The former Earl St Vincent pub in Ramsgate now has a new lease of life, with a nod to the past, and a new name.
The Earl St Vincent shut down in January and the renamed King Street Arms reopened last month after being bought by building firm boss Shaun Todd and his wife Sisi.
Dad-of-four Shaun says it is a return to the bar’s family roots: “It used to be my nan and grandad’s pub in the 70s until 1982 – Les and Iris Parks. It has always been a local pub for the family.”
And keeping with that family ethos, cousin Jo Parks will head up the bar as manager with staff members Kate, Charlotte and a new barmaid who is being trained.
The pub, which has licensees listed back to 1828, has undergone a complete overhaul, which took Shaun and his building firm team eight weeks to carry out.
The 39-year-old said: “There are new pumps, new carpet, we pulled some old carpet up and sanded and varnished the parquet flooring underneath which was there when my nan and grandad had the pub; we have painted, decorated – a lot – and put in new joists as they were rotten.
“I have my own building company so I pulled everyone off other jobs to concentrate on this. We’ve also done the garden, freshened it up a bit and put in some flowers.”
The new pub sign has personal significance with the family crest, CCSM underneath – standing for the names of Shaun’s children Callum, Cameron, Sienna and Max- and three ‘lucky’ dragons acknowledging Sisi’s Chinese heritage.
Now the aim is to make sure the business thrives.
Shaun said: “We opened at the end of April and Saturdays have been busiest. We have been putting stuff on like the boxing, football, this weekend we have a singer and a barbecue. Every week I am trying to do events.
“A lot of new people have been coming in as well as ‘old’ regulars who had stopped because it was a bit rough but are now starting to come back and have a beer. So, it is different clientele now.
“My cousin will be running it and it is lovely to have it back in the family. My boys (aged 21 and 22) who work for me have also been a big part of doing it up.
“I’ve never had a pub before but I got my personal and publican licences even though I’m going to try and stay away from the bar, I’m better on a building site!”
Find the King Street Arms at 99-101 King St, Ramsgate or on facebook here
