CCTV, additional smoke alarms and another 24 fire extinguishers are being installed at Fort Road Yard in Margate following the break out of a fire yesterday (June 23).
The yard, which is home to Margate Vintage, the Charlie Boyce art gallery, C5 Alive and a host of art and creative studios including that of Internationally renowned artist Chu, suffered damage during the blaze.
It is thought items at the rear of the yard may have been set alight deliberately during a spate of nine suspected arsons last night.
Margate Vintage is thought to be the only fairground surplus equipment yard in the country.
Retro Joe, from Margate Vintage, said: “It happened on one of the hottest days of the year with most people on the seafront including ourselves.
“We are now brick by brick rebuilding our art gallery and display yards. We are now too scared to leave or even sleep at night for fear of similar developments.
“It is thanks to Kent Fire and Rescue, Kent Police, and people from Albion Stores and Hantverk and Found that we saved what we did.
“But we shall not complain, protecting my artists’ studios and galleries is the agenda from now.”
Thankfully despite damage in the yard the huge Timberland boot survived and the arts collective at the site will now set to work on removing the debris and combustible materials and levelling the rubble.
There will also be work to restrict access as previous sheets installed last year were recently pulled down.
Fire crews were also called to incidents in Byron Avenue, Victoria Road and Morrisons’ car park yesterday which are understood to have been deliberately set fires.
Retro Joe is now hoping to organise a fun day in aid of Kent Fire and Rescue Service as a thank you to the crews.
Find out more about Margate Vintage at Fort Road Yard on facebook here