Built in 1851 by Edward Constable, who emigrated from Maidstone, Kent in England, the Kentish Hotel is possibly the most famous established watering hole in the Franklin area, namely Waiuku. Granted to sell liquor in 1853, the pub can lay claim to having the longest running liquor license in New Zealand.
The Kentish Hotel has certainly stood the test of time. In 1926, the hotel narrowly escaped being nearly burned to the ground when a fire engulfed a few wooden buildings nearby. As wind fuelled the flames, many of the locals jumped into action pouring water and throwing wet sheets across the Kentish’s facade, saving most of the building from significant damage.
However, this much loved local pub holds a little more than the standard drinkable bar spirits. The alleged spectral resident is thought to a woman named Kate. She has been spotted from time to time by staff and patrons. The story goes that Kate was caught cheating on her sailor husband and was killed upstairs in Room 10.
