About the Building

The hall sits at one of the gateways to the UK, overlooking the international ferry terminal and the port of Ramsgate. It is set into the cliff so that it supports the West Cliff Promenade which runs across its roof. It has a huge, sunny, south facing terrace on the port side with superb views out to sea and a lovely sheltered garden amphitheatre on the landward side.


There were three of these buildings built into the cliffs of south east England just prior to the First World War. This is the smallest of the three, the only one that retains its indoor/outdoor performance capability, the only one that is not listed and the only one that is derelict. The building is on the Theatres Trust Buildings at Risk register.


It opened in July, 1914, as a concert hall called the West Cliff Hall and Gardens but its most recent incarnation was as a motor museum. That closed in 2005 and the building is now derelict. It should be a major asset in an area of high deprivation, instead it is currently just another liabiility.


The building is approximately 36 metres by 23 and of steel framed construction with concrete infill. The planned redevelopment will produce an interior of approximately 1200 square metres, including a small mezzanine. The south facing terrace lends itself to solar power panels and Project MotorHouse intends putting in a lift down to the port level to solve some of the parking, loading and general access problems.


There has been significant damp penetration in the south east corner of the auditorium.The semi-circular extension into the garden is a later addition from the 1930s. It is in extremely poor condition and is probably not salvageable. The extent of the corrosion to the steel frame and the spalling of the concrete won’t be known until a full structural engineering report can be done. This will involve exposing parts of the frame. The condition of the chalk cliff also needs investigation.


The problems of the building are significant but so is the potential.