Given its remote location, the Britannia Inn doesn't seem the most likely destination for the likes of Ed Sheeran to drop in for a drink.

But the pub in Dungeness has become quite the celebrity hotspot.

Richard Davis has been the licensee for six years and says that during his time at the establishment, he’s seen Grammy-winning artists, BAFTA-nominated actors and footballers rock up and enjoy a pint.

In fact, they get so many celebrities that Richard and the staff even have a "no selfies" rule, something he believes helps attract big names to the tavern.

The 57-year-old told KentOnline: “In the past we’ve had Peter Andre, Suggs, Christopher Eccleston, Lee Ryan - obviously Micky Flanagan has done some promo work here.

“It’s nice to have these faces come in, have a chat about the football or the rugby, like you would in any pub.

“That’s before we even get into the footballers - who I won’t mention.

“We get so many writers as well, it’s such a special part of the world.

“It’s a beautiful, natural place, and I suppose they love that aspect of it."

Dungeness has previously been dubbed "Britain's only desert", although the Met Office says it gets too much rainfall to officially qualify for that status.

Nevertheless, it's certainly a far cry from the hustle and bustle many of the Britannia's famous visitors are used to.

"People do have to actively visit us - you don’t just walk past it like you would elsewhere," said Richard.

"But it’s nice to have a good reputation that brings people back. It’s a hidden gem, definitely.”

Comedian Micky Flanagan is the latest big name to have been spotted at the Romney Marsh pub, having visited back in September to snap promo pictures for his upcoming tour.

The image captures the 60-year-old funnyman looking a bit glum with a glass of Whitstable Bay beer.

However, Richard confirmed that far from being miserable, Micky was a good sport.

“He had a couple of pints while he was here. He was a nice guy and funny," he said.

“I asked him if he'd do a gig and he said 'how many people will there be?’”

Other famous faces who have made use of the pub include comedian and conservationist Bill Oddie, actors Lindsey Coulson, Geoff Bell and George Irving - as well as radio DJ Zoe Ball.

But by far the biggest star to have stepped foot into the pub is four-time Grammy and seven-time Brit award winner Ed Sheeran.

The musician and his wife Cherry Seaborn have become well acquainted with the area, having bought and converted an old 1880s railway carriage along the coast last summer for £650,000.

He has also been pictured grabbing some fish and chips in nearby Greatstone.

However, far from being starstruck by the 32-year-old, staff at the Britannia have somehow failed to recognise the musician on more than one occasion, something Richard chuckles at as he tells the story.

The Hythe-born resident said: “It’s not the sort of place you expect to see someone, so when you do see someone it can raise eyebrows.

“But Ed Sheeran came in unrecognised for four visits. On the surface he’s got this scruffy ginger face and he’s got one of those faces that blends in.

“I’d say word does spread around that we’ve got a nice, respectful pub down here that welcomes anyone without making them uncomfortable.”

Known as ‘Smugglers’ for a brief period in the 1990s, the pub has roots back to 1862 and was rebuilt in the 1930s, having originally stood closer to the seafront.

Owned by Shepherd Neame since 2003, the bar isn’t just a good place for celebrities to come in and have a quiet pint.

Big BBC productions have made use of the pub for filming.

“We’ve had EastEnders in before, they’ve come down on a few occasions," said Richard.

“Daisy Haggard, who wrote [BBC comedy drama] Back to Life, has used the pub as well for filming.

“It definitely makes for an interesting film location as the area is so unique. It’s the only shingle desert in the UK. It’s like a moonscape down there.”

"There’s no selfies, no autographs, we just treat them normally..."

Richard believes that the appeal of the pub to celebrities is both its location and the staff’s attitude towards creating a safe haven for stars to drink at.

With a father who worked in showbiz, and a sister who is an author, Richard says his visits to TV sets as a child have helped form his behaviours towards famous people.

“My dad worked in television, I used to go on set with him a lot and from that we were always taught not to ask for autographs, and that’s stuck with us," he said.

“So there’s no selfies, no autographs - we just treat them normally.

“If they’re happy enough they’ll offer but we don’t encourage it. They just want to talk about the area and the pub."

Richard suggests that even more well-known faces have popped in which excite the younger members of staff a bit more - but that as pop culture changes so frequently, it’s hard to stay on top.

His staff have previously pointed out Instagram influencers and Love Island contestants to him, but he admits he struggles to recall their names.

“Celebrity culture has massively changed - a lot of famous people that are out there now I don’t know,” said Richard.

“I don’t know what an influencer is, I don’t know who was a Love Island star. We’ve got the younger ones who I couldn’t even name and they’re always on their phones.

“The younger members of staff get a bit more excited for those, and they tell me ‘that’s so-and-so’.

“But the older generation, they’re a lot more relaxed and whether people recognise them or not just does depend on their age, there are such a wide range of people.”