The faded splendour of 1980s Margate is the backdrop for Sam Mendes’s new film Empire of Light, starring Olivia Colman and Colin Firth. Coming to UK cinemas on 9 January, it’s about a romance in the north Kent seaside town and the revival of a striking 1930s cinema with a distinctive brick ‘fin’ tower.
Renamed briefly as the Empire Cinema during filming in the spring, Margate’s Grade II-listed Dreamland Cinema takes a starring role. In reality it’s part of the Dreamland amusement park complex that’s had 102 years of rollercoaster fortunes. The park underwent a £25 million makeover in 2017, and its relaunch contributed to the reinvention of Margate into an artistic and creative hub – driven by the opening of the Turner Contemporary gallery and Tracey Emin’s purchase of a large waterfront complex to create a museum and artists’ studios.
With its eclectic mix of hip new additions, tracts of gentrification and down-at-heel edges, Margate remains a Marmite choice for visitors and home-buyers, despite the culture-led regeneration.
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