The Leas Club Folkestone (below) leasehold was sold to Churchgate (Folkestone) Ltd for £3,000,000 (£3 Million) on the 6/05/2008 according to documents lodged at Companies house and the Land Registry.
The lenders were Blackcap Ltd and both companies (Churchgate & Blackcap) share a common shareholder, that being a Mr Brian Myer Shaffer.
The Leas Club is a Listed Building and has been sitting empty and going to rack and ruin for the last eight years.
On Tuesday 25 Nov 2014 Shepway District Council’s development and control committee unanimously agreed to the construction of a seven-storey apartment block, subject to final documents being signed off, above the former Edwardian venue.
Since then nothing whatsoever has happened. This is because Churchgate (Folkestone) Ltd has no money and are no doubt scratching around for a developer. If not, then the site will continue to fall into rack and ruin and again Folkestone will be left waiting for a developer to put their money where their mouth is.
Churchgate’s website has SDC’s logo on it as well as Dover District Council’s too. What is SDC doing to encourage the builder to start building? What if any checks (due diligence) did the do on the company?
The Folkestone Herald have run a couple of stories, one in Nov 14 and another in late April 15.
Since then all has seemingly gone quiet. It is time that the developers began developing the site. If Churchgate (Folkestone) Ltd cannot due to cash flow issues, they should consider selling on the lease to allow a company with money to get on and develop the Leas Club in a way that is sympathetic to the Grade II listed building.
It is time for private companies to take their responsibilities seriously. We the residents of Shepway, do not wish to see a once great building go to rack and ruin. We have waited 15 years for the seafront development to happen, we do not wish to wait another 15 years for the Leas Club to be developed. Please Churchgate either put up the money for the development or sell up and sod off.
