Historic Toy Museum Trust propose move to Fort Road Hotel

I’ve just received the exciting news that Pollock’s Toy Museum Trust have approached Thanet Council expressing an interest in moving to the Fort Road Hotel to house their collection as an attraction.

Pollock's original Hoxton shop

Pollock’s Toy Museum was first established in 1958 in London as an adunct to the toy shop business that specialized in selling old fashioned toys, especially printed paper model theatres. 

Originally made by Benjamin Pollock in Hoxton in the East End of London from the 1870s to the war. Read about the history of Benjamin Pollock the toy maker here. Online shop here.

Here's an early 1920s Gaumont Film Company newsreel featuring Benjamin Pollock at work in his Hoxton shop in London:

The Trust cite the Margate’s arts-based community along with the opening of Dreamland, Turner Contemporary and the Shell Grotto as reasons for their interest in moving to Margate. 

This is such good news for Margate and The Fort Road Hotel. It goes to show that there are viable options open for the site. I hope that the Council will be able to take forward the option of seeking a none residential use for the building in this prime location. One which would be a key tourist attraction that would secure the future of this cherished heritage asset for the town, and that would provide the opportunity of jobs.

Pollocks Toy Museum Trust would be a perfect compliment to Margate’s historic attractions.

The Council will be discussing the future of Fort Road Hotel at tonight's Cabinet Meeting which starts at 7pm.

In the meantime:

Please sign the petition to Save Fort Road Hotel.
Support the Save Fort Road Hotel Facebook Page
Write to Councillor Iris Johnston, Leader of Thanet Council.