Entertainment in Whitstable

The top entertainment venue in town is the Playhouse Theatre. It’s a marvellous little theatre with an iconic facade, a gorgeous gilded auditorium and a fantastic home on the High Street. It’s owned and run by the Lindley Players and has been for more than 70 years. The local amateur company has a well-earned reputation for the sky-high quality of its productions. The Playhouse Theatre also welcomes touring companies, one-man shows and a wide range of thoroughly entertaining tribute acts. Take a look at what’s on during your stay and book a ticket if anything takes your fancy. Prices are very reasonable, and there are plenty of great places to eat in Whitstable nearby if you want to grab a bite beforehand.

The Horsebridge Arts Centre on Horsebridge Road is a relatively new addition to the town, but it’s fast becoming a favourite with the creative community thanks to its fantastic gallery exhibitions, an extensive programme of workshops and a carefully curated cinema selection of art-house films and blockbuster releases. The building itself is beautiful and houses a wonderful cafe if you want somewhere to grab a bite in Whitstable.

If you want to see some live music during your stay in Whitstable, the town doesn’t have a dedicated gig venue. However, there are some exceptional live music pubs well worth your time. The Pearson’s Arms is literally next door to The Horsebridge Arts Centre. It’s a local favourite pub. It’s not very big, but it has heaps of character, a marvellous selection of drinks, undeniable style, some properly sublime food and live music every Tuesday and Sunday, as well as the last Friday of the month.

The Old Neptune is arguably the most popular pub in Whitstable. It’s practically on the pebbles of West Beach. When the location’s this good, it doesn’t need any kind of gimmicks; it’s just a classic coastal pub with free gigs every single Saturday and Sunday. Expect all kinds of genres and a gregarious crowd of locals.

Just a stone’s throw from Whitstable Harbour, The New Inn is another great option. It’s a corner pub with a classy paint job, a brilliant bar of top-shelf spirits and an excellent reputation for live music. It hosts two gigs a week in the bar and jam sessions on the first and last Thursday of the month.

Lastly, the Two Brewers is a community pub on Canterbury Road. It’s just a three-minute drive from our Whitstable hotel, so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg if you want to catch a taxi. Saturday night is all about karaoke, while every Friday lunchtime, you can catch Burt Butler and his Jazz Pilgrims, the resident jazz band.

Here, we are sports fans. If you want to watch some football, Whitstable Town FC is the local amateur club. They play their home games at the Belmont Ground, just down the road from the south side of Whitstable Station. Tickets are cheap, and the quality is pretty good, on a sunny day.

Or, if you want to take to the water, Whitstable Yacht Club is one of the most well-established sailing clubs in the country. It offers temporary membership if you want to learn how to sail at an official RYA training centre. The staff are fantastic and couldn’t be friendlier.