Margate Winter Gardens to reopen in March 2027

ICONIC VENUE GIVEN NEW LEASE OF LIFE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

The iconic Margate Winter Gardens, built in 1911, is experiencing a new lease of life under new ownership.

As reported in the Isle of Thanet News "the trio behind the Margate Winter Gardens renovation have announced the venue’s opening date and first show, taking place in March 2027. Westwood One – also operator of the Granville Theatre in Ramsgate and Under 1 Roof nurseries – has a 999-year lease agreement for the Fort Crescent building and receives a £4 million grant towards the renovation from Margate’s £22m Town Deal fund. Westwood One will match fund to create an £8m budget.

The Grade II listed venue has been shut since August 2022 after Your Leisure Kent, which ran it on behalf of TDC, handed the lease to the council due to a significant backlog of repairs and essential refurbishments.”

The article continues "Westwood One - run by Ramsgate sisters Zahra and Parisa Tarjomani and Pyramid Martial Arts & Just Kids Parties owner Matt Milchard – was chosen as the preferred operator in March 2025.

They have now announced the opening date for phase one – which is the re-opening of the Main Hall. This will have a capacity of 3000 standing and 1200 seated, along with the re-structure of bar provisions and addition of toilets."

The team say: “There has been a huge amount of work behind the scenes to get us to where we are today. Our incredible team of architects and consultants have now submitted planning, we have finalised and released all new branding and most importantly, we’ve set the opening weekend date! We’d love a bit more time, but the council has an opening timeframe so we have adopted a phase model in which we will be taking on the re-opening one phase at a time. This ensures we can meet milestones and deliver the project in manageable chunks as well as delivering on the council’s date of Spring 2027. Phase 1’s priority is the re-opening of the Main Hall, which will see a capacity of 3000 standing and 1200 seated, along with the re-structure of bar provisions and addition of toilets.”

After it opened in the summer of 1911 the neo-Grecian style amphitheatre welcomed some of the biggest names of their day in music, singing, dancing and comedy. The long list of luminaries who have trodden the boards of its impressive stage reads like a who’s who of showbusiness. The huge main hall was originally a place for spectacular concerts and dances and the building even boasted its own resident orchestra. Artists who appeared here in the early days included Dame Nellie Melba and Anna Pavlova. Later, the most famous comedians on the planet, Laurel and Hardy would have audiences laughing at the venue, while in 1963 the Beatles would raise the roof during a six-night residence.