By Gemma Gradwell
A business owner has won the right to take on a prized commercial unit inside a historic Kent bandstand.
Makcari’s ice cream parlour will take over the coveted shop space on Herne Bay seafront after a long-fought bidding battle.
It comes after Canterbury City Council stumped up £43,000 restoring the property – previously let to the former Maharaja restaurant.
Makcari’s co-owner Nejmi Hassan, has revealed summer entertainment is in store for the public stage, with seasonal activities such as an ice rink at Christmas also in the pipeline.
“Our priority will be to have live entertainment every weekday and weekend throughout the summer and really work on getting the stage back into use,” he said.
“The bandstand is a unique, historic location on the beach.
“We cannot wait to press ahead with all the big ideas we have to make the most of it.”
In May, council bosses said there had been keen interest among parties to take over the site.
Among those was A La Turka owner Mehmet Dari, who told KentOnline he was pleased to see work had taken place to refurbish the bandstand.
Meanwhile, the commercial unit to the right of the bandstand building was previously home to Herne Bay’s visitor information – now a Makcari’s ice cream parlour.
The unit to the left – the one recently up for grabs – was for years run by Thorley Taverns as a cafe-bar called The Bandstand.
In 2015, it was turned into the Maharaja restaurant, which closed in 2020 shortly after being given a zero-star food hygiene rating by the council.
Inspectors found a pigeon nest and droppings in its food store, although the restaurant’s owner said the decision to shut was because its lease was ending.
The unit has been empty for the five years since.
Mr Hassan has followed in the footsteps of his father, who moved to the UK from Cyprus a few decades ago and built up his business from scratch.
The lease comes after a long programme of repairs, including dramatic internal work, a new roofing system and redecoration of the entire external façade.
The work was paid for using £43,000 of United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund money and £522,000 of council funds.
The council’s cabinet member for property, Lee Castle, said: “We are delighted to have selected Makcari’s for the empty unit.
They clearly demonstrated their passion for and commitment to the bandstand and a desire to secure its future as an attraction for the town for many years to come.
The work that has taken place over the last few months has totally transformed the appearance of the bandstand. It looks fantastic.”
