I won’t lie, having been told I was writing the ‘My Hometown’ feature this week I was concerned. Wadhurst is certainly not one of those buzzing, vibrant hotspots; it’s a village on the Kent/ Sussex border with a greengrocers and a fish and chip shop that doubles up as a Chinese takeaway (casually redefining fusion cooking). Once a centre for the iron industry, I can safely say it has moved on to bigger and better things: it’s now home to Big Brother presenter Davina McCall and the billionaire inheritor to the Tetra-Pak Empire, Hans Rausing. Nevertheless, despite the parallels that could be drawn between this small village and the celebrity culture in L.A., Wadhurst has managed to keep its charm as a quiet and picturesque country parish.
If you’re looking for a good meal out, Wadhurst does not disappoint. Of course there’s the Chinese fish and chip shop, optimistically named ‘The Happy House’, and it’s fair to say that it lives up to its title. The quality of the fish has led some to refer to the village as ‘Codhurst’: a stunning example of local humour. There’s also a health food cafe that emits an unusual aroma of herbs and feet, and seven pubs, one which pushes the boundaries of the country pub image with a controversial tapas menu. Foods of the world are just a walk away for the five thousand strong local community.
Having been a market town in the past, Wadhurst today has retained this feel with a traditional greengrocers, butchers, bakery, bank and iron mongers, which make it unique to other villages in the area. Although this array of shops is much enjoyed by the vast number of OAPs, if finding the latest fashion is more your thing, the shopping in nearby Tunbridge Wells, at a distance of 7 miles, is an easy trip. This spa town, previously a popular English holidaying resort, brilliantly combines the elegance of its Regency buildings with some great night life. Step aside Kukui and The Bridge, this town offers much more: El Mono, which is translated on their website as ‘The One’, but also has the Spanish meaning of ‘The Monkey’, never fails to entertain and is just as cheeky as the primate. It cunningly manages to advertise itself as a club, yet in fact consists solely of three levels of corridors and three flights of stairs- if you love ‘bumping and grinding’, space is so limited that you just can’t avoid it.
Wadhurst really has got it all, and what it lacks is found only a short train or car ride away (or a long walk if you’re very eco-friendly). If you manage to avoid the paparazzi, and don’t mind having to practically walk backwards behind very slow-moving pensioners, it’s really a lovely place to live. Forget any thoughts of travel plans to Thailand this summer and think again; tourism in Wadhurst could be the next big thing.
