sip at the signal box – folkestone harbour

Perri Johnson and Brad Cheeseman are no strangers to Folkestone Harbour.  They opened the hugely successful Queso Hombre in spring 2024 and then took on SIP at The Signal Box in March 2025.  In 2026, their new extension allows for more seating and servings of afternoon tea.  Their dreams of a café focusing on the best coffee, splendid cakes, sumptuous sandwiches and decadent treats to eat in or take away have blossomed. When the duo found out the Signal Box at Folkestone Harbour was needing a new tenant, it only took a short conversation over a bottle of wine to form their plan.  The rest, as they say… they told Folkelife all about it.

Perri: “It was one of those times when it didn’t take long to decide this is what we wanted to do.  We had peeped in here a couple of years ago when it was vacant and thought then it would be a fantastic place to have but it wasn’t the right time.  What I love about the Signal Box is the location, the history, the feel of the building, it’s got so much character.  It lends itself to being a place where people can pop in for a coffee and cake to take away, or to sit down for a longer stay and enjoy the views.  And the views are stunning.”

Brad: “We felt it would be a really big missed opportunity if we didn’t give it a go.  Our first business on the Arm was Queso Hombre and we were looking for a second location here. It’s so important for us to respect the historical features of the Signal Box. We wanted to open it up and let people have access to the levers and to pull them if they wanted too.  It’s also important to make the space work as a coffee shop again.”

favourite local produce

Perri: “Here we will have really good, specialty coffee, championing a lot of local small businesses.  We’ve got some of our favourite produce from our favourite local suppliers with lots of fresh and vibrant flavours.  We have lots of takeaway options, grab and go things like sandwiches, pastries, cakes, cookies, doughnuts,  and a full range of coffee and hot drinks like matcha and chai smoothies and milkshakes.

“And scones!  We’re a classic café with quintessentially English flavours and a vintage vibe, in this historical setting.”

Brad: “For our first year here it was great to have the tables outside, but as soon as it gets a little windy, you want something with more shelter.  Now we have our beautiful new Tea Room which extends our seating, and is something we can use all year round.  We can double our capacity of the Signal Box, but also offer traditional style afternoon teas and exclusive dinners.”

garage coffee

Perri: “Our coffee is from Garage and it’s top notch. Their award-winning Maypole blend has milk chocolate, hazelnut and orange notes.  We’ll have some single origin guest beans as well from other local roasteries so there will be different coffees to come back again and again. The pastries will be on rotation so that again there will be every reason to come back each day for a different treat. Our socials will let you know what we have in each day.”

Brad: “Between us we have 40 years of hospitality experience and we are absolutely about serving every customer with care.  We’ll have proper crockery and no sugar cubes, that sort of thing! Know that if you sit in you’ll be looked after, and if you want a take away, we understand time is of the essence.” 

tea rooms

Perri: “I wanted this space to look like a waiting room, so we’ve decorated it with old suitcases, one of which was found in the Signal Box when they renovated it in 2018.  The feel of this place is a little like something from Brief Encounter, or at least somewhere that serves tea in a pot!  I’ve been collecting Denby tea sets and so this is certainly the place to enjoy something in a proper China cup! 

“We will be taking bookings so that you can be sure of your table.  It will be a lovely space to accommodate groups for special occasions too such as a small birthday or baby shower. Finger sandwiches, sponge cakes and Macarons, scones, clotted cream and jam are all on the menu, so expect a traditional offering with a rustic vibe.”

Brad: “We will also still have our outside tables and umbrellas for the summer, so that means we have an extra twelve seats for more customers.”

opening up

Perri: “In the quiet times we will be open Thursday to Tuesday from 9am to 4pm.  As things get busier, we’ll be open every day from 9am to 5pm.  In terms of friendliness and hospitality, it’s what you would expect from us, and you can see our versatility in everything we do.  Join us at SIP at the Signal Box for speciality coffee, a lovely glass of local wine, beer or cider.  We will be adding our hugely popular Raclette evenings during the winter, our new Tea Rooms is the ideal space to use for some winter dining.”

Brad: “We’re really proud of the reputation we’ve built up in this short space of time.  People come in on their way to the beach in the morning, or on their route home needing that caffeine fix.  We have regulars filling up their loyalty cards left, right and centre.  The quality of the coffee speaks for itself, and you know that our sandwiches, afternoon teas and cakes are of our high standard too.  We are looking forward to serving you here!”