Leisure and Tourism Performance

Tourism is one of Kent’s major industries, with a total direct expenditure in excess of £2.1bn which is worth £2.5bn to the local economy. The industry supports over 50,000 jobs equating to just under 7% of employment in the county.

In the current economic climate there has been a slow down in some areas of tourism development. This has centred on reduced funding and credit flow for hotel development. Budget brands do continue to grow while other operators are shifting their accommodation expansion plans from developing new hotels to conversion or take over of smaller operators.

However, investment in the sector overall is still strong with tourism developments playing a central role in the regeneration of the county. In July 2009, Visit Kent launched the Kent and Medway Tourism Development Framework. This identifies what support is needed to maximise current investment in the sector as well as what new development is needed over the next 10 years to ensure Kent remains a competitive visitor destination.

As well as the planned development at the Port of Dover, the Department of Culture, Media and Sports Seachange programme, worth £7.75m, has enabled several key developments which will benefit the visitor economy in the town. At Dover Castle, English Heritage is planning a number of improvements – in addition to the complete refurbishment of the Great Tower which opened in August 2009. The Esplanade project connects the recently opened Sea Sports Centre to the town and the restored Blériot monument is part of the centenary celebrations, which took place in July 2009, of Louis Blériot’s first epic flight over the channel.

On Deal Pier, a new café-bar features timber framing, edge walls made of glass and a range of environment-friendly design features. The project was led by renowned architects Niall McLaughlin and construction was carried out by Barwick Construction Ltd.

A new Dickens to Turner route linking Broadstairs and Margate opened in July 2009. A £12.3m scheme to create a new Dreamland Heritage Amusement Park has been developed and applications for support funding have been made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Seachange programme.

Other proposals for Margate could include a new 4 star hotel on the seafront adjacent to Turner Contemporary. Premier Inn will be investing in a further 32 rooms alongside Margate Station and Margate’s first boutique Gravesend Old Town Hall B&B – The Reading Rooms – opened in summer 2009. In Ramsgate, Kent Inns of Distinction opened their fourth restaurant in the county as Harveys Fish Market and Oyster Bar and the town saw the UK’s first pinball museum open in May 2009.

As part of the Creative Foundation’s ongoing work to develop a creative quarter in Folkestone, a £4m new events venue, the Quarterhouse, opened in March 2009.

In Canterbury, the focus is on development of cultural tourism. Work has started on the New Marlowe Theatre designed by Keith Williams Architects. The £25.5m project includes a new 1,200 seat auditorium.

Work has also begun on the plans to transform the 19th century Beaney museum and library services in Canterbury with a new extension to provide much improved access and space for services, displays and books. Whitstable Castle and the surrounding public park received a grant award of just over £2m in June 2008, enabling the castle and park to be made more accessible and welcoming to visitors.

Medway has submitted a bid for World Heritage Site status for the Historic Dockyard, Chatham and its surrounding area and fortifications. Hotel development in the area is gathering momentum with a 120 room hotel planned for Gillingham Waterfront and plans for a 150 room hotel at Rochester Riverside with 9,150m² (8,500ft²) of conference space and a sunken courtyard containing the old city wall. Work has started on the £11m Medway Park development– a new regional centre of sporting excellence on the site of the Black Lion Leisure Centre in Gillingham. Major sporting events have been secured, including the Modern Pentathlon World Cup in 2010. The centre has also been approved by the London 2012 organisers as a pre-games training camp. In Gravesend, a planning application has been submitted for a £150m town centre scheme to enhance the town centre’s connections with the River Thames. A £2m pontoon scheme connected to the Town Pier is progressing and will provide new access to the town from the river. Nearby a £2.3m restoration of the Old Town Hall is nearing completion providing a café/restaurant, commercial space and event hire and exhibition space. In addition a £2m scheme to improve access to Gravesend’s Riverside Leisure Area, restore part of the Thames & Medway Canal and improve a section of the national Sustrans cycle route are underway. Nearby a £10m restoration of the historic Repton designed landscape of Cobham Park has been completed and will be transferred to the National Trust in 2009.

Work at The Bridge, Dartford includes provision for a 3-4 star hotel, which has attracted developer interest. In Ashford, a 74 room Premier Inn hotel and Beefeater restaurant is being built. The extended County Square retail centre celebrated its first birthday in April 2009 and is proving to be successful. The Singleton Environment Centre – a unique environment friendly and award-winning £2.1m venue serves the local community, volunteer and environmental groups.

Improvements totalling £100,000 to the Station Road coach park and surrounding streetscape in Tenterden were completed in 2009. A new spa and leisure facility opened in May 2009 at the London Beach Country Hotel and Health Spa near the market town.

Maidstone projects include a £2m lottery grant to develop Maidstone Museum’s east wing to house new displays. A High Street Scheme will connect the river to the town and develop the night time economy. A 2.8 hectare site located in the heart of town centre has been earmarked for £50m redevelopment plan including a hotel.

Selected investment in leisure and tourism schemes 2008/9:

Location	Owner/Developer	>Description Investment	Estimated Cost	Timing
Margate	Kent County Council	Turner Contemporary	£15m	2011
Chatham	Historic Dockyard	Renovation of Smitheries into National Museum	£14m	2010
Medway	Premier Inn	121-bedroom hotel	-	2010/2011
Ashford	Premier Inn	74-bedroom hotel & Beefeater Restaurant	-	2009
Maidstone	Travelodge	112-bedroom hotel	-	November 2009