Amidst the hustle and bustle of our energetic offices, it would be easy to overlook the hidden gems and simple pleasures of our local areas. This is a deeper dive into our selection of our Kent office location and an appreciation of Gravesend, a town that is packed full of brilliant businesses, rich history, and amazing architecture. Our Kent office has been located in Gravesend since 2010 and in that time we have seen local businesses come and go and had the pleasure of watching the town grow and improve for the past 13 years.
We encourage our teams to take lunchtime walks and explore the area from their first day here at goaco and advocate the support of the independent, small businesses on our doorstep. The work we do sees us interacting with many small and medium-sized enterprises, so we know too well the struggles that these businesses face in today’s challenging financial landscape, and it brings us great joy to know that we’re having a positive impact on the growing local economy and community.
Whilst Gravesend is fortunate enough to have some large franchises such as Costa Coffee, McDonalds, Greggs etc, at goaco, we tend to enjoy and recommend smaller business.
We thought we’d take the opportunity to give a shout-out to a few of our team’s favourite lunch spots:
Jacob’s Sandwich Bar – We enjoy most brilliant salads, jacket potatoes, sandwiches and much more, all served quickly with a smile!
Sun Asian Food – This is a firm favourite for the development and cyber teams specifically, offering a warm welcome and delicacies from Sri Lanka and Asia, less than a 5 minute walk from the office.
Sam’s Ice Cream – We have arranged a few visits from Sam this summer to provide the team with some tasty treats. Sam and his team have made us some great creations and always puts a smile on our faces!
Vegan Antics – A great vegan bakery that offers great coffee and a huge variety of sweet and savoury.
These sit amongst many other independents that we’re yet to discover however, Gravesend’s charm goes far beyond eateries and shops. Gravesend is surprisingly steeped in history that dates back centuries. Whilst Gravesend has continued to evolve into a modern town with many businesses and residential areas, it has preserved its historical character through nods to the past, such as a memorial that commemorates the life of Pocahontas at The St. George’s Churchyard where she was buried; you can also find a stained-glass window dedicated to her inside the church. Additionally, the town hosts events and exhibitions to celebrate her life and the important role she played in the early history of English colonisation in America.
Our lunchtime walks have also discovered a lovely walk along the River Thames, again rich in history due to the Gravesend being a crucial hub for trade and transportation in medieval times, this also serves as a refreshing break from our screens which connects us back to nature, makes for a more productive afternoon and reduces feelings of stress.
While some companies would choose to be located in cities such as London, our decision to stay and expand within a smaller town like Gravesend, while also opening offices elsewhere, has allowed us to become an integral part of the local economy. We’ve generated local jobs, supported local businesses, and contributed to the overall economic growth and stability of the town. This mutually beneficial relationship has helped create a thriving and sustainable community and organisation in goaco.