Reads Restaurant

Reads restaurant

This was Mr. Blunt the Butcher’s premises before it became the well-known restaurant Reads Restaurant in more recent times (1983-1999). Now it is a private house.

The restaurant situated at 92 Maidstone Road near Whites Corner, was owned and run by Linda Read. It was well known at one time and very popular in Paddock Wood being used by many business owners as well as residents.

Special occasions like New Year are a good opportunity to remember this restaurant.

On New Years Eve if you were in London you could have jumped in the fountains in Trafalgar Square. If you were in Paddock Wood and had eaten at Reads you might have joined a Conga around the petrol pumps at the garage opposite to welcome the New Year. (The Conga being derived from a Cuban carnival dance).

Reads opened in 1983 and served the local area, from cradle to grave until the Millennium (1999). Christenings, weddings and funeral wakes were part of the service they offered over those 16 years. The local Chamber of Trade, the original Paddock Wood Business Association were regular clients as was the Paddock Wood Industrial Association chaired by Jack Henley (Henley Transport).

Revellers from the nearby Foresters Arms would join in and on one occasion people simply fell into the snow.

One year an elderly gentleman, Mr W from New Road arrived alone and stood up to recite a poem which led to others rising to the occasion and once there was a desire to parade the Christmas pudding!

Historic photograph of Mr Blunt’s butchers premises at 92 Maidstone Road ©

Mr. Blunt reared his own stock as was often the case in those days. He drove around the village in a pony and trap. Roger Ralph (the Forgotten Years, 2012) remembers helping to drive bullocks to fields in Mereworth with two young friends. They were given sixpence between them and a ride in the pony and trap for their trouble. In earlier years the sons of another local butcher, George Homewood, shot rabbits and game for Mr. Blunt.

Photograph of the building as it was in 2018 taken by Paddock Wood U3A ©