A proposal for a 120-bed ‘lifestyle’ hotel at Dreamland will be one of the regeneration plans to be shared at a series of community drop in events next month (July).
Margate Estates, which is now the name of the parent company for Dreamland, has organised the events to provide residents with an update on its £50 million investment in Dreamland in November 2017. They will also introduce the new team and share proposals for the lifestyle hotel which is planned for the ‘Godden’s Gap’ site on Margate seafront where an amusement arcade once stood.
The four-storey arcade and neighbouring buildings burnt to the ground in 2003. Some 120 firefighters tackled the blaze at its height.
The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) defines a lifestyle hotel as: “borrowing the best elements of boutiques – small, intimate and modern – and throwing in advantages only a chain can offer, like loyalty perks, consistency and economies of scale. As a result, lifestyle hotels are generally more affordable and accessible than boutiques,”
Margate Estates is the resulting company after Dreamland investor Arrowgrass Capital Partners bought out the shares of former park operator Sands Heritage Ltd.
The £50million Arrowgrass investment in the site included bringing the company out of administration, relandscaping the park, rebuilding the management team and creating new music and wedding event spaces.
New rides are also being installed, with a total of nine planned to be in place by the Summer holidays.
A spokesman for Margate Estates said: “Margate Estates are keen to discuss the role we can play in supporting the wider culture-led regeneration that is helping to revive Margate.
“Part of the event will be an opportunity to look at proposals for a branded lifestyle hotel, comprising around 120 beds, which will create more jobs locally and help address the shortage of hotel beds in the town.
“Margate Estates believes that the town has unique appeal, one that provides enormous opportunities. By working with others that are committed to this creative resurgence, we aim to build Dreamland into a world-class entertainment venue and provide workspace and facilities for creative industries to thrive.
“We want to continue to work closely with Thanet District Council and other partners on a vision for Dreamland and the area around it.”
More details of the events will be announced next week.
