The commercial and cultural heart of Folkestone, with the Creative Quarter, Harbour Arm, and fast trains to London St Pancras.
Folkestone town centre sits on the Kent coast and is centred on the pedestrianised Sandgate Road and the Bouverie Place shopping centre. The town has undergone significant regeneration since the early 2000s, with the Creative Quarter — the former Old High Street — becoming a nationally recognised hub of independent businesses, galleries, and studios.
The Folkestone Harbour Arm is the town's most distinctive destination: a Victorian harbour arm that has been transformed into an open-air venue with street food, bars, and live events, with views across the English Channel to France on clear days.
The town centre has a range of national retailers and independent shops on Sandgate Road and in Bouverie Place, alongside a strong café and restaurant culture, particularly in the Creative Quarter.
Folkestone railway station provides direct services to London St Pancras International in approximately 53 minutes via High Speed 1, making the town increasingly popular with commuters and day visitors from the capital. The Channel Tunnel terminal at Cheriton, a few miles west of the town, provides Eurostar and Eurotunnel services to France.
Businesses in Folkestone Town Centre
Cappadocia BBQ, Meze & Grill
Authentic Turkish BBQ and meze in the Creative Quarter.
Aspendos Restaurant Folkestone
Turkish Anatolian cuisine in Folkestone.
Nepali Kitchen Folkestone
Authentic Nepali and Indian cuisine in Folkestone.
Fireaway Pizza Folkestone
Build-your-own Italian pizza in Folkestone.
Pomus Folkestone
Modern British dining in the Creative Quarter.
Flo's Pie and Mash, Folkestone
Traditional pie and mash in Folkestone.