New in town – discover the new businesses popping up in Ramsgate

POSITIVE RETAIL

Positive Retail is a new independent clothes shop and one of the latest to join a host of local businesses breathing new life into Addington Street. Formerly Ramsgate’s Westcliff High Street, the historic area welcomes friends Dani and Anna and their new retail shop back from a successful summer pop-up. The store works with a relatively new but familiar concept selling much-loved quality items that are no longer worn but ready to be re-discovered and loved once again at a 50/50 split. The duo focus on curating pieces for a more high-end selection ranging from Whistles, Levi’s and Anthropologie, to designers like Stella McCartney and Celine.

26a Addington Street @positive_retail

NO. 36 BY SP

Addington Street really is blooming with the addition of this new florist and homeware shop run by Sally Parkes, owner of the much loved shop Flowers by SP in Broadstairs. It’s a real treat for Ramsgate to welcome her opening here. Alongside flowers drawing on Sally’s 25 years experience working as florist in London for clients including Harrods and Bluebird for Sir Terence Conran, expect unique gifts, antiques, furniture, fabrics, lighting and ceramics.

36 Addington Street @Flowers_and_Home_by_SP

BOARD AT HOME

Board at Home specialise in traditional and contemporary board games with a focus on bringing friends and family together. The gaming shop recently opened its doors at the bottom of Chatham Street. You enter into a plethora of different board games lining the walls, both old and new and all available to buy and take home. You can even go into the games basement during shop hours for a couple of extra quid and play the varying board games all day! There are snacks and drinks available while you play; it just keeps getting better as we write it up to be honest.

107A High Street @boardathomegaming

New in town

RING RING ICE CREAM

The UK’s smallest ice cream dispensary has opened in a Ramsgate telephone box. Spanning just three feet across and situated opposite the Royal Pavilion on Ramsgate Harbour, Ring Ring Ice Cream promises to bring frozen treats with decadent ice creams inspired by the iconic British phone box. Originally bought on a whim at auction, Danny and Ben, aptly named “the Ice Cream Boys”, created Ring Ring from a lockdown project gone rogue. It has since seen a great response, with many happy locals praising the parlour. We’ve even heard that when the phone rings, the person at the front of the queue gets a free ice cream! This exciting venture for Ramsgate sees 99 ice cream nostalgia meet kitsch phonebox fun. Win win!

@ringringicecream

THE HONEYSUCKLE INN

The beautiful 17th century Honeysuckle Inn has reopened under new management. After a complete makeover Joe and Kat are now serving a wide array of drinks including locally brewed Gadds’ and Beaver Town craft beers in their newly refurbished comfortable and friendly pub which also boasts a front and side beer garden. Joe has lived in Ramsgate for seven years, and partner Kat also runs Margate café The Coffee Shed. The pub is licensed for music so look out for future live music events.

Written and compiled by Emily @pinkredcreative

THE PUB

We have a new local. The Pub is a series of MicroPubs popping up in Kent, with their first establishment taking up residence in Ramsgate High Street. The brothers who run the franchise aim to open their next one in Herne Bay and broaden the business to multiple local areas in the near future. In the meantime, Ramsgate is offered as the hub to all MicroPubs with the business selling “a fine range of ales, beers, ciders, wines and spirits at a great price”. If that isn’t music to your ears, then we don’t know what is!

87 High Street @thepubmicropub

HEARTH AT EMPIRE ROOM

Michelin-trained chef Jack Hancock has popped up in Ramsgate’s Empire Room to open Hearth this summer. Hearth will offer modern British dining, serving seasonal, fresh dishes where local produce takes centre stage. Jack says, “We want to keep it real and grounded, cooking on the bone and over coals.” Located in the intimate dining space beneath the Royal Harbour Hotel on Ramsgate’s Westcliff at the Empire Room, the beautifully decorated Grade II-listed Hotel overlooks the sea, a perfect backdrop for Hearth’s wholesome yet sophisticated food.

MOLLY PICKLE DESIGN

Molly Pickle’s long-awaited shop has opened. The brilliant local illustrator and printmaker has been a notable artist growing within the community, with numerous exhibitions, markets and popups. The eagerly awaited shop will be selling an array of goods from Molly Pickle Studio. Each design is made by hand, illustrated and sold as a unique piece. Molly offers commissioned art alongside stunning screen prints and digitally replicated work from her original illustrations. Expect an adult and children’s clothing line, household furnishings, stationery and even temporary tattoos! The creative space also offers an area for pop-up artists to exhibit their own work – with local creators such as Godessa Jewellery and Push Designs.

20 Queen Street @mollypickledesign

UNDER 1 ROOF

Under 1 Roof Kids is a brand new children’s entertainment complex, boasting a soft play centre (Under 1 Roof Kids), an imaginative role play village (Dinky Town), a magical party palace (Party Kingdom), a laser arena (Reload Laser Tag) and a GoKart track, as well as a nursery and dance studios currently under construction. The three directors, Matt and sisters Parisa and Zahra, took on the site in March 2020 and brought their creative expertise to the project as well as their background in theatre production. The sisters are also behind Regency Performing Arts which puts on major productions at Margate’s Winter Gardens and Theatre Royal. Parisa was even an X Factor finalist, and all three share a passion for how the creative arts and adventure can inspire young children's development. The plans for the centre are grand, with the bespoke dance and martial arts studios opening in September and a nursery planned for January.