Kent, England Britain UK. 3 April 1986. David Leipuik the last hop stringer in England to work on stilts in the old way towers above the hop garden at the Museum of Kent Life at Cobtree near Maidstone. He is stringing supports for a crop of Fuggles hops which will be picked for a beer festival in six months. He uses 8000ft of coconut fibre to string the garden.