The new owners of a seafront bar say they are determined to turn the page on its recently troubled history and give it a fresh lease of life.
Formerly Sundowners, the Albert Terrace venue has been relaunched as Margate Beach Club following a complete overhaul inside and out.
Although the bar had long been celebrated as a vibrant LGBTQ+ hotspot, its reputation was left tarnished after its former boss, Duncan Bayles, was convicted last year of historic child sex offences while working as a carer.
He had stepped down from his position at Sundowners in October 2023 after being charged.
The fallout cast a shadow over the venue, which briefly reopened under new bosses but shut less than a year later.
Now, the latest licensee, Neville Cavendish, insists the relaunched bar is all about a “new era” – with no ties to its past operators.
“It’s completely a new era,” he told KentOnline.
“We have nothing to do with anybody who had anything to do with that building in the past.
“There are new freeholders of the building, and we’ve taken on a lease of the bar and the apartments above it.
“It’s terrible what happened, but I think we went into this, maybe not realising how much of an impact that had had on the building itself.
“There’s still quite a bit of work for us to do to help the community know that we are different people.”
The venue reopened in June after an extensive refurbishment, with a new blue paint job, reworked interiors and even a luminous logo projected onto the beach at night.
“We’ve completely refreshed the place. It’s queer-owned, queer-led, and it is a safe space for people,” Mr Cavendish said.
“We’ve changed the decor throughout. We’ve let a lot of light into the space.
“We wanted to give it more of a clubhouse, beach house feel in the front and more of a cabaret nightclub bar feel in the back.
“When it came up, we just thought it was a really good opportunity to turn it into something a bit more fun, a bit better and a bit different.”
By day, Mr Cavendish, 48, says the beach club is “chilled”, but by night it becomes “a bit edgy, a bit outrageous, fun, and camp”.
Entertainment includes drag nights, cabaret, live music and DJ sets, with a strong focus on local talent.
The team is also partnering with Kent producers, with plans to stock locally made spirits and wines from September.
While determined to retain the venue’s LGBTQ-friendly ethos, Mr Cavendish stresses it is an inclusive space for everyone, operating a zero-tolerance policy on any form of discrimination.
“We wanted to keep that safe space for the community and our allies, but also make it more of an experience,” he explained.
“The place has been in the community for years, and it’s a place where people go and feel safe.
“We’re open to anyone, but we’re absolutely a safe space for the LGBTQIA community.”
Margate Beach Club is open from Friday to Sunday, but plans are in the works to open more days of the week and launch a food menu.
