Thanet council says it is preparing to test the market for prospective tenants at Grade II listed Northdown House in Margate.
The 1850’s Georgian house in the grounds of Northdown Park is owned by Thanet council and has been leased to Your Leisure Margate Limited since 1999.
The council says Your Leisure is currently making arrangements to surrender the lease to the council, with “vacant possession.”
Independent Lighthouse School, for youngsters aged 8-16 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, vacated the premises last Summer when it shut down and Your Leisure had already moved operations to Discovery Park.
However, Jean Stewart Pilates & Movement Studio is still based at the venue and is advertising its reopening on January 16th. The business has an agreement with Your Leisure that is due to run until 31st October 2024.
Studio boss Jean said: “My Pilates Studio, which has been running at Northdown House since 2009, is still successfully running there.”
Details of classes can be found on the facebook page here
Operator?
The council says it is preparing to test the market for prospective tenants and the outcomes of the exercise will be presented to Cabinet at a future meeting to inform the options for the building. The aim will be to ensure continuity, avoiding any period of vacancy.
Northdown House must be used for leisure and educational purposes. Residential use, and any other uses beyond the categories specified, will not be permitted.
A potential new lease could mean an operator takes on the entire building on a full repairing and insuring basis.
Thanet council says Northdown House has the potential to provide the ideal location for a range of events, which could include wedding receptions and other celebrations, meetings, workshops and day conferences.
The property includes:
- Event capacity for up to 200 guests, with the option to set up marquees for larger gatherings in the grounds of Northdown Park
- In-house catering and bar services
- Private garden
- Car parking next to the building
The Secret Jungle Play Garden and wellbeing facilities could also be included in the proposed lease. Northdown Park is not included and will remain a public open space.
The Secret Jungle has been shut to the public since July 2018.
The all-inclusive play area designed to allow disabled and able-bodied children to play alongside each other closed when Your Leisure announced it would no longer be responsible for the site.
Manor House Nursery was announced as the new operator from September 2018.
The nursery originally took on the play area saying it would be made available for community use but it was not reopened due to a spate of vandalism at the park. The prolonged closure prompted questions over public access from former interested parties and families who had previously used the play area.
Manor House Nursery handed the site back to Thanet council in 2021 blaming the ongoing vandalism.
At that time Thanet council said work to clear and make repairs would begin followed by exploration of future options for the site to ensure it remained a community space.
Tamara Rattigan, of The Little Art Cart community interest company, had been among those to put forward expressions of interest to take on the Secret Jungle.
Cllr Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property at Thanet District Council, said: “Northdown House is a beautiful building, set in picturesque grounds. This could be a great opportunity for the right leaseholder to turn it into a multi-functional location. This marketing exercise will help us to understand possible future options for the building and the level of interest in taking up this opportunity.
“I am sure the repurposed building can provide a high-quality asset for the district. I look forward to seeing proposals from interested parties.”
Any potential operators who are interested in finding out more about Northdown House should contact the appointed agents, Sibley Pares, to arrange a viewing. Email Ned Gleave MRICS, [email protected] or Richard Sabin MRICS, [email protected] or call 01233 629281.
