V-Taphaus opens in Deal: a German kitchen and bier bar
V-Taphaus, a German-style kitchen and bier bar, has opened in a cosy alley off the seafront at 2-3 St George’s Passage, Deal.
Dealon the Kent coast
A Georgian fishing town with two Tudor castles, a shingle beach, a 1950s pier and France on the horizon. Under 90 minutes from London.
Deal today
Sun times are worked out for Deal seafront on your device. The market runs 9am to 2pm at the north end of the High Street.
Why people fall for Deal
Deal sits on the east Kent coast where the North Sea meets the Channel, a few miles up the coast from Dover. It's a real town rather than a resort: a long shingle beach lined with fishing boats, a high street full of independents, and a web of Georgian lanes behind the seafront that once kept the town's smugglers busy.
The seafront has a small, old-fashioned amusement arcade on Beach Street for the children, but no big-resort razzmatazz. Alongside it you get two of Henry VIII's castles, a pier you can stroll out along for a coffee, a Saturday market with roots going back to 1699, and a food scene that national critics keep writing about. On a clear day, you can see France.
And because Deal faces east, the sun comes up out of the sea. Even in the middle of winter, when sunrise arrives at a gentle eight o'clock, it's worth getting up for.
See our guide to things to do in Deal, or read a short history of the town, which starts with Julius Caesar.
Deal at a glance
- From London
- Under 90 minutes by high-speed train from St Pancras
- The pier
- Opened in 1957, the last fully intact leisure pier in Kent
- Castles
- Deal and Walmer, both built for Henry VIII
- Market day
- Every Saturday, 9am to 2pm
- Old town
- Middle Street, Kent's first conservation area, designated in 1968
- Across the water
- France, about 25 miles away
Deal seafront, live
Wondering what the sea and the weather are doing? Take a look at the beach and the seafront through the live webcam. Click the picture to watch the live stream.
Live webcam by SkylineWebcams.
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Now open for bookings
The Olive House Deal
College Road, Deal, Kent
Only two streets away from the sea, and only a short five-minute walk to the High Street, with its independent shops, cafés and Saturday market. Three bedrooms: a super king main bedroom, a double, and a twin room, a bay-windowed lounge, and a garden with a barbecue.
Bookings are made through Sykes Holiday Cottages. Full details, amenities and the booking link are on the holiday let page.
Coming up in Deal
Markets, music, festivals and family days out in and around town.
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OutdoorsIn Deal
Betteshanger Hunted
An outdoor challenge game across the park. The aim is simple: stay hidden until the very end.
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FestivalNearby
Canterbury Festival
Kent's big autumn arts festival fills venues across the city with music, theatre, comedy and talks. Canterbury is an easy trip by train or car.
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FamilyNearby
Pumpkin Patch at Felderland Farm
Pick your own pumpkins and squash, from £2 each, at the farm just outside town. Entry is by booked time slot, and there's face painting on selected days.
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FamilyIn Deal
Halloween Trail
A woodland trail packed with Halloween surprises, in the country park just north of Deal. Book ahead on the park's website.
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FamilyIn Deal
Scarecrow Trail at Walmer Castle
A scarecrow trail through the gardens at Walmer Castle. The castle's interior is closed for conservation work, but the gardens, tearoom and play trail are open.
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HeritageNearbyFree
Grand Shaft open day, Dover
A rare chance to walk down Dover's Napoleonic-era triple-helix staircase, built into the cliffs. Free, and open again on 15 November.
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FilmIn Deal
Deal Film Festival
Four days of films, filmmaker talks and live music at The Astor. Guests include actor Brenda Blethyn and costume designer Sandy Powell. It opens with the UK gala premiere of Dover Unlocked and closes with The End of the Affair.
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FamilyIn Deal
Woodland Trail and Pumpkin Patch
The Halloween woodland trail returns with a pumpkin patch, where every child can choose a small pumpkin to take home. It covers the whole of October half-term.
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FamilyIn Deal
Pupkin Patch for dogs
An autumn day out for dogs and their owners. A ticket covers one dog and up to two people, with entry to the Halloween woodland trail and a pumpkin.
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FamilyIn Deal
Half-term crafts at Walmer Castle
Make a mini scarecrow on Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October, or create your own mask on Wednesday 28 October.
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MusicIn Deal
Caravan (trio show)
The veteran Canterbury-scene band Caravan play an intimate trio show at one of Deal's best small music venues. Tickets £30, and few are left.
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FamilyIn DealFree
Free Halloween Party
A free Halloween party at Betteshanger with a disco, crafts and a fancy dress competition. No ticket needed; some games and face painting are extra.
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FilmIn Deal
Landmarks of French avant-garde film
Three classic silent shorts from the 1920s, including Paris qui dort, shown at Deal's museum of cinema history. A £5 donation is suggested.
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MusicIn Deal
Halloween up at The 'House
A Halloween night at The Lighthouse, hosted by Adam White.
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ChristmasIn Deal
Christmas wreath-making workshops
Make your own wreath in a cosy workshop at the country park. Places are limited, so book ahead.
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MusicIn Deal
Guy Davis in concert
The American blues singer and guitarist Guy Davis plays The Lighthouse. Tickets £16.
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FireworksNearbyFree
Firework Night at Viking Bay, Broadstairs
Live music by the bandstand and fireworks over the bay, run by the town council. Roads close and parking is tight, so take the train.
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FireworksNearby
Kent Cricket's Fireworks Evening
Fireworks, live music and a food village at the county cricket ground. It sold out last year, so book early, and only through Kent Cricket's own website.
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MusicIn Deal
Lorne Lofsky and Nigel Price Quartet
Two fine jazz guitarists together, presented by Altered State Jazz. Tickets £18.
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FilmIn Deal
Silent film Fridays at Kent MOMI
Weekly screenings of silent classics, including Greed, Hitchcock's The Lodger, Buster Keaton's The General and Chaplin's The Gold Rush. A £5 donation is suggested.
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FireworksNearby
Rallycross and fireworks at Lydden Hill
A day of British Rallycross ending with fireworks. Fireworks-only tickets from 3pm; children 13 and under free if booked ahead.
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FireworksIn Deal
Warden House fireworks display
The school's parents and friends association runs a popular family display. Listings give 7 November this year; check the date on the ticket page before you book. No parking on site.
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BooksNearby
Folkestone Book Festival
Writers, talks and workshops for adults and children in Folkestone's Creative Quarter, about half an hour down the coast.
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HeritageNearbyFree
Grand Shaft open day, Dover
The last chance this year to walk down Dover's Napoleonic-era triple-helix staircase inside the cliffs. Free, no booking needed.
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FamilyIn Deal
Baby and children's table top sale
Pre-loved clothes, toys, books and equipment for babies and children. Parking is £2 for sale visitors.
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ChristmasIn DealFree
Deal Christmas lights switch-on
Music, a performance, snow and a visit from Father Christmas as the town's lights go on. Free and family-friendly.
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MusicIn Deal
Chris Wood in concert
An evening with one of England's most respected folk singer-songwriters, in an intimate Deal venue.
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ChristmasNearby
Sandwich Christmas lights and parade
A parade of floats through the medieval town, craft stalls, mulled wine and the countdown to the lights, run by volunteers with the Martha Trust.
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ChristmasIn Deal
Christmas at Betteshanger
A Christmas trail with clues and festive surprises (£13 per child, including two adults) and Father Christmas in his grotto (£10 per child). Book ahead on the park's website.
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ChristmasIn DealFree
Deal Christmas Market
Handmade gifts and local makers, an ice rink, Santa's grotto and live entertainment. Free to get in; some attractions charge.
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OutdoorsIn Deal
Kent Christmas Cracker run
A flat, traffic-free two-lap race round the park. Fancy dress encouraged, with a medal for every finisher.
New events are added all the time. See the full listings.
Latest from Deal
News, stories and guides from the town beside the sea.
The Olive House Deal is now open for bookings
The Olive House Deal, a holiday let for six on College Road in Deal, is now bookable through Sykes Holiday Cottages.
New walking and cycling guides for Deal, with maps
Two new guides to getting about Deal, Walmer and Sholden on foot and by bike: walks from the seafront to Sholden, and traffic-free cycling along National Cycle Route 1, with maps and printable PDFs.
A perfect day in Deal
One way to spend it, from first light to last orders.
- Sunrise
Watch the sun come up over the Channel
Deal's beach faces east, so the sunrise comes straight out of the sea. Take a coffee down to the shingle and have the beach almost to yourself.
- 9am
Browse the market or the High Street
On Saturdays the market fills the north end of the High Street with local produce, flowers and vintage finds. Any other day, the independent bakeries and cafés do the job nicely.
- 10:30
Explore Deal Castle
Henry VIII's squat, rose-shaped fort sits right on the seafront. Head down into the dark passage that runs around the outer walls.
- 1pm
Look up at the Timeball Tower
The ball on this seafront tower still drops at exactly 1pm every day. In the 1800s, ships waiting offshore used it to set their clocks by Greenwich time.
- 1:30
Fish and chips on the beach
Find a spot on the shingle and watch the boats. Keep an eye on the gulls.
- 3pm
Wander down Middle Street
Painted Georgian houses, fanlit doorways and narrow lanes that were once the heart of Deal's smuggling trade.
- 5pm
Walk the pier
Stroll out to the café at the end, watch the anglers, and look back at the whole town lined up along the shore.
- Evening
Dinner and a nightcap
Deal's restaurants punch well above the town's size, and there's a pub on almost every corner of the old town. Book ahead at weekends.
Getting to Deal
Closer than you think.
By train
High-speed trains from London St Pancras reach Deal in under an hour and a half. The station is about ten minutes' walk from the seafront.
By car
About 80 miles from central London via the M2 and A2 or the M20. Allow around two hours without traffic.
From the Continent
The Port of Dover is a few miles down the coast and the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone is around half an hour away.
Plan your trip to Deal
See what's happening while you're here, or tell us about your event and we'll add it to the listings.