Herne Bay is a small seaside town in Kent, South East England. It is about 108 km (67 mi) from London. The town has a population of about 35,000. It is near Canterbury, Whitstable and the historic villages of Herne and Reculver. Up until 1978, the town had the second-longest pier in the United Kingdom. However, in 1987 it was destroyed by a storm.