Web Design · Medway, Kent
Web Design in Chatham for a Town in the Middle of Change
Chatham is being rebuilt around the waterfront and the university campus. We build websites for the businesses trading through it. Fixed prices from £800, live in two to four weeks.
Local Knowledge
Why Chatham businesses need more than a template
Chatham is the commercial centre of Medway and the one changing fastest. The Historic Dockyard pulls in visitors from well outside the county, the university campus at Chatham Maritime brings thousands of students and staff, the Pentagon anchors the retail end, and the waterfront has been under regeneration for years with more of it still to come.
That gives you an unusually mixed customer base for one town. A cafe near the Dockyard is serving tourists in August and almost nobody in February. A takeaway near the campus lives and dies by term dates. A trade business three streets back is serving the same residential roads it always has, regardless of either of them.
So the honest answer to what your website should say depends entirely on which of those you are. The mistake we see most often is a site written as though Chatham were one single market, when in practice it is at least three sitting on top of each other, running on completely different rhythms.
There is also a real gap opening between the businesses that have adapted and the ones that have not. Chatham has more visible competition than the other Medway towns, and more of it is now genuinely decent. Turning up with a site built in 2018 is far more noticeable here than it would be in Rainham or Strood.
What tends to work here
- Opening hours that reflect term and season
- Naming Chatham Maritime and Luton
- Parking spelled out, the centre is confusing
- Booking or ordering that works on a phone
- Reviews up front, competition is visible
- Photos of the real premises, not stock
Why Chatham is really three markets in one town
The Chatham businesses we build for
Three markets sharing one town centre. These are the three we work with most across Chatham.
Hospitality & food
Cafes, restaurants, takeaways and bars serving the Dockyard visitors, the campus and the town centre. Hours, location and a booking or ordering link do more work than anything decorative, and they shift with the season.
Town centre retail
Shops in and around the Pentagon and the High Street, competing with Bluewater and with online. Being findable for specific products, and being obviously open, is most of the battle before anyone walks in.
Trades & construction
Builders, electricians and fit-out firms working across the regeneration sites and the residential streets behind them. Steady year-round work that does not care about tourists or term dates in the slightest.
What We See
Four problems we keep finding on Chatham websites
Written for one market
A site aimed at everybody in a town with tourists, students and residents on completely different clocks ends up speaking clearly to none of them. Pick the one that actually pays your bills and write for them.
Nothing about parking
Chatham town centre is genuinely confusing to drive into and park in. Sites that never mention where to park, or which car park is nearest, lose visitors who simply give up and go somewhere easier.
Ignoring term and season
Term dates and tourist season swing trade here more than in the other Medway towns, and almost no local site reflects it. The homepage says the same thing in August as in January, which is wrong half the year.
Sitting still while others move
Competition here is more visible and more capable than in the neighbouring towns. A site that was fine five years ago now sits beside several that have been rebuilt since, and the comparison is not flattering.
How We Help
What we build for Chatham businesses
Three services, shaped around a town centre serving tourists, students and residents at the same time, on very different schedules.
Web Design
A site that speaks clearly to whichever of Chatham's crowds is actually yours, and loads fast on a phone. Branding is available inside the build where you need it: branding that holds its own against the newer businesses arriving with the waterfront regeneration.
From £800SEO
Getting you into the Chatham map results and in front of people planning a visit to the Dockyard.
From £550What Our Clients Say
Real reviews from real clients
I had an excellent experience working with WebOws Design. They designed my website and it honestly exceeded all of my expectations. From the very beginning, communication was clear, Replies were always incredibly quick, and any changes or requests I had were handled promptly without any hassle. The attention to detail, professionalism, and willingness to make sure everything was exactly how I wanted really stood out. I highly recommend WebOws Design.
Fantastic service by Owen and the team, we had used another company before who let us down and the site performed worse than before so we ended up editing and managing the site in house. We came across Owen and team around 6 weeks ago who completely re-designed our site and made it look amazing. Cost wise, very very good. Build time was quick and we are over the moon with the result. Would recommend Owen and the team to anyone looking for a website re-design or build. Outstanding service from start to finish.
I couldn't recommend Owen and the team highly enough. From start to finish, the communication has been exceptional. Whether it was phone calls, messages or meeting face to face, they were always available, approachable and happy to help. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble, and they really listened to my ideas and brought them to life. They made the whole process enjoyable and collaborative. They were patient, responsive. I love the finished website and couldn't be happier, thankyou :)
WebOws delivered a sharp, high impact redesign of the Social Football Australia website. Speed was a standout from day one: fast turnaround at every stage, changes implemented quickly, no delays, no chasing. Communication was just as strong, led by Owen: clear, direct updates throughout, quick responses to questions, no confusion around timelines or scope. The final result is clean, professional, and built to convert. I would highly recommend Owen & his team.
Owen was on hand throughout the entire build time, no matter the hour. I felt heard and understood throughout the build, and no question felt to silly to ask. Owen explained where they were at with the build throughout the process and I cant wait to get going on the live site!
WebOws Design created a professional and clean booking website for my massage and spa business. The quality of work was excellent, and they understood my vision perfectly. Communication was clear and efficient, and they were always responsive. What impressed me most was the speed, my booking platform was built in just one week. The final result is modern, easy to use, and very client-friendly. Highly recommended.
Can't praise Owen highly enough - he was quick, communicative and solved the problem I was having with my website perfectly. He also taught me how to solve the problem myself in the future! Will definitely use WebOws again.
Owen was great to work with on our recent website redesign. Calm, professional and creative. I would thoroughly recommend his services.
The level of care Owen has is amazing. He has gone above and beyond. The time and care he's put into my little business has made me feel supported at every step. Couldn't recommend more.
Would offer 6 stars if I could. Owen is so helpful. He understands your business and was fast and accurate in interpreting my giber into what I wanted to achieve. Thank you
Great communication, very quick to get in touch and respond to all messages. Achieved what we asked him to do quickly and efficiently; will definitely use in the future for any website help we need.
Owen was exceptional and incredibly helpful. The issues I was experiencing were resolved quickly. Even at 9pm, he took my call and solved the problem. I really appreciate his dedication and support.
Always receive excellent service from Owen’s business. Really prompt to reply to queries & work is completed quickly & professionally. Would highly recommend!
Contacted Owen to help with a few issues on my website that I was struggling with. Within 30 mins he had them all sorted. Fantastic service, would highly recommend
I needed some changes done to my existing site on a very quick turnaround. I had a phone call and the changes were done while we spoke. Great service and speed!
Very happy with the work Owen did. He was super kind and quick to reply. Highly recommend to let him help you with your website!
Questions
Chatham web design questions
Constantly. We're in Gillingham, about ten minutes away, and Chatham is one of the towns we know best. Meeting in person is easy if you'd prefer that to email.
Yes, and it's badly underused locally. Students arrive every September with no local knowledge and search for everything on a phone. A site that answers hours, prices and location instantly does very well with them.
Yes, along with Walderslade and Wayfield. Chatham Maritime in particular behaves like a separate market to the town centre, and your site should reflect that rather than lumping them together.
From £800, with a fixed quote agreed before anything starts. No hourly billing and nothing on the invoice you have not already approved.
Yes. It adds time to the build and we'll say so at quote stage rather than discovering it halfway through, but for food and hospitality here it usually pays for itself quickly.
Nearby
Areas near Chatham we also cover
Most Chatham enquiries come with work just over the boundary, so these are the neighbouring areas we cover most often.
Let's Talk
Let's talk about your Chatham website
Tell us which part of Chatham's trade is actually yours and we'll tell you honestly what would help.
