A Guide to Living in Herne Bay

  © Copyright Oast House Archive and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence

If you are looking to move to a beautiful and historical seaside resort on the Thames Estuary in Kent, then Herne Bay is a good place to start.

Here is our guide to Herne Bay and all the things it offers.

Location, Location, Location

Sitting on the beautiful Thames Estuary, Herne Bay has two miles of splendid seafront, and great beaches.

Herne Bay is situated in an excellent location for easy access to transport links including the Thanet Way and the M2 Motorway, as well as mail line rail links to London.

The historical and beautiful city of Canterbury is on Herne Bay’s door step, as it lies only seven miles north of the town and is surrounded by historic castles, cathedrals and old towns making it a popular holiday destination

A history of Herne Bay

Herne Bay has a long and rich history dating back to the Romans in 43AD, but it was first recognised as a town in 1100AD.

The town has evolved from a coastal/fishing village to a fashionable holiday destination for the Victorians and now a modern day vibrant town on the east coast.

Herne Bay today

This beautiful seaside town epitomises the quintessential British beach resort, with colourful beach huts, quaint coffee shops and ice cream parlours.

Much of Herne Bay’s rich history can still be seen today – there is the famous Ship Inn – the towns oldest building, which dates back to the 18^th Century, when it was built to serve the local shipping and farming communities. There are the stunning Victorian bay-fronted houses that still line the promenade, the Victorian Pier, and the main landmark, the free-standing Gothic clock tower on the seafront which dates back to when the resort was developed in 1837.

The town itself is made for idle window shopping with wide pedestrianized streets lined with antique and gift shops. There is a market is every Saturday, which is a great to pick up a bargain or two!

Herne Bay has some excellent wine bars and restaurants which pride themselves on serving crab, fish and winkles provided fresh from the Whitstable fish market.

There are also some excellent cliff top walks and the Maritime Heritage Trail links local interest sites, including the ancient sandstone cliffs of nearby Reculver – the imposing 12th century Reculver towers and roman fort provide an imposing backdrop and the beaches here provide a haven for those looking for a peaceful hideaway.

However, if you are after thrills and spills there are some great water sports available including rowing, yachting and jet skiing.

A Wonderful Place to Live

Herne Bay is popular both with families due to the infant, junior and high schools in the town. There are also four universities in neighbouring areas.

Furthermore, if you are looking to retire then Herne Bay is popular retirement destination as it offers a great selection of bungalows within walking distance of most local amenities.

With the town being  a seaside resort, there are many festivals held throughout the year, these include  The Herne Bay Carnival,  A Classic Motor Show, A Race for Life, The Downtown Abbey Ball, Herne Bay Festival (this is a week long event), Herne Bay Summer Showcase, Man of Kent Dinghy Sailing Event and many more.

Property

Herne Bay has undergone a vast regeneration and now boasts attractive family sized properties on well-designed modern estates, that blend-in well with the period properties in the town. 

Property prices are on the increase in Herne Bay with sales going from strength to strength and we have seen properties sell closer and closer to their asking prices and in some instances we have sold properties over the asking price !  Since the regeneration buyers are now putting Herne Bay top of their list as a location where prices still represent good value for money compared to nearby Whitstable and Canterbury.

by Theresa Andrew – Assistant Branch Manager, Your Move, Herne Bay