Downe village


Welcome to the Downe Village website. Please take time to look around. If you have any suggestions, please contact the webmaster (via the Residents' Association page)
What's happening in Downe
Events coming up in Downe:
Regular events:
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Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays - Yoga classes (various times - see Downe Mailing) - village hall
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Every Thursday - Meet and Mingle (11am-12:30pm village hall)
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Every other Wednesday - Table tennis (6 - 8pm village hall)
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Parent & toddler group (10am Tuesday term time - Baptist church)
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Monthly lunch (12:30pm second Thursday of the month - Baptist church)
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Monthly coffee morning (10:30am 4th Friday of the month - Baptist church)
One-off events:
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Monday 18 May - Ladies curry night (7pm Durbar Spice - contact Marcia Cutmore)
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Tuesday 19 May - Men's curry night (7pm Durbar Spice - contact Nick Cutmore)
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Saturday 6 June - Gardening talks and Q&A (village hall - details TBA)
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Friday 12 June - Comedy night (village hall - details TBA)
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Saturday 4 July - Live band evening (village hall - details TBA)
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Sunday 5 July - Downe Duck Race (details TBA)
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Saturday 11 July - Quiz & Bingo - village hall (details TBA)
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Saturday 12 September - Musical sing-along (village hall - details TBA)
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Saturday 26 September - Downe autumn litter pick (10am village hall)
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Saturday 3 October - Musical Bingo (village hall - details TBA)
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Friday 9 October - Downe Arounders Murder Mystery (village hall - details TBA)
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Saturday 10 October - Apple Day (village hall - details TBA)
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Saturday 17 October - Downe history talk (village hall - details TBA)
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Friday 30 October - Musicals evening (village hall - details TBA)
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Saturday 14 November - Quiz & Bingo - village hall (TBA)
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Sunday 29 November - Christmas Lights switch-on (details TBA)

Comedy Night, Downe Village Hall, Friday 12 June 2026, 8pm, doors open 7.15pm
8pm
doors open 7.15pm
Licensed Bar
Tickets available through TicketSource
Lucy Porter - is a much-loved and familiar face from British television. Time Out described her as “one of the most talented comics on the circuit.” She is known for her appearances on hit shows like Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You?, QI, Mock The Week, and Richard Osman's House of Games.
A firm favourite with comedy audiences, Lucy has earned a reputation for her distinctive, feel-good comedy style that has seen her tour the UK and perform internationally. Lucy is a regular at comedy festivals including Kilkenny, Manchester, Glasgow, Latitude, and numerous Edinburgh Festival festivals.
Lucy is also a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4, with regular appearances on The News Quiz, The Now Show, and The Unbelievable Truth. Her writing talents extend beyond stand-up—she’s penned acclaimed plays and sitcoms, including In the Family Way and The Fair Intellectual Club, the latter of which was adapted into a six-part drama series for BBC Radio 4.
An enthusiastic quizzer, Lucy has appeared on Celebrity Mastermind (where she set a record-breaking score), The Chase, Pointless, 15 to 1, and The Weakest Link, often competing in aid of charities such as Children in Need, The Loss Foundation, and Carers UK. She co-hosts the hugely popular quiz podcast Fingers on Buzzers with The Chase star Jenny Ryan. Lucy Porter remains one of the UK’s most versatile and enduring comedic talents. Her tour Let Yourself Go can be seen in the UK throughout 2026.
Gayle Tuesday* - She’s back! Media darling, glamour model and now Only Fans favourite Page Three Stunner, Gayle Tuesday is coming to a town near you! Yes! Britian’s favourite topless model from the 1990s is finally ready to reconnect with fans. Former pop starlet and footballer’s muse Gayle Tuesday has had a chequered past, a life full of ups and downs, full of the good, the bad and the ugly. But enough of the one-night stands. Gayle’s older now, although definitely not wiser. She’s had a knee replacement, she’d had her hip done, she’s been to rehab. Yes. She’s battled addiction, prejudice, poverty and the bulge. And it’s time to tell her story.
*Trigger Warning: the audience may find some of Gayle’s life story ridiculous as well as traumatising, in which case they are advised to have a stiff drink in the interval.
Brenda Gilhooly - Brenda Gilhooly has had a long and established career as a stand-up comedian, actor and TV comedy writer. In stand-up and on TV she’s probably best known for her comedy character Gayle Tuesday* and for many years she was a writer on the ITV1 show Harry Hill’s TV Burp. Brenda has won many prestigious awards for her TV work, including Baftas, British Comedy Awards and a Royal Television Society award. She has just written her first novel, ‘Woman Behaving Badly’ to be published by Harper Collins next year.
Downe Village Club - spring litter pick - 28 March 2026 - some of the 50 volunteers

Downe history exhibition - 21 & 22 March 2026 - watch a short video:

New Year dance - 3 January ("Simply Retro" - in village hall)

Seeing in the new year 2026 - a dance around the lime tree

Downe Christmas lights - 2025 (switched on Sunday 30 November)

Remembrance service outside St Mary's - led by Rev Tim Hatwell (9 November 2025)

Part of the 2025 orchard harvest - September 2025

Watch a new video - a walk from Hayes to Pratts Bottom- via Downe - from a Youtuber (4K Explorer) -
"Join me on a mission to document as much of the United Kingdom as possible. I do narration-free, fisheye-free virtual walks of town and city centres, all shot in 4K with a 62mm lens. I do this all out of my own pocket, so to support the channel, just subscribe. :)"
Pubs in Downe - the Queens Head and the George & Dragon


Downe Lottery
Read the latest update on the Downe lottery on the lottery page....
Have you joined the Downe Lottery yet ? .........be in it to win it
The main purpose is to raise money for 'worthy' causes in the village, with the added opportunity to win prizes. The prize money is 50% of the monthly monies raised - so clearly, the more lottery shares sold, the more money in the prize pot, and the more money raised for Downe.
To apply, email the Lottery Promoter, using lottery@downe-kent.org.uk for a standing order form.
Visit the lottery page for all the information on the lottery....
Two locally produced promotional videos - Christmas Tree Farm and the Queen's Head jam night


Philip Shaye Productions - a Downe village-based business have produced a video for Paul Gubby at Christmas Tree Farm, and a promotional video of the Queen's Head jam night. Click on the buttons above to view
If any of you would like to promote your business using video, contact Phil Louden-Carter on 07834 042918 or
plc.philipshaye@gmail.com
The village lime tree
For as long as villagers can remember it has been said that the Old Lime tree has been dying, starved of water
as it is totally encased in tarmac. Probably over 100 years old - it can be seen in all the old photos of the village and
in the past the Council have removed branches in the hope of reducing its water needs.
The Residents' Association has now installed three one metre deep irrigatation pipes around the tree and can we urge those living close by, when they have a watering can at hand, to pour fresh water through the grills. Water from the road could not have been utilized as during the winter it would be polluted with salt.
Many of you will remember Terry Williams who lived in the village but who sadly died four years ago. Well known
in the entertainment world, perhaps you will recall him on tall stilts ? He recorded the song called 'Dancing around the Old Lime tree' which we hope will be possible for many more years to come !
You can hear it again (with some associated pictures) by clicking here:


A photo of previous village resident - Eric Lubbock and his wife from the Daily Telegraph - Friday March 16th 1962, and another from the Kentish Times showing Eric celebrating his Orpington victory for the Liberal party - a 7,855 majority over the Conservatives.


Biggin Hill Airport
Track planes coming in and out of the airport
Read the "Kent Live" article (12 April) about the new facility......
Click on this link to access the flight monitoring website.......
To comment on incidents relating to Biggin Hill Airport
Ring - 01959 578580 (See HELP page for further information)