A “one in a million” café boss, entertainer and much-loved dad has died of cancer.
Roy Golding, who ran the Tuck Inn in Newington, near Sittingbourne, passed away on Monday, July 28, aged 65.
His daughter, Charley Golding, said he was the “best dad in the world” and was “loved by everyone he met”, including his customers, many of whom became his friends.
Roy, who lived in Rainham, had owned Mickey’s Diner on the A249 in Detling alongside his former partner Paula Goldfinch before taking over the 1970s theme diner on the A2 in October 2022.
Charley, who lives in Maidstone, says it was another one of his “many money-making schemes” over the years.
The 32-year-old said: “He used to take me and my sister, Georgia-May, to the café as they used to do the best tuna sandwiches.
“It was a bit of a shock when he said he was taking it on. He said he wanted to get his teeth into something massive, and that was the case.
“He worked really hard there, but he used to love being with the customers, who made it all worth it for him.
“Even when he was ill, he was still pushing himself to work there.”
Away from serving full English breakfasts and sandwiches, Roy’s passion was entertaining.
Even during his shifts, he would be seen dancing and singing in the kitchen.
As a “talented” musician, he was able to play “every instrument” including guitars, the drums, saxophone, and recorder – to name just a few – Charley says.
The former Molehill schoolboy picked up music at his childhood home in Camp Way, Maidstone, thanks to Roy’s parents, Allan and Beatrice Golding, gifting him a kids’ drum set at the age of three.
His most famous solo acts were a Michael Jackson impression – complete with moonwalks – as well as Nessun Dorma in Italian, thanks to his mother being from Italy.
He was also in a comedy act called Funfayre, which performed in front of Prince Charles for the Prince’s Trust.
Charley says watching her dad perform was something “no one could get bored of”.
“No matter how many times we saw him play any instrument, sing or crack his jokes, we were always in awe of his talents,” she said. “I could not be prouder of having him as a dad.”
Roy had originally been diagnosed with lung cancer in 2014, but was able to fight it off after chemotherapy treatment and went into remission for 11 years.
But it returned this year, and he was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital on June 27.
The cancer had spread across his body to not only his lungs but to his kidneys, liver, spine and bones.
After spending a month in hospital, he was allowed to return to his motorhome in Grange, near Rainham, on July 25.
Three days later, he died at 4.25pm, surrounded by his daughters, his sister and ex-wife Joanne Rumble.
Since his death, the family have received hundreds of messages paying tribute to him.
“I didn’t understand just how loved he was,” Charley said. “I was always a daddy’s girl, and he was my best friend rather than just being the best dad in the world.
“So I can’t thank everyone enough for their tributes.
“Growing up with him in our home in East Farleigh was the best thing my sister and I could have ever asked for.
“He was so fun and life was never boring. He would throw all of us kids in the swimming pool fully clothed and would do the signature move called a ‘spinaroonie’ to us and our cousins – which was where he grabbed one of our arms and one of our legs and spun us around in the pool so fast and then threw us up in the air.
“Fishing was a passion as well as his music; my sister and I used to take any opportunity to sit by the lake with him and show him how it’s done.
“He was always coming home with all sorts as part of his many money-making schemes.
“Everyone he met just absolutely loved him.”
