When it comes to seaside towns, there is no shortage of them in the UK. From Hastings in the south to Whitby in the north, there's plenty to choose from for a sunny weekend getaway. But there’s one spot that’s been gaining more and more attention following somewhat of a recent glow up. Some now even say it looks like the “cool parts” of east London.
Margate, on the Kent coast, has undergone a major transformation over the past few years. The town was once struggling with empty shops and dwindling footfall, but it is now being hailed as a creative hotspot packed with vintage shops, art galleries, hipster bars and beachside charm. According to Time Out magazine, it’s a place where “old-school seaside kitsch meets east London cool” - and the nickname "Hackney-on-Sea" has definitely stuck.
Local shop owner Keith Marsh, who runs Sunset Rock Shop, told KentLive that the turnaround has been huge.
“Every shop in Market Place was for sale or derelict,” he said. “Now you've got your hipsters coming down and every shop is occupied.”
He even joked on a blackboard outside his store: “We’ve got more Margate Rock than East London has hipsters.”
The revival has been helped by a series of investments, including a £25 million revamp of the iconic Dreamland amusement park.
More than £22 million has also been set aside as part of the Margate Town Deal, with improvements expected to be delivered by 2026.
Labour councillor Ruth Duckworth said the money is already making a difference.
“There are so many great things happening in Margate - and Ramsgate - that will have positive knock-on effects for the whole district,” she wrote in a council blog.
“It’s something I’m really passionate about. One of the things I’m committed to is making sure that local people have an understanding of some of the major, government-funded regeneration projects happening in Thanet.”
Today, Margate is packed with things to do. Visitors can catch contemporary exhibitions at the Turner Contemporary gallery, sip natural wine at trendy bars like Sargasso, or hunt for retro finds in the town’s growing collection of vintage shops.
The golden Main Sands beach has also earned high praise from visitors, with TripAdvisor reviewers calling it “one of the best beaches in the UK”.
There’s also a tidal bathing pool, adventure golf, the Shell Grotto, and classic arcades to keep families entertained.
Margate’s appeal has grown so much that many have even swapped London life for the Kent coast.
Its lower house prices, creative energy and beaches have helped lure a new wave of residents - many of them from areas like Shoreditch and Hackney.
