"You can keep the Costa Brava, I'm telling ya, mate, I'd rather have a day down Margate with all me family," sang the maestros Chas N' Dave in 1982. Although those British seaside notions and Chas are now both sadly long gone, I was invited to stay at Ballarat House in Cliftonville minutes from the seaside to experience the seaside town popular since the 1730s. Could it convince us of the area's popular resurgence? Read on to find out.
© Patrick DonovanA revellers' paradise
Having been a student in nearby Canterbury many years ago, Margate always reminded me of the shrill cacophony of numerous hen parties mixed with the shrieks of the indigenous seagulls whenever we visited. That is still very much in existence as revellers scramble weekly to enjoy the thrills of rock and roll and roller coasters at the uber-famous Dreamland and the plethora of bars and amusement arcades.
Pockets of tranquillity away from the throngs of party people do exist, however. We made our way to Cliftonville where renowned resident Pete Doherty used to hold court in The Albion Rooms before he departed for Normandy. Nudging gently up a street opposite the sadly now defunct Margate Lido, sandwiched between snugly-packed townhouses, lay the enticing Ballarat House.
© REBECCA DOUGLASBallarat House, an oasis of calm
Once owned by one Isaac de Bock Kennard, who opened a piano store in his front room, you are welcomed by dark hues and the original glass shop entrance door as you make your way inside.
What instantly struck us was the light bathing the eclectic mix of furniture and lighting choices which welcome you and impart a sophisticated warmth. There has been design thought here, alongside a more than healthy dash of kitsch. The house comfortably sleeps eight, but it can also host ten if you opt for the basement portion of the house.
© REBECCA DOUGLASBeing (and keeping) cool
Arriving on the hottest day of the summer, we found cooling the house down tricky. When all the sash windows were thrown open, the breeze did manage to permeate enough of the house, but with only one fan available we still managed to stay cool. Like most houses in the UK, Ballarat is no exception in being built from a bygone age based on surviving cooler temperatures, so you'd be well advised to leave all other doors and windows open during those hot days.
That notwithstanding, you know the house will keep its warmth in winter. I would have loved to have tried cosying up with a book in front of the very inviting log burner in the front room.
All about the al fresco
We spent the majority of our time refreshed down in the garden which we'd consider almost as a grotto. Tastefully designed with Virginia creepers languishing tiredly across wooden beams and a 'hidden' pirate ship for the children. Being overlooked by neighbours is no issue as you BBQ until your heart's content. Gas is also supplied for those who prefer preparing their cuisine al fresco.
There is a small courtyard adjacent with seating should you wish to relax in the garden area, although some of the plants when we arrived had dominated the space although these are in the process of having a well-earned prune.
Comfort in Kitsch
© REBECCA DOUGLASEach of our bedrooms had an authenticity and uniqueness, with splashes of colour juxtaposed against some of the darker shades radiating throughout the interior. The two larger master bedrooms with their high ceilings give you more than ample breathing space, whereas the smaller rooms housed our respective infants with room to spare.
Two bathrooms ensure you're never caught short and we never felt on top of each other, with generously sized rooms and a behemoth of a dining room table for eight people to comfortably eat breakfast together.
Margate meanderings
You'd be hard placed to find a rental which comfortably houses your brood or buddies as well as Ballarat House did for us. What also gives the place a huge draw is its walking distance to pretty much everything Margate has to offer.
We found ourselves at the front in 15 minutes, where sticks of rock and fish and chips were gleefully devoured and then back to Walpole Bay in another ten minutes. We bathed in the sea, relaxed on the sand, reclined with ice creams in hand and watched the children happily dart in and out of the gently ebbing waves.
© Peter MacdiarmidWish you were here?
Our jaunt to Margate was a pleasant one that, coupled with the hottest summer weekend, ensured we made the most of the seaside. What does still strike me however is the Detroit-On-Sea vibe that permeates around the town.
It's a town of dichotomies as new developments like the superb Turner Contemporary Museum sit hand-and-glove with the apparent lack of investment in the area. This is most visible around the sadly graffiti-adorned exterior of one of the once proud venue, the Winter Gardens.
There are pockets of entrepreneurship alongside the rough-n-ready locales inclusive of the Brutalist outers of Dreamland and Arlington House. Ballarat House belongs to those pushing the envelope to take Margate to a new heyday. It might arrive later than sooner, but as a jumping-off point to be immersed in the culture of Margate, you’d be hard-pressed to stay and experience anywhere else quite like it.
