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About us
In June 2022, Ian and Linda Dunkerley celebrated 35 years in business as proprietors of Dunkerley's award-winning hotel and restaurant in Deal, Kent.
The Dunkerley family roots are firmly embedded in Deal's rich maritime history. 'The Signal Man' hotel room is named after Ian Dunkerley's grandfather, who spent 36 years as a local lifeboat man.
At the age of 14, Ian Dunkerley held down six jobs while still attending school, including his own business on Ashford train station selling Sunday newspapers, dishing up meals at Stanhope council estate's chip shop to customers - including then-MP Bill Deeds and, enterprisingly, scraping winkles from the walls at Folkestone harbour and flogging them for one shilling and sixpence a cone. Fifty-six years later he is the owner, with wife Linda, of one of Deal's most successful restaurants and hotels."Dunkerleys," on Beach Street, is heading into it's 38th year and Ian, at the ripe old age of 70, shows no sign of slowing down.
The former Thanet College student chef, who went on to work at Brown's Hotel in Mayfair in 1973 before heading up some of South Kent's biggest hotel and restaurants, says family ties and childhood summers spent running around Walmer Green while his grandad Edward Hall served on the lifeboat, drew him back to the town.
1979
With Linda, who Ian met while working as a head chef at the Woolpack in her home village of Chilham, he opened the Cambridge Room, above the "Drum Major" pub, in Dover Road, in 1979. The cricket enthusiast said: “We ran it for a couple of years but it was never going to get me any further.”
1981
They went on to work for the Mermaid Group at the Royal Hotel as head chef and, in six months, trade trebled and he and Linda took on management roles after being informed by specialists we couldn't have children.
1984
Moving to the 100-bed Abbotts Barton at Canterbury and then a directorship of Mermaid Cellars and Shipping followed until, in 1987, the pair decided to buy a small cafe-restaurant.
1987
They bought the “modest” Pegasus restaurant on Beach Street, Deal. Ian said: “The Pegasus proved a lucky charm as over the next 7 years we produced 4 children and like our family, initially, with 2 part time staff and a 40 cover restaurant if just continued to evolve, as did our children who helped out in the business along the way. "
1994
Ever the entrepreneurs, they converted the building above the restaurant into 6 rooms, now making it a restaurant with rooms. Expansion came when the couple knocked down two garages and they gained in a land swap, creating a new modern kitchen.
1997
They bought the next-door "Pier Hotel" In 1997. Ian, former President of the Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade and an active Rotarian, said: “We incorporated it by smashing it through and creating another 10 bedrooms, making it a 16 bedroom hotel.” Ian attributes success to a positive outlook, hard graft and his loyal and talented staff, past and present, whom he talks about with huge warmth.
2000
Awarded South East Best Small Hotel
2007
A terrace was developed in front of our Bistro and Dunkerley's Alfresco was born.
2017
Ben Dunkerley, with almost 20 years experience, now leads our kitchen which remains at the heart of Dunkerley's.
Still got our faces to the sunshine
A lot of talented chef's have passed through our hands over the years and are now enjoying their own incredible careers. we have people who have been with us years, but we also bring in young staff, it's rewarding to witness them growing in stature, a springboard in work ethic, confidence and people skills. Some return in senior roles, utilising their valuable experiences.
We have experienced challenging recessions along the way, not forgetting the covid interruption, but in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. There have been countless refurbishments over the years and that is continuing today.