middle of a hop-growing region. Its population swelled during the harvest as whole families, often from South-East London, arrived to help bring in the hops. However, as foreign hops became cheaper and easier to source nearly all the farms moved to other arable production by the second half of the C20th. Today the fields are home to pears, strawberries and raspberries but the area is known more for its apple orchards - Collier Street has been colloquially known as 'The village in an orchard'. Some of the old hoppers' huts can still be found amongst the local orchards, fields and gardens. The village has a population of less than 500 and is slightly unusual in having no shop, post office or pub. There were once at least two pubs in the village itself but these are now private residences: The Duke of Wellington (now Wellington House) and the Prince of Wales (now Kerry House). Two more in the parish have also closed: The Engineers (between Collier Street and Laddingford) closed in 1970 and the White Hart (Claygate) closed in 2016. There are still two pubs within a couple of miles of the village however; The Woolpack in Benover to the north and The Chequers in Laddingford to the Northwest. There was once a shop / post office at the far end of Haviker Street but this was not re-instated after a fire in 1994. There was also a shop and police station opposite Bartons Farm in the 1960s and 1970s. Collier Street was once home to The Boarded Circuit, a Grasstrack and Longtrack motorcycle racing circuit, which held two or three events each season. The circuit was unique in being the only fully boarded permanent Grasstrack venue in the UK, but this has now closed. The village is a few miles from the Beltring The Hop Farm Country Park, (once a Whitbread farm and brewery, now a family attraction and concert venue) and The Lees in Yalding, home to the Vicar's Picnic music festival. References External links Villages in Kent Civil parishes in Kent