It looks like the Winter Gardens will get some love

According to this BBC news article, Thanet District Council (TDC) has arranged with Westwood One Theatre for them to renovate and reopen the place.

I’m sure the £4m funding boost helped that along, although that’s a drop in the ocean compared to the spiralling estimates of the price of restorative work needed, which could be as high as £11m.

As most of you probably know, the Winter Gardens were closed in August 2022 after Your Leisure reported big old financial losses and gave the lease back to TDC.

There’s a bunch of paperwork and other preliminary planning requirements, but reports suggest the venue could be open in as little as 18 months. That places the opening time around October or November of 2026. I wouldn’t hold my breath. These things always seem to run over due and over budget. My bet is on an opening in spring of 2027.

What’s your guess for when (or if) the Winter Gardens will reopen?

Image credit: Nick Smith / The rear of the Wintergardens, Margate