Couple take on second Shepherd Neame site

A husband and wife team have taken on The Bonny Cravat in Woodchurch near Ashford, their second Shepherd Neame pub.

Diane and Andrew Ware have also been running The Chequers on the Green in High Halden since 2019.

Andrew grew up in the trade, as his parents ran the Tiger Inn, Stowting, and he then trained as a chef. He and Diane ran Wards Hotel in Folkestone together for 14 years, then moved to Spain to launch a small steakhouse chain before returning to run The Chequers on the Green.

Since taking over The Bonny Cravat they have overseen a complete refurbishment of the pub, including redesigning the dining room to create a more spacious feel. Outside, there is now also a covered terrace.

"After we were able to reopen our pub earlier this year, we decided to look for another tenancy; a second venture to keep things exciting," says Diane. "The Bonny Cravat has an amazing history. It is said to have tunnels that connect it to the church. Our aim with the refurbishment was to take it back to a real country pub.”

You may also be interested in…