This month’s newsletter is a bit of a cornucopia of interesting things happening in relation to The George in Rye, the Universe and Everything. We tried to find a theme but basically, there isn’t one…

First up, if you want to get out of town for some autumn fresh air, walking, bonfire smells and falling leaves, we are reviving our two night-midweek break for a limited period. This is from £350 for two people and includes two nights in a deluxe room or junior suite, with a three course dinner on a night of your choice  – a saving of £120 on our usual rates.  Find out more and get booking here.

Continuing on the cosy autumn theme (yes, there’s a theme!), something for all you bibliophiles. Local rare booksellers Wool House Books are throwing the Rye Secondhand and Rarebooks Fair on Saturday 14th November. If you love rummaging around secondhand book shops, you’ll love this, as over 30 dealers will be gathering to to show their wares of books, ephemera, photographs and prints at all prices. Choose your bounty then come back to The George and read by the fire with a pot of tea. The fair is not just about acquiring new goodies but looking after old ones – If you’ve got any special books that are looking a bit worse for wear, bring them along and get help from a professional bookbinder. See more about the event here where you can also browse Wool House Books‘ online catalogue. Warning: It’s weirdly addictive. There’s a marvellous volume on there at the moment (the cover’s featured to the right) called Circus Acts and the Fairground Life, if you ever entertained ideas of running away to join the Big Top.

Finally we have some very good news for those of you who travel to us via London – a high-speed rail link between St Pancras and Ashford International has just opened (finally!), which cuts the journey time to Rye by half. You can now get to The George in Rye in under an hour and twenty minutes! At the moment, high speed trains run morning and evening during the week, and all day on the weekends, with services running all day from December. To check out the timetable and plan your visit, take a look here.

Best wishes
Alex & Katie Clarke