With the opening of the Turner Contemporary gallery due next year, Margate is experiencing a boom in the arts. CLARE HEAL heads to t his revitalised resort

MARGATE is one of Britain's original seaside towns.


Visitors have been flocking here since the 18th century, drawn by the health-giving properties of sea air and water.
It's even said the wheeled bathing machine, which protected the modesty of female swimmers, was invented here and its beaches were the first to offer donkey rides.

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Next year sees the opening of the Turner Contemporary gallery and the town is gearing up for a flood of art-loving visitors. The site is close to where JMW Turner stayed on frequent visits during the resort's Victorian heyday and the area's beautiful coastline and sunsets influenced his work.

The sun was shining as my boyfriend James and I arrived at the train station but the brightness that once inspired Turner only illuminated the scruffy seafront, a less-than-scenic mélange of greasy spoon cafés, boarded-up shops and dilapidated arcades. This wasn't the new face of the British seaside we'd heard so much about.

The town's regeneration is still a work in progress though and things started to look up as we passed the Margate Harbour Arm, where disused coal sheds have been turned into galleries, shops and cafés. It is home to a 7ft bronze shell lady statue, named after Turner's long-suffering mistress and landlady, Mrs Sophia Booth.

We wandered through the narrow streets of the picturesque Old Town to leafy Hawley Square and checked into The Reading Rooms, a boutique B&B in a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse lovingly restored by Louise Oldfield and Liam Nabb.

There are just three airy rooms, each covering an entire floor and done out in a boho-luxe style.

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The B&B is also a haven for foodies. A breakfast menu is provided and, if you mark your choices on it before bed and leave it outside the door, an enormous tray of goodies is brought to your room in the morning.

Louise and Liam were also able to recommend some great restaurants. One of the best was The Ambrette (formerly called The Indian Princess) on nearby King Street. It was as far removed from your average curry house as Margate is from India.

My tiger prawn starter with shrimp pickle and main course of lamb shank in a rich sauce infused with coriander were delicious.

We spent the next day exploring Margate's burgeoning art scene.

Jeweller Stephen Roper runs the Old Town Gallery on Broad Street with his textile artist mother Anne, selling his quirky silver jewellery and her colourful greetings cards alongside other arts and crafts.

It was the first commercial gallery in town but now has plenty of company.

The Margate Gallery on Lombard Street showcases a mixture of ceramics, jewellery, textiles and sculpture. Outside The Square features paintings and sculptures from around the world.

THE TOWN has other intriguing attractions.

We marvelled at the 4.6 million tiny shells that adorn the walls of the Grade I-listed Shell Grotto. There are also plans for Dreamland, Margate's Grade II-listed amusement park, to reopen in 2012 with heritage rides and attractions in a garden setting.

Feeling peckish after our walkabout we made our way to No 6 Brasserie in the heart of the Old Town where we enjoyed another exceptional meal. I was able to bookend mine with asparagus: locally sourced spears to start, served with balsamic vinegar aged to a treacly consistency and asparagus and tarragon sorbet for dessert.

After dinner we enjoyed a drink at the Lighthouse Bar on the end of the Harbour Arm. As the sun set, a neon work by Tracey Emin became visible on the Droit House (a reconstruction of a 19th-century customs house). It read, "I never stopped loving you", a message of affection from the bad girl of Brit Art to her home town.

With our stomachs full of good food and heads full of images of beautiful watercolours and intricate silverwork, we could see her point. Looking across the bay towards the promenade, even the arcade lights looked romantic.

GETTING THERE:
The Reading Rooms (01843 225166/ www.thereadingroomsmargate.co.uk) offers doubles from £110 per night (two sharing), B&B.

No 6 Brasserie (01843 295603/www.no6brasserie.co.uk) offers mains from £10.50 (re-opening first week in September).

South West Trains (0845 600 0650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) has returns from London St Pancras to Margate from £35.

Visit Thanet: 01843 577000/www.visitthanet.co.uk