Above photo taken with permission from micropubcrawl date unknown.

Above photo taken from Google Maps March 2009.

Above showing a picture of an advert of Lilley's "Hotel Arcadian," date unknown.

Kent County Council’s No Use Empty scheme has played an integral role in the re-development of the Arcadian Hotel in Margate, which on 1 November is re-launched as a residential development comprising 14 one and two bedroom apartments.

No Use Empty, the UK’s leading empty homes initiative, has created over 1,900 new homes since 2005. The scheme is run by Kent County Council in partnership with all twelve local authorities in the county.

The "Arcadian Hotel" was built in the late 1800s and was subsequently converted into flats. However, prior to the recent redevelopment undertaken by developer Geoffrey Berger, the block had been unoccupied and run down to the point of dereliction, reducing a once iconic building to a local eyesore.

Thanet District Council, a longstanding partner in the No Use Empty scheme, targeted the site for regeneration, and worked with Mr Berger once he had acquired the site to raise the necessary finance to commence work. No Use Empty provided an interest-free loan of £175,000, with Mr Berger providing the rest of the funding for the project.

All loans offered to owners of empty homes are repaid to Kent County Council in full and recycled back into the scheme. To date, loans issued by No Use Empty total £5.2 million.

Steve Grimshaw, Project Manager for the No Use Empty scheme said: “It is important that with house-building declining, we look at ways that we can utilise unused buildings to create quality housing. Thanet District Council has worked tirelessly to ensure this site will have a future and we are delighted to be involved in a project that as well as providing 14 much-needed homes, will further aid the regeneration Margate Old Town following the arrival of the Turner Centre earlier this year.”

The new development carefully replicates The "Arcadian’s" original wrought iron balcony and hotel signage, meaning the Victorian character of the building is retained. Inside, the well-presented apartments are spacious, with Victorian high ceilings and large, panoramic windows. The internal finish includes hand fitted kitchens and solid wood worktops and some apartments have private balconies.

Outside, the sea front and Margate’s golden Main Sands are a short stroll down Fort Hill. Turner Contemporary to the right, Margate’s historic Old Town to the left. In summer this continental-style piazza hosts a growing calendar of events including a Jazz Festival in July.

Mr Berger has already secured lettings for nine of the fourteen apartments, reflecting the quality of the units, and also the demand for quality housing in the area. A limited number of the apartments are available for sale starting at £120,000.

Geoffrey Berger, developer of The Arcadian said: “In the current climate it is extremely challenging to get re-developments of this nature off the ground, and I am grateful to the No Use Empty scheme for the assistance they have provided, financial and otherwise, to help turn my vision for the site into a reality.”

Available furnished or unfurnished, one bedroom apartments start from £450 pcm, two bedroom apartments from £550 pcm.

Above photo showing Frederick Adolophus Lilly, Anette and staff outside the hotel at about 1900. Kindly sent by Rob Lilly.