Marina Bathing Pool (Ramsgate, Kent) [1954 / 1957 / 1971]

A short sequence featuring Ramsgate's former Marina
Bathing Pool in the East Cliff.

Edited together from 3 Ramsgate promotional films - 'a Holiday to Jump at' (1954), 'At a Sign of the Ram and Gate' (1957) and 'Ramsgate: a Picture to Remember' (1971).

These promotional tourist information films were made in 1954/1957/1971 for the local council, as the production companies no longer exist the copyright is owned by Thanet District Council, who have not given their permission for this upload. The original 16mm print materials are now secured and digitised at Screen Archive South East in Brighton, so contact them for more information.

© Thanet District Council. All rights reserved. Provided in low quality new media for historical research and promotion of Kent's film archives.

DAVID CARR is a video stealer.

Now to the clip itself with the background info which Carr has failed to provide:



Notice that by 1957, the former boating pool at the rear of the site had already been drained. Originally there was also a light railway around the edge of the site leading to the former Ramsgate Sands station. It had a short life, perhaps due to it's location on top of the sea.

Much like Thanet's many former tourist facilities, the pool is now a car park. Originally filled in, partially demolished and left to rot. A sudden wave of funding passed through Thanet District Council in 1998 and down went the lot including the adjacent nightclub, Nero's - a historical building that was formerly a theatre / cinema and music hall.

The 1908 Messr Waygood lift, perhaps Ramsgate's finest out of the 3, seen here in 1957 was demolished for no apparent reason in 1970 and replaced by an ugly green box around the former escape ladder. Perhaps Nero's used this with a winch inside for transportation of goods between the promenade and the lower esplanade? Can anyone confirm that?

As of 2010, these sites (in very poor condition) are under consultation and awaiting sale to developers. Good bye to Thanet's tourism history, hello to modern housing development and the subsequent downfall.

As of 2014 the old music hall/Neros outdoor space and arches has been redeveloped into a monstrosity of a residential complex which obscures eyeline of oncoming traffic around the bend of the road (a rumoured reason to why Neros was demolished in the first place). Asking price seems to start at £500,000 per flat - backhanding third appeal approved planning.

The old swimming pool site is now proposed / in application for "some" leisure/recreation but the rest for residential again...