Summer 2023

HIGH STREET
A Great Place to Shop
Cranbrook has over 90 commercial premises. It’s easy to forget what we have! Visitors come for
the free parking, convenience, the opportunity to browse and find unexpected treats
There are few everyday
items you cannot
find in Cranbrook,
and we have always
been a venue for card
and gift shopping. Looking at a
list of shops, we are blessed with
specialist retailers who know
their trade and what you want as
customers.
The shops generally exclude
the large multinationals, so our
niche retailers flourish. Computer
support (by humans!), florists,
stationery, specialist podiatry,
pet stores, vape shop and four
gift shops all contribute to the
unique offer. Most people find the
majority of their daily requisites
in the town, avoiding the time
and expense of going to larger
towns. We still have two banks,
solicitors and accountants, even a
new wealth management office.
There are 14 cafes, takeaways
and restaurants in the town, to
suit all pockets. Our farmers and
local producers supply the farm
shops in Hartley and Charity
Farm, and some sell at their
farm gates: Paley Farm (meat),
Hinxden, (dairy), blackcurrants,
apples and plums at Dove Farm
and Sissinghurst cherries at
Aragon Farm.
Currently there are 14 vacant
properties, including two banks.
LATEST CHANGES ON THE
HIGH STREET
The Ticehurst pharmacy are
hoping to take over the Lloyds
pharmacy in the High Street by
the autumn. They were the first
pharmacy in the country to set
up a Covid vaccination centre
and are very keen to collaborate
with our GPs to extend
healthcare from the premises.
They are highly innovative, and
not run by a huge conglomerate
who probably don’t know where
Cranbrook is on a map.
The White Horse is up for
sale. The existing landlord did
not have his lease renewed by
Admiral Inns. The previous
owners, before Admiral, sold
off half the car park for two tiny
new houses, and now Admiral
are selling it on. There is space
in Cranbrook for a new pub, we
used to have over 20 of them. Go
to see the current exhibition in
the museum to see where they
were!
Oishi, a sushi restaurant,
has opened in Stone Street,
the Cloudberry has reopened
for dinners on selected days
of the week and Jumeira, the
new Indian Restaurant will be
opening soon, hopefully by the
time you read this.
Begbies the accountants,
opposite Wilkes the Butcher,
upped and left with no warning.
The big question is what is going
into the old tea rooms by the
Tanyard. Watch this space!
CRANBROOK
GARDEN
SAFARI
Sunday 18th June
10.30am – 5pm
Tickets £5,
showing locations of gardens
on sale from 12th June, from
Pages Newsagent
Or from any garden on the day
Open gardens are marked
with signs & balloons
Homemade cakes and
Plants for sale
Email marian.cumberland@hotmail.com
The Cake • Summer 2023 9