In 1974, a BBC crew went to Margate and ended up writing one of the finest intros ever committed to film. "Just as some Victorian industrialists would keep a chorus girl for an occasional frolic, so some of the industrial cities have always favoured their own seaside towns - London's favourite bit on the side is Margate".
This is the promise of Margate: it offers everything you love about London, but with a sandy beach. By the 1980s, overseas package holidays had started to draw Londoners further afield, but a decade of regeneration has restored Margate’s crown as the place for city-dwellers to escape to. Here’s what to do on a sunny Saturday:
First of all, make sure it's summer. Many towns in Britain shut up early in winter, but Margate seems to take this to extremes. Even in August, loads of places close early; this is not a town that’s going to serve you pasta at 9pm.
ONE | Start your day in The Margate Bookshop. It’s cute and surrounded by other independent shops and cafes. Buy a book and a coffee, an antique and a handbag.