Senior government officials were this week given a tour of Ramsgate and Margate high streets to see Thanet District Council’s work to bring vacant shops back into use. Launched earlier this year, the High Street Rental Auctions initiative gives the council powers to auction leases on long term empty commercial properties. “I am delighted that we had the opportunity to showcase to central government the vital work happening to revitalise Margate, Ramsgate and Cliftonville,” says Councillor Ruth Duckworth. “Persistent shop vacancies have impacted our high streets for too long.” So far, the council has issued nine formal statutory notices under the scheme, with auctions still to take place.
The play area at Folkestone’s Lower Leas Coastal Park has reopened following a £750,000 revamp. Closed since the end of last year, the project was delayed by cliff stabilisation work to make the area safe after a landslip in 2024. An official launch event is set to take place on Tuesday.
The former Seabird restaurant in Ramsgate has now been officially unveiled in its new form as a pub called Blackbird. Billing itself as a “proper neighbourhood boozer”, it’ll have a well-stocked bar with its own house lager and IPA. You’ll have your choice of a booth or a stool at the bar, and there’s talk of a jukebox. Open Wednesday to Sunday from August 5, it will hold its official launch next Saturday with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard playing some records.
Zita Whalley
The Jetty in Broadstairs has opened The Crab Shack, a new takeaway option for the restaurant and bar. From a hatch on the terrace, it is serving soft shell crab burgers, seafood brioche buns, French fries with seaweed salt, and more. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm-6.30pm.
New art gallery Frost Editions is set to open on Fort Hill in Margate, taking over the space recently left vacant by Harbour & Tide when it moved to a new shop in the Old Town. An opening date will be announced soon. Follow on Instagram for updates.
New pizza restaurant The Base Pizzeria is set to open in Broadstairs on Wednesday. You’ll find it at 28 High Street in the unit previously occupied by Coastal Creatives. It will be open every day from 12pm to 10.30pm.
Oast bakery in Cliftonville has announced that it will now open on Wednesdays, meaning you can grab your bread, coffee and other baked goods six days a week. It is also going to start opening slightly earlier at 8am.
Margate’s decadent bun shop Rise & Bun has opened a second branch. They’re going up from Margate (UFM, is that a thing?) to London to set up shop on Golden Square in Soho.
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