Seaside towns in the UK don't come much more famous than Margate.
Complete with theme park, arcades and an eerie Antony Gormley statue of a figure that occasionally emerges from the waves, it has drawn in tourists for decades.
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Also home to more than 64,000 people, it's long had its rough edges and back in 2019, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that 101 neglected towns in England would share funding from a ￡3.6 billion Towns Fund. Margate was one of them.
Officials say that ￡22.2 million of improvements will be delivered in the town by 2026 as part of the Margate Town Deal.
Walking past the promenade’s arcade on a chilly, overcast December day, when we visited to ask locals and visitors what they hope to see the money spent on, were partners Stevie and Steve. The couple, who have been together for 30 years, moved to Margate from Surrey around 10 years ago.
READ MORE: Iconic high street retailer to close second store in popular UK town
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Stevie mentioned the Winter Gardens, a cultural venue that has closed its doors. The Isle of Thanet News reports that council bosses are trying to identify an operator for the venue and are having "detailed external discussions".
“I’d like to see them try and reopen it,” Stevie said. “We used to go there for stand-up comedy and things like that.”
The 51-year-old retired PA added that there needs to be more certainty about the future of theatres in the town. The Theatre Royal Margate, for example, was included on the Theatre Trust’s list of venues at risk this year amid refurbishment plans. A projected reopening date has reportedly been set for May 2027.
Thanet Council said in a blog post: “The Theatre Royal Margate project was originally allocated ￡2.2million of Margate Town Deal funding. The ambitious scope of the project means that we need to secure funding from external sources for the project to succeed.”
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Locals spoke of closed shops. (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
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Stevie also suggested altering the tidal pool in Walpole Bay, which is popular with those inclined to bathe in the area’s chilly waters.
“It would be good to have some facilities down there,” he said, “because it’s become more popular with local people. There are a lot of cold water swimmers.”
He added: “Dreamland has worked out brilliantly. It’s now a music and events venue - more than a theme park. For us, it’s more about the cultural scene, because we’re both retired.”
However, he also noted that there were many ‘Airbnbs’ and holiday lets, which means renting in Margate is ‘difficult’. Therefore, more money "helping towards housing for people" would be good.
Steve, 62, a retired carer, mentioned Cliftonville particularly as "up and coming" because "a lot of people are moving from London."
“We worried for the locals about being outpriced [and] not able to live here,” he added. “We were lucky.”
Dreamland is an amusement park and entertainment centre in Margate. (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
Patricia Hinde, 69, who is now retired after working in a clerical role, has lived in Margate since 2007. Approaching the promenade amid some sea winds, she said: “It’s pretty miserable at the moment, I think.”
She added: “On the front, they took nice benches away completely and put things out that people could sit on, but nothing as it was. Traffic is on the front. I’m not quite sure how they can get away with making it a pedestrian-only area, but it would be lovely. It can be very, very bad.
“Children are running from the beach. Dogs are running from the beach. It’s very, very busy with traffic.”
Regarding the wider area, Ms Hinde said, “It does look bad.” She added that she would like to see "more shops.”
A 59-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous, has lived in the area all his life. Currently, he lives in Westgate.
Margate is having ￡22.2m of funds injected into it. (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
“It hasn’t improved since I’ve been doing this job, anyway,” he said. “The high street is no longer a high street. I can’t see what they’ve done with 20 million quid.
“They totally did away with the high street when they did Westwood Cross [a shopping centre]. That took everything away from here.
“It’s probably the same with Broadstairs and Ramsgate. They went and built the Turner Centre instead of building the new pier. The Old Town down the bottom has improved a bit, but they’re [shops] not open every day of the week because there’s no footfall.”
Eric Hudson, 65, who volunteers in the IT sector, said there has been a problem with potholes in the area. He, too, wanted "more places to go" and was concerned about "all the empty shops".
Mr Hudson added that Thanet is a "very deprived area," so anything that can "help make jobs for the local people" would be " ideal."
When asked about what the town used to be like, Eric said: “I suppose back in those days, there were more jobs going around. I went straight into work when I was 16.”
He added that Margate has "declined ever since" and "the jobs have gone abroad somewhere out of Thanet".
“It’s not really improved, to be honest,” Mr Hudson said next to a bus stop. “We could be a really prosperous area if they invested properly.
“There’s a lot of potential here. It’s a great place to live.”
All it takes is "someone thinking of the right things for it," Eric added.
A 40-year-old local businesswoman, who has managed a shop in the area for 10 years, has lived in Margate since she was 11.
She said: “They promise things, and then they never come through on them. 10 years I’ve been working there, and things have been promised left, right and centre. And yet they made the Old Town up. They pick and choose as to what they do.
She added: “It could be [nice]. If you do live down here, most people get stuck and never leave.”
Margate is a famous seaside destination. (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
Express.co.uk approached Thanet District Council for comment.
The council said: "Margate continues to benefit from multi-million-pound public and private investment and regeneration, which is driving long-term economic growth in the town and across the district.
"Tourism thrives, with 4.6 million visiting the district in 2023 and ￡349 million in revenue generated. Margate is a major draw for our domestic and overseas visitors.
"The offer in the town centre has expanded, with a growing number of independent retailers, cafes, restaurants and hotels. The town has very few empty units with investment in larger premises, turning them into revitalised buildings that have provided more reasons to visit Margate. This includes the creation of a digital campus in a publicly owned former M&S building.
"The council has also worked hard to transform housing stock in the town, with more than 1,000 empty properties brought back into use, thanks to an impressive programme of housing renewal and improvement."
Labour Councillor Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Property at the authority, said in a blog post on its website: “I took on the role as Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property, following the Local Elections in May.
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"It’s a subject that I’m very passionate about. One of the things I’m committed to is making sure that local people have an understanding of some of the major, government-funded regeneration projects happening in Thanet."
She added: "There are so many great things happening in Margate (and Ramsgate) that will have positive knock-on effects for the whole district and all of its residents."
Is your town in need of investment? If so, get in touch by emailing adam.toms@reachplc.com