Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
Does anybody remember Harry Smart and family who ran and owned the cafe at East Farleigh? It was a bikers' cafe and riders used to come from all over Kent to sit and talk bikes etc. His son Paul was a successful rider with a works team and his brother in law I believe was Barry Sheene. You could even hire a boat from Harry if you fancied a trip on the River Medway that ran past the door of the cafe. Harry, an engineer, was always happy to lend a hand if you had a problem with your car or bike, nice family all round. The Victory pub back then was only very small, if 10 people were in the bar it was full. A young couple, Wendy and Farouk who owned a large house called Half Yoke House opposite the Victory, used to let out bedsit rooms, I often stayed there at weekends with a friend. On the other side of the river to the cafe were the brick and tin huts where the hop pickers lived at hopping time in the autumn. These are still there I believe but are now used for storage.
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RE: RE: Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
Yes I remember Harry Smart, his wife and family. I was one of those bikers. We used to meet most nights and a lot of weekends there. Everyone got on really well, I'm still in contact with a few of my friends from those days, some live abroad. You're right Paul's brother in law was Barry Sheene. I have photos of some of us which I was looking at the other day, that prompted me to google the Enterprise. I rode a green Sunbeam S7 with white wall tyres. those days were great.
Regards Stuart .
Comment from Stuart Ells on Tuesday, 28th December 2010.
RE: RE: Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
Hi Stuart, thanks for that reply, I thought that I was the only one to remember the old Enterprise cafe. Do you remember Bernie, the man in the three-wheel cripple car (is it politically to call it that today?), he was great fun, he used to play a lot of card games in the old cafe, to pass the time I suppose as he never worked, he was too ill, but if you fancied a bet Bernie would take it to the bookies for you, he was a sort of runner for him. I believe he married Mrs Smart's sister Madge, who you remember worked as an assistant in the cafe. Regards, Paul Cattano.
Comment from Paul Cattano on Saturday, 1st January 2011.
RE: RE: Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
I remember Stuart, who wouldn't, riding that green Sunbeam with White Walls, I rode in from Rochester on a Velocette Viper Clubman with the Edwards brothers, they had the first Yamaha 250cc Superlubes, we would often race back to Chatham Pie Stall, up Bluebell Hill and down the back airport road into Chatham, the guy on the BSA Rocket Gold Star was always with us, can't remember his name. Good to catch up with you.
Comment from Punk Peters on Sunday, 11th September 2011.
RE: RE: Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
Hi Punk Peters, nice that some of us are still about, doesn't anybody remember Bernie the bookies runner? He used to drive a blue invalid 3 wheeled car, I believe he married Harry's sister-in-law Madge who used to work in the cafe with a dark haired girl named Pat Carpenter, a very smart lady. I had a drink in the old Victory not too long ago, much improved and a lot bigger. Keep them wheels turning old friend, good luck, Paul Cattano.
Comment from Paul Cattano on Sunday, 11th September 2011.