By Lady Balfour of Burleigh
The small fishing town of Deal, home to painters, actors and writers, presents a lively and exciting festival each summer – a unique blend of world-class professionals and up and coming young prize winners.
With its fishing boats pulling up onto the beach, its pier, whose café at the seaward end serves one of the best traditional breakfasts in Britain, the event attracts visitors from all over the country.
The ever changing sea and skies, and the little lanes and cottages, lying cheek-by-jowl with the grand Georgian town houses with their pedimented front doors, provide a wonderful backdrop to the festival. With ensemble-playing,, recitals and chamber opera, the Deal Festival of Music and the Arts provides the best of classical music for the discerning.
At festival time you need never ask – what shall we do in the evening? – or afternoons for that matter, as there are lunchtime concerts on most days. Come and drink up the atmosphere, literally, as there is a spot of wine tasting to do as well. As a bonus there are all those little specialist shops which regularly draw in customers from miles around, looking for something different from their usual High Street stores.