Swan Coffee Rooms on London Rd

The little Swan Coffee rooms seen on the edge of this photograph were the subject of swift table-turning performed by William Finnis Watkins in 1882.  The Westerham Herald of September 1st 1882 tells of the building of The Crown Hotel opposite the railway station, to be owned by Watkins and Son of Westerham’s Swan Brewery, sited where Hosey Hill meets Quebec Square. An application for license to sell wines, spirits and beer was opposed by Nalder & Collyer, brewery owners of the George and Dragon along with vigorous opposition from Mr Hadley, proprietor of The Kings Arms. Messrs Watkins and Son cunningly withdrew application for renewal of the license on their little Swan Beer House (now Castle Antiques), and the bench granted the new license for The Crown… Having stopped selling beer, the swan beer-house was turned into the Swan Coffee Rooms.