These before and after images of Margate show just what can be done. The historic centre of the town has been regenerated through £2.5m investment from Historic England and the EU, revitalising closed and boarded up premises and bringing life and employment back to the area.

This can happen in Hamlet Court Road but only with support from businesses and the public. Here some of the first businesses and groups to sign up to supporting regeneration - why not join them?

YMCA  |  ENS Health & Social Care Recruitment  |  A Mile and A Third  |  Aaron Lyons Goldsmith  |  Urban Utopia Hairdressing  |  One Base Media  |  Classic Cap  |  Tina's Shabby Chic  |  Smart Vision |  Fresco Box  |  Adonia Spa  |  The Hamlet Court  |  Rag & Bone Barber |  Hair at Sixteen |  Westcliff Wools | CAWS (Conservation Association for Westcliff Seaboard) |  Frank & Luna's |   Love & Kisses

LOCAL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

Hamlet Court Conservation Forum has the regeneration of Hamlet Court Road as one of it primary aims and has helped to form the new Hamlet Court Business Partnership. This is a partnership of local businesses where we attend meetings to help with the information flow and opportunities - but all decisions are only taken by the partner businesses.  To find out more please contact us here

LOCAL HERITAGE AND CHANGING TIMES

The once great Edwardian shopping street has suffered greatly with changing times, the massive uptake of out of town shopping over the last 30 years and latterly the onset of online and click & collect retailing. Retailing has changed and this has badly effected Hamlet Court Road like many other high streets and sub-high streets around the UK. Footfall is not only down but the shopper profile has changed, with lower value convenience shopping now the order of the day. The world is changing faster now than at any time with the digital revolution so new ways of thinking and new practices are inevitable. Nothing has demonstrated this more than the Coronavirus crisis and it is now certain that society will be reflecting on the importance of the local environment.

Much of the historic fabric of Hamlet Court Road survives in good or reasonable (repairable) condition. Yes the prevalence of poor quality modern shop fronts is a distraction (as elsewhere throughout the UK) but these can be replaced and improved over time and with the appropriate guidance and, possibly, grant funding. Policy and guidance could assist both the historical replacement or modern shop front approaches. Other works repairing lost and damaged fabric could also happen with the support of heritage funding.

By supporting this heritage and seeking the help of organisations like Historic England the community can coalesce around the heritage values of the historic past as a springboard to the future, helping to support existing traders and explore new ideas to build, perhaps slowly over time, a new thriving business and residential community.

Please lend your support to this project here.