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New coffee business at Conningbrook Lakes in Ashford named in memory of 'Britain's biggest carp' Two Tone

15:00, 29 April 2022

updated: 15:38, 29 April 2022

Two pals are to open a lakeside coffee business in a converted horsebox – named in honour of a monster carp which once graced the waters.

Friends Nick Davis and Adam Heustice came up with the idea for the new venture during lockdown when they realised the lack of food and drink options at Conningbrook Lakes in Ashford.

Coffee will be served from a converted horsebox
Coffee will be served from a converted horsebox

They decided to take the name 'Two Tones on the Lake' in memory of the fish of the same name who weighed in at a staggering 67lb 14oz and was for a time the largest carp in the country.

Mr Heustice said: "I have lived on the Conningbrook estate for three years and through lockdown I was walking through and there was nothing to really do, nowhere to grab a coffee or get anything to eat, so me and Nick came up with the idea then.

"We started in September so it's taken from then to convert the horsebox, to get planning permission to get to the opening now.

"We are very happy with how it turned out. It looks stunning compared to how it was before."

The business' official opening will take place tomorrow.

Friends Nick Davis (left) and Adam Heustice are opening Two Tones coffee at Conningbrook Lakes
Friends Nick Davis (left) and Adam Heustice are opening Two Tones coffee at Conningbrook Lakes
Two Tone the one-time biggest carp in the country
Two Tone the one-time biggest carp in the country
Two Tones coffee will open at Conningbrook Lakes in Ashford on Saturday
Two Tones coffee will open at Conningbrook Lakes in Ashford on Saturday

It will be open from 10am to 5pm, and at 11am the Mayor of Ashford will be on hand to celebrate the new venture.

As well as coffee, the duo will be selling a range of hot and cold drinks, and in future they are planning an expanded menu of food options.

In all, Two Tone was caught about 50 times throughout the years.

When it died in August 2010, one angler called it the "end of an era" having spent eight years trying to catch it.

Chris Logsdon, who ran the fishing lake, said: "It made national news albeit for a small window when it died - we even had The One Show come down.

The coffee van honours Two Tone
The coffee van honours Two Tone

"It was such a big part of many people's lives and our county's fishing history."

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