A new co-working space is expected to open at the former Selina hotel in Cliftonville next month.
The site is being managed by staff from EKS Security on behalf of building owner Margate Holdings Ltd which bought the property in June 2022 for £1.5m.
Margate Co-work and Stay will first offer the co-working space with plans for the bar/restaurant to reopen shortly afterwards and a longer term proposal to get the rooms ready for use.
The Selina Hospitality group went into administration with Andrew Johnson, Sam Ballinger and Ali Khaki of FTI Consulting LLP appointed as Joint Administrators of Selina Hospitality PLC on 22 July.
Although Selina Hospitality subsidiaries remained under the control of the directors and local management, there was no funding from the main group to provide any financial support.
Keith Tilbury, from EKS, said work is taking place to clean up the property – which prior to the Selina group had been family-owned Smiths Court Hotel for some 40 years.
He said: “The owners of the property have taken back control. Selina left the place in a bit of a mess so there is a lot of work to do.
“We aim to have the co-working open in the next two weeks. We will be providing staff to run on a skeleton crew as well as our security throughout the night.
“We also want to reopen the bar and are looking for local businesses to collaborate with as we feel it is important to get the bar and restaurant back open and this will bring more jobs.
“Selina was a big company but they have washed their hands of the European site and owe substantial money.
“We are trying to hit the ground running to get re-established with the co-work and restaurant. We want everything to be local and then from there we will look at getting the rooms reopened.
“We’d like to thank staff past and present for their efforts.”
Keith says work has already taken place to clear the exterior, ready to welcome visitors back.
The co-working will be open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the restaurant, or looking for updates, is asked to follow and contact the new facebook page: Margate co-work
How much more ”co-working space” do we need ?
There are already several such places around Thanet – which appear to be very much under-used.
We still have multitudes working from home. Why would you pay to use somebody else’s heating, lighting, desk and wifi at commercial rates when you already have the same at home far cheaper ?
I cannot see the expansion of this type of facility being viable or sustainable but I assume they have a business plan and have done their market research to establish demand . . .
The company I work for has Directors and Operations managers here on occasion, needing to have meetings with clients / potential clients etc and needing accommodation for a night or two and somewhere to eat, this sounds like a great combination.
I am keen to use the facility and help in the day to day work in cafe and restaurant.
A good clean facility where you can work peacefully and meet like minded people sounds great.
So many people in Margate trying to make a living, make life better – good luck and contact me if I can get involved.
07788 215744
Iirc the wfh or hybrid work from an independent local hot seating establishment that serves coffee, alcopops,shicha which is lovely, proper alcohol, spoons,+other establishments. Possibly allows smoking inside or outside of their preference. Great its a t hanet thing.
Train and other public transportation services are missing their commuters and £revenue. So everyone else suffers.
GDPR and privacy also is important, See so many people working from venues like above and they allow anyone passing to see their laptop screens also premises cctv see screens possibly using local premises wifi.
That premises could be a legal brothel, a health center (after previous visit) So many possibilities butt thats cheeky !
Could be a pharmacy or drop in (paid for) medical services.
Sorry my grammar etc is shyte, during my forced education i was let down.Great Britain I love (insert large heart emoji here).
That was difficult reading…
Only in Margate do you start up a business in the same place the last one magnificently failed.
DFL’s bring their metropolitan double-think, double-talk down to the seaside and Doh, wonder why they fail.
Perhaps a convenient voluntary liquidation at sometime in the future may be the aim.
Example: I drive past Westbrook at least 4 times a day and have NEVER seen a single customer in the Pie ‘n Mash shop.
So many downers on here lol it is a totally different concept to the failed business that was there previously and sounds like it may do well, also I decided to try this English Pie and mash and went to the Westbrook one and had to wait for a seat the 3 times Iv been there since, I also watched several folk popping in to collect. From speaking with the staff, I understand the bulk of there sales are is collected phone orders. Try being positive, it doesnt actually hurt ya know
Spoons… All day WiFi for £1.50 all day coffee. YES BOY.
No bedroom, no restaurant, and have you ever tried to have a meeting there? or print documents/reports etc plus you need a good shower after setting foor in there haha
good luck with that = they will need it