From its quirky art galleries, the vintage charm of Dreamland and gorgeous sandy beaches, Margate has something for everyone.
Here are 11 reasons it really is one of the best places to live in the UK…
1. It’s really arty
The internationally-acclaimed Turner Contemporary art gallery leads the creative charge in Margate with cool individual galleries and studios emerging across the town.
The Turner brilliantly showcases historical and ultra-modern work, bringing together pieces by JMW Turner, so famously inspired by Margate’s stunning seascapes, and avant-garde local artist Tracey Emin.
And among the cobbled streets of Margate Old Town, you will find a growing number of independent galleries, studios and workshops showcase local and national artists work, with the opportunity to pick up a piece of work.
Resort Studios, Limbo and Crate are also home to a collective of creative professionals.
The town’s Theatre Royal is the second-oldest in the country, while the Tom Thumb Theatre is one of the smallest theatres in the world.
2. It’s home to the world’s oldest operating roller coaster
Of course Dreamland as a whole is a great asset to Margate.
How many other towns can boast that they have a theme park sitting right on their doorstep?
But the Scenic Railway, which opened in Dreamland on July 3 1920, is the oldest operating roller coaster in the UK, one of only two scenic railways still existing of the 38 built in the UK.
The other, at the Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth, was built in 1932.
A scenic railway does not have under-track wheels, the trains run in troughs which limits the speed and steepness of drops. The ride also has a brakeman who sits on an elevated seat between cars one and two.
Quite the treasure.
3. And has hosted some massive names in music
Jake Bugg, Foals, The Gorillaz, Twin Atlantic Slaves, Marina and the Diamonds and Chas and Dave (kidding) are all names to have taken to the stage in Margate recently, to name but a few.
And Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong is due to perform here this summer, with tickets selling out in record time.
For more than 100-years Margate’s Winter Gardens have drawn big-name acts, from the Beatles to the Kaiser Chiefs.
Most poignantly, celebrities and mere ‘humanz’ alike flocked to Demon Dayz Festival last summer.
The sun was shining and the hits kept coming as Gorillaz and their supporting bands hypnotised the crowd at the Dreamland’s first major open air concert since it re-opened last May.
It saw 15,000 fans battle to grab tickets for the show in under an hour.
Here’s hoping that success can be repeated this year.
