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Your friendly guide to everything Kent

Margate

Margate is a coastal town in Kent. This page gathers local businesses, events and places to visit in and around the town, so you can see what is close and what is on, whether you live here, work here or have come for the day.

Businesses in Margate

Astute Management

Based in Gravesend

Local digital partner for Kent businesses: websites, AI and automation to help you get found, win customers and save time.

Verified Nov 2026

Removals

Minters Ltd

Based in Sandwich

Removals and storage company at Sandwich Industrial Estate: domestic, commercial and worldwide moves, packing, clearance and self-store.

Verified Oct 2026

Cleaners

Astute Clean

Based in Gravesend

Exterior cleaning across Kent from Gravesend: driveways, patios, roofs, gutters, render, windows, solar panels and graffiti removal.

Verified Oct 2026

Taxis

Kent Taxi Services

Based in Gravesend

Taxi and private hire booking service in Gravesend covering Kent: airport and seaport transfers, school runs, hospital trips and wheelchair accessible taxis.

Verified Oct 2026

ElectriciansPlumbers

Plumbing & Electrical

Based in Gravesend

Plumbing and electrical call-outs for homes and businesses across Kent and Medway, from Gravesend: boilers, drains, rewires, EICR and EV chargers.

Verified Oct 2026

Taxis

Same Day Couriers Kent

Based in Gravesend

Courier booking service in Gravesend: same day, contract, medical, legal and parts deliveries collected across Kent and delivered UK-wide.

Verified Oct 2026

Roofers

CL Baker Kent Roofing

Based in Sittingbourne

Sittingbourne roofer for tiled and flat roofs, emergency repairs, chimney stacks, repointing and guttering across east Kent.

Verified Oct 2026

Plumbers

Adept Heating and Plumbing

Based in Ramsgate

Ramsgate Gas Safe registered plumbing and heating business: boiler servicing and replacement, plumbing and landlord gas checks across east Kent.

Verified Oct 2026
See All Businesses in Margate

What's on in Margate

Festivals, Food & Drink

Turner: Festive After Hours

Fri 27 Nov 2026, from 6pm

Turner Contemporary (Foyle Rooms), Margate

£65
Adults
See All Events in Margate

Things to do in Margate

Places to visit

Family Days Out, Museums & Galleries

Crab Museum

Margate

Independent museum above the Pie Factory on Broad Street, all about crabs and Kent coast wildlife. Entry is free. Open Friday to Sunday.

Family Friendly
Free

Family Days Out

Dreamland

Margate

Seafront amusement park with vintage rides, roller disco and live events. Free to enter, rides paid by token or wristband. Check winter opening times.

Family Friendly
Free

Castles & History, Museums & Galleries

Margate Caves

Margate

Chalk caves beneath Northdown Road with self-guided visits, a Discovery Room and a visitor centre. Open Wednesday to Sunday; steps only.

Family Friendly

Beaches & Coast, Castles & History

Margate Harbour Arm

Margate

Historic stone pier with a lighthouse, cafes, bars and galleries beside the sea, with Margate Visitor Information Centre in Droit House at its base.

Family Friendly

Castles & History, Museums & Galleries

Powell-Cotton Museum and Quex House

Birchington

Natural history museum, Regency house and gardens at Quex Park, Birchington. One ticket covers all three. Check winter opening before you go.

Accessible
Family Friendly

Castles & History, Museums & Galleries

Shell Grotto

Margate

Underground passage and chamber decorated with millions of shells in mosaic patterns, of debated origin. Open Thursday to Sunday in winter.

Family Friendly

Guides

Food & drink in Margate

Farm Shops & Producers

Margate Mushrooms

Based in Margate

Margate mushroom grower: gourmet mushrooms, grow-your-own kits and gift boxes, online and at Cliftonville Farmers' Market.

Verified Nov 2026

Farm Shops & Producers

Quex Barn Farm Shop and Restaurant

Based in Birchington

Farm shop, butchery and restaurant on the Quex Park Estate, Birchington: local produce, Friday home delivery to Thanet.

Verified Nov 2026

Restaurants

Angela’s

Based in Margate

Seafood restaurant and bar with rooms on The Parade, Margate, serving local fish and seasonal vegetable dishes.

Verified Oct 2026

Restaurants

Bottega Caruso

Based in Margate

Family-run Italian restaurant and shop on Broad Street in Margate Old Town, with a wine bar and deli next door.

Verified Oct 2026

Pubs

Margate Beach Club

Based in Margate

Beach bar, cocktail bar and cabaret lounge near the Main Sands in Margate, with events and private hire.

Verified Oct 2026

Restaurants

Mullins Brasserie

Based in Margate

Restaurant in Margate Old Town serving modern European food with a Caribbean influence, open for lunch and dinner.

Verified Oct 2026

Find your people

Clubs and groups in Margate

All Clubs in Margate →

Games & Hobbies

Margate Chess Club

Margate

Thursdays 7.30pm to 11pm, plus Monday social nights from 7.30pm

Going since around 1928, this welcoming club plays in the Thanet and East Kent League and runs plenty of in-house competitions. Beginners and seasoned players alike can drop in, and the first session is free.

Languages & Learning

Margate Civic Society

Margate

Monthly evening meetings, usually on a Thursday at 7.30pm

A society for anyone interested in Margate's history, heritage and future, with monthly evening talks from guest speakers. Visitors are welcome to come along for a small fee before deciding to join.

Running

Margate parkrun

Margate

Saturdays 9am

A free, timed 5k on the clifftop at Palm Bay every Saturday morning, run entirely by volunteers. Runners, joggers and walkers of every age and pace are welcome.

Sport & Fitness

Margate Yacht Club

Margate

Sunday racing from 10.30am (meet 9am), April to November, plus Wednesday evening racing in summer

A volunteer-run sailing club offering dinghy racing, social sails and training with RYA qualified instructors, plus a welcome for kayakers and paddleboarders. Beginners can start with RYA Level 1 and 2 weekend courses.

Gardening & Nature

Windmill Community Gardens Margate

Margate

Garden Clubs on Thursdays 10am to 4pm and Saturdays 1pm to 3pm, all year

A community garden offering food growing, gardening and outdoor learning, with weekly Garden Clubs that anyone can join. No experience is needed, and volunteers can work at their own pace, solo or in a team.

Local news

More News

Town guide

About Margate

Margate is in the Thanet district, and Thanet District Council is the local authority. The district also includes Ramsgate and Broadstairs, which have their own pages.

Turner Contemporary’s own website gives its address as Rendezvous, Margate, CT9 1HG, says admission is free and records that the gallery opened on 16 April 2011. Historic England lists The Grotto, also known as the Shell Grotto, on Grotto Hill at Grade I (list entry 1341537). Kent’s Historic Environment Record says it was discovered in 1835 and notes that many theories have been advanced about its origin. Historic England lists the Scenic Railway at Dreamland on Belgrave Road at Grade II* (list entry 1359602) and records its construction as 1919 to 1920. Local news reports say the ride has not run since 2024 and that Dreamland said in January 2026 that it was retiring it as a ride. Check each venue’s own website for what is open and for admission.

Getting there and around

Margate station is on Station Approach, and Southeastern’s station page lists its staffing and facilities. Southeastern’s High Speed services also call at Margate. Check National Rail for which operators call and for current journey times.

Thanet District Council’s car park charges page says you can pay at the pay and display machine or by phone or online with RingGo. Its motorhome and caravan parking page lists Barnes Car Park in Margate with five spaces and says you can only pay there with RingGo. Charges and the list of car parks change, so check the pages before you travel.

Use this page to look up local businesses in Margate, see what is on and plan a day out, and use the Explore Kent menu to move on to neighbouring towns. Every listing is researched and checked by us before it goes live.

Map of Margate

Questions about Margate

Which council covers Margate?
Thanet District Council covers Margate, along with Ramsgate and Broadstairs. The Office for National Statistics counted about 140,600 people in the Thanet district at the 2021 census, up from around 134,200 at the 2011 census.
Is Turner Contemporary free?
Turner Contemporary's own website says admission is free. It gives the gallery's address as Rendezvous, Margate, CT9 1HG, and says the gallery opened on 16 April 2011. Check the website for opening times and for any charge for events.
What is the Shell Grotto?
Historic England lists The Grotto, also known as the Shell Grotto, on Grotto Hill at Grade I (list entry 1341537). Kent's Historic Environment Record says it was discovered in 1835 and notes that many theories have been advanced about its origin. Check the Shell Grotto's own website for opening times.
Is there a train station in Margate?
Yes. Margate station is on Station Approach, and Southeastern's station page lists its staffing and facilities. Southeastern's High Speed services also call at Margate. Check National Rail for which operators call, and for current journey times and fares.
How do I pay for parking in Margate?
Thanet District Council's car park charges page says you can pay at the pay and display machine or by phone or online with RingGo. Its motorhome and caravan parking page says you can only pay with RingGo at Barnes Car Park in Margate. Check the council's pages for current charges.

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Photo credits: Turner Contemporary gallery: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0; Turner Contemporary, Margate: David Anstiss, CC BY-SA 2.0; Shell Grotto, Margate: No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0; Dreamland Fun Park – Margate, Kent: John Fielding from Norwich, UK, CC BY 2.0; Walpole Bay tidal bathing pool: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0; View of the Harbour Arm from the Turner Gallery: Robert Lamb, CC BY-SA 2.0; The seafront at Margate: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0; The Old Kent Market, Margate: pam fray, CC BY-SA 2.0. Photos via Wikimedia Commons and Geograph.