The next steps for the future of the Margate Winter Gardens will be discussed by members of Thanet Council Cabinet next week.
The Grade II listed building hosted its final performance on August 7 during the Margate Soul Festival before the lease was returned to Thanet Council and the doors closed for an appraisal report on the venue and its future uses.
Some £300,000 has been allocated from the £22.2million Margate Town Deal fund for the valuation work. However, a report to the Cabinet Member reveals that the original Town Deal bid included a £4m allowance for works on the historic site, but this fell through when the Government Department for Leveling – who issued the funding – asked for more details on the long term. plans.
The report states: “At that time, the board did not have a long-term plan or an agreement on all costs. With funds limited in order to advance the information required to understand the current condition of the building, be able to articulate its claim and show its financial sustainability and viability, the Margate Town Deal Board has amended the funding request which could support this work.
“The Margate Town Deal Board also had to reprioritize the projects as the central government offer fell short of the requested funding (which was £29m).
Currently the site is “closed” with security measures including screens and fencing in place on and around the building.
The measures resulted in additional costs to the council of £56,270, excluding call out charges and facilities manager time as keyholders. The council also expects to pay £26,000 in utility costs which were previously paid by former tenant Your Leisure and legal compliance and mechanical and electrical maintenance costs of £108,000.
Security measures include twice daily patrols and full external patrols as well as weekly inspections of empty properties to check for damage or theft, squatters or evidence of illegal entry.
The report says the temporary closure carries risks of further deterioration of the external and internal structure, including water infiltration, fire, vandalism, theft, squatters and trespassers, and third-party liability.
Measures must now be taken to appoint experts to carry out a costed structural study; order a complete set of drawings for the site; identify any legal requirements and commission a team of consultants to examine the night economy in Margate and the role of the Winter Gardens in it.
The report adds: ‘This first phase of studies will inform Council in order to go to market to understand the value of a leisure offering at Margate’s Winter Gardens in the future.’
Margate Winter Gardens have been open and supporting the Thanet community for 111 years, the last time they were closed during World War II. The 2,000-seat venue supports local jobs and has entertained hundreds of thousands of people over the years.
The building is owned by the council but was leased to Your Leisure from November 1999 until this month. Initially, Your Leisure was to retain the lease which ran until 2024, but an agreement was later reached for an early handover. Your Leisure’s annual rolling lease at the Theater Royal also ended on April 28.
The report to Cabinet members says the site is in need of “significant refurbishment”.
He says: “Changes in the way people use entertainment venues and their expectations of what they want from a venue, and the lack of funding to be able to make improvements, have seen the Winter Gardens offer decline over the years.
“Requiring significant investment and some repurposing of space to support its sustainability and viability, the council had to bring the building back in order to put in place a plan for its future.
‘At this time neither Your Leisure Kent Ltd nor the council have the capital investment to renovate the building to ensure its sustainability. The advice is clear that it is necessary to seek a long-term business partner and operator for the winter gardens in order to protect them for the future.
“There is a significant case for change, because as it stands the site is not making enough money to cover the running and maintenance costs of this large listed building, or the ability to fund the significant renovation costs required.
“It needs a new vision, investments and a new future. The Winter Gardens are a significant asset in terms of size and community interest in the heart of Margate and Cliftonville, they provide an opportunity to add economic opportunity and reduce reliance on tourism.
“The ambition of this low-income project, as part of the Margate Town Border Deal, is that the success of the Winter Gardens site will help diversify the local economy, enabling it to be more sustainable and resilient.
“The commissioning of a night economy strategy will examine the role of the Winter Gardens in the night economy of Margate/Thanet/Kent, and examine its potential future role and what it needs, in Thanet, to success in the area.This strategy will provide residents with an opportunity to identify how they might use the conservatories in the future.
Cllr Ash Ashbee, Thanet District Council Leader, said: “With the Winter Gardens back under council management, we are able to determine the best future for the site. “It is critical that we understand the structural condition of the building to determine commercial viability in today’s market. This will also be informed by engagement with people in Thanet, and further afield, to understand how the Winter Gardens would be used in the future.
“Everything we do is for the benefit of conservatories as the main objective. We are convinced that conservatories have a fully viable future ahead of them.
Thanet’s council says it will keep people informed of progress via its website. This will include posting
This follows a call from Thanet Labor members, including Margate ward councilor Rob Yates, for a public meeting to share information about future plans for the site.
A petition also launched by Cllr Yates has garnered some 2,000 signatures – a figure acknowledged in the report to Cabinet members as highlighting “how much local people care about the building and what it potentially has to offer”.
However, the authority says posting information online, rather than holding a public meeting, means it can be “available for viewing by an unlimited public”.
A demonstration outside the council offices in July, also calling for the public meeting, drew some 200 people.
Cllr Ruth Duckworth – Shadow Cabinet for Economic Development – said: ‘About four months ago Labor Councilors launched a petition, collecting over 3,000 signatures, asking for a public meeting so the public could find out what is the future of Margate Winter Gardens.
“The venue has now been closed for over a month and a Cabinet meeting is due to be held on September 22, but we still have no plan with dates as to when the proposed feasibility study will start, how long it might take, what conversations are underway with potential business partners, and when the venue might possibly reopen.
“There seems to be a serious lack of urgency on this topic. We recommend anyone interested in the venue to show up in person to attend the Cabinet meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the council offices. The meeting is open to the public and is also expected to be streamed online.
“Cabinet members to agree to milestones including commissioning survey, drawings and night economy review.”
Cabinet members are expected to agree on next steps at the September 22 meeting.
