Kent has been named one of the UK’s most haunted regions, according to new research by Where The Trade Buys, one of the UK’s leading print suppliers to the hospitality industry.
The study analysed more than 1,300 recorded ghost sightings from The Paranormal Database, revealing the UK’s most haunted hospitality hotspots ahead of Halloween.
Kent has 48 recorded hauntings across pubs, hotels and restaurants, making it the fourth most haunted region in the UK.
Across Kent, dozens of pubs, coaching inns and old hotels are linked to ghost stories, from headless coachmen and phantom sailors to mischievous poltergeists that move glasses, switch on jukeboxes and unlock doors on their own.
In Canterbury, one pub has reported smashed glasses, vanishing keys and a jukebox playing despite being unplugged, while a guest room is said to be at the centre of the activity. Elsewhere in the city, staff at Tiny Tim’s Tearoom have reported the sounds of unseen children playing on the staircase and whispering in upstairs rooms, and the “Grey Lady” has been spotted on the stairs at The Old Weaver’s House restaurant.
Further along the coast, the Southcliff Hotel in Folkestone claims to be haunted by a former owner, said to be a soldier, who is still seen on one side of the building, while on the Isle of Sheppey, CCTV at the Shurland Hotel reportedly captured a glass sliding off a table on its own. Staff there have also spoken about footsteps in empty corridors, banging on walls and the brief appearance of a young girl at the foot of a bed.
At The White Horse in Chilham, a black-clad figure believed to be a former clergyman is said to appear and then vanish if addressed. The Plough and Harrow in Eynsford has reports of a pale woman outside and poltergeist-style disturbances inside. At the Shipwrights Arms in Faversham, a red-eyed sailor said to have died in a river accident is rumoured to walk in on freezing winter nights, only to disappear moments later and leave behind an unpleasant smell.
In Maidstone, staff at the White Rabbit pub have reported lights switching on by themselves, items moving and a young girl calling out for her cat from an upstairs room, while in Herne Bay, paranormal groups say the Divers Arms is home to multiple spirits, including a Victorian woman and two children.
Pluckley, long associated with hauntings, features multiple venues in the research. At the Black Horse, staff report items moving around the bar and personal belongings going missing and turning up somewhere else, alongside unexplained screams. Nearby, Elvey Farm Hotel has been linked to poltergeist activity, strange smells (described as burning wool) and a figure known locally as “Old Bill”, said to sit on the edge of the bed talking to himself.
And in Royal Tunbridge Wells, staff and diners have reported repeated sightings at both restaurants and hotels. A grey-clothed matron is said to sit silently in an upstairs window at Binns Restaurant, while at another nearby restaurant a figure in a carpenter’s apron was seen to walk through a solid wall. The Swan Hotel has its own “grey lady”, a woman said to have been seen at the property both in the 19th century and again in the 1990s.
Emma Thompson, Marketing Director at Where The Trade Buys, said: “Our research shines a light on the incredible history and individuality within the UK’s hospitality scene. From centuries-old pubs to seaside hotels, each venue has its own story, and for some, that story comes with a spine-tingling twist.
“Seasonal moments like Halloween are a chance for businesses to celebrate that character and engage new and existing customers in creative ways. With helpful platforms like Canva, it’s easier than ever for venues to produce their own special marketing and promotional materials, including posters, banners and special menus. By printing on Canva, they can quickly create materials that capture their unique atmosphere and bring those stories to life.”
