Explore Canterbury’s West End

Morning

At Finally, we do have the luxury of working from home but most days I like to pop into the office and see some friendly faces. I'll park a few streets away (unless it's pouring down) and enjoy the walk down St Dunstan’s Street. 

By the time I’ve walked down, I’m quite desperate for coffee and often stop in at Coffee Corner, which is usually opening up as I’m walking past! I always look in the window of Platform, a beautiful little gift shop tucked right on the corner at the train crossing. I love seeing what art they have on display! 

As I approach the office, I watch as the Butchers are getting ready for the day and taking in their delivery, and it gets me thinking about what I’m having for dinner. 

I’m an early riser, so I usually get to the office before anyone else. But I’ve been known to forget my keys to the office...we’ve all been there! When this happens, I take refuge in The Falstaff Hotel's gorgeous lobby with a coffee and open up my laptop, until a colleague opens up the office. 

Lunchtime

After a morning of work, it’s time to get some fresh air and a screen break. I always try to take a proper break at lunch, even if it is one of those days where you can barely move from the desk. I usually bring my own lunch, but sometimes, on a sunny day, we’ll stock up on supplies at Sainsbury’s and head to the Westgate Gardens as a team and have a picnic. 

I love to walk through the Westgate Gardens daily, even f it's for 15 minutes. 

When something special is happening at work, or we’re entertaining our clients, we are known to head over to Cafe Des Amis for lunch for a little celebration. The Mexican restaurant is a crowd favourite at Finally, we even hosted our Christmas Dinner there a couple of years ago. Feliz Navidad! 

After work 

If it’s a Monday, you’ll possibly find me and a few friends who live locally taking our chances at the Monument Pub Quiz - it’s a difficult one, and you have to get there early to secure a seat! 

On a Thursday or Friday, the Finally team can usually be found in one of the West End pubs. There are so many to choose from, but the Bishop's Finger usually wins this battle. And once the Bishop’s Loaded Fries are in your head, it’s not a thought that’s easily ignored. During football season, like the World Cup and the upcoming Euros, I’m sure you’ll find us in the garden watching the games together and keeping an eye on the Office Sweepstake!

If I'm after a bigger night out, the city has so many great places to choose from but you could easily stick to the West End. My years of late nights are behind me, so my idea of a perfect night in starts with something delicious to eat. I have a soft spot for Italian (and we’ve got Zizzi’s, Ask, and Prezzo) but if the sun is shining, I can’t resist sitting out by the river at Cafe du Soleil! 

Then I like to enjoy a movie at the Curzon (right next to the Westgate Hall). I used to work in the Canterbury Odeon while I was studying at the University of Kent, and I have always loved going to the movies. I do keep an eye on the productions at the Marlowe too. As a youngster, I was a munchkin in a production of The Wizard of Oz which was great fun! But the best show I’ve seen at the Marlowe has got to be Dirty Dancing. 

Dinner and a show! What more could you ask for? Canterbury’s West End has got it all. 

The weekend

You might think I’ve had enough of this area at the end of the week. But that's not the case! On a Saturday, I have my usual Spin class in the morning at Lifestyle Fitness, a gym on the edge of the West End, then I walk back down into St Dunstan’s. Sometimes, I’m lucky enough to pop into Platform and have a look beyond the window. But the real destination is usually something to refuel after the gym.

The Refectory Kitchen is glorious for a healthy brunch and coffee. There will likely be a queue at this time, but I wouldn’t let that put you off, as you get seated fairly quickly. Next door, you have Le Cafe, a new addition to the West End, and the perfect morning stop off for a coffee to go, before carrying on up the high street and browsing the charity shops! 

On the weekend, there’s usually something fun going on at the Westgate Hall, like a local makers' market or a Vintage Kilo Sale, so I’m always checking their Instagram to see what’s coming up. Some weekends it will be time for my monthly manicure too, which I go to Le Lotus for, but there’s loads of salon options to pamper yourself before a big night out!