tea or any of the other experiences and courses including the Gardening Courses which have not yet been redeemed and have not yet been able to obtain a full refund from your bank or credit card provider, please do not hesitate to contact us."

In the mean time, preparations are underway for the reopening of the gardens, known as The Secret Gardens of Sandwich, led by gardener Steve Edney.

Steph and Dom Parker said: "As an initial part of our bid to 'Save The Salutation' we are delighted to confirm that we will be maintaining the multi-award winning gardens (Gold Medal Chelsea 2019) until such time as a new management is found."

We very much hope the gardens will open once again very soon.

"We are working very hard on the hotel itself and hope to have exciting news soon."

Head gardener Steve Edney will lead the operation when the gardens re-open shortly.

You can contact Augusta Kent Limited via creditors@augustakent.co.uk

Alternatively write to Augusta Kent Limited, The Clocktower, Clocktower Square, St George's Street, Canterbury CT1 2LE with your full name, home address and details of your purchase.

LICENSEE LIST

KNOWLER Robert 1823-29+