Turner Contemporary gallery beats expectations to boost Margate's fortunes
by Tom Anstey | 15 Aug 2013
The Turner Contemporary is helping Margate turn things around
The Turner Contemporary in Margate – a gallery dedicated to the life of 19th century artist JMW Turner, which opened in 2011 – is on track to welcome its millionth visitor this summer. Director Victoria Pomery said: “By the end of summer 2013 we’ll have had one million visitors, which is many more than we’d ever anticipated.
Margate was hit hard by the recession. Until recently, one-third of its shops were vacant, with 800 empty retail properties and 20 per cent unemployment.
But a push by Kent County Council to regenerate the area led to the construction of the £17.5m gallery. “The important driver for Kent County Council was regeneration: what could be done in a seaside resort that saw its heyday in the 19th and mid-20th Centuries? said Pomery, "How could Margate reinvent itself? It was felt culture could be an effective driver.”
Attention is now turning towards Dreamland, the old seaside amusement park which closed eight years ago. The park will re-opeon at Easter 2015 as the world’s first heritage amusement park, following a £10m investment.
Dreamland, which opened in 1880 has a number of historic features, including the UK’s oldest rollercoaster – a grade II listed structure, built in 1920 and a 2,200-seat, grade II listed cinema building, which was built in 1935.
The Turner Contemporary in Margate – a gallery dedicated to the life of 19th century artist JMW Turner, which opened in 2011 – is on track to welcome its millionth visitor this summer. Director Victoria Pomery said: “By the end of summer 2013 we’ll have had one million visitors, which is many more than we’d ever anticipated. Margate was hit hard by the recession. Until recently, one-third of its shops
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
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