PRESS RELEASE by THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL – August 2017.
Thanet District Council has agreed to transfer the Ice House Ramsgate to the 6th Ramsgate Sea Scouts as a Community Asset Transfer*.
Situated adjacent to the Jacob’s Ladder steps, the building was once used to store block ice brought to the UK from Norway to be used in the fish markets. It has since had a variety of mixed commercial uses.
The Sea Scouts, whose association with the Ice House goes back many years, will be taking a long lease of the building to enable them to renovate it and provide disabled access, showers, a new meeting hall, kitchen and storage areas. The ambition is to create a building which not only supports the 6th Ramsgate Sea Scouts Group but also other youth and community organisations in Ramsgate. In addition, the transfer will enable the Sea Scouts to operate from a single building rather than currently being split over two sites.
Cllr John Townend, Cabinet Member for Financial Services and Estates at Thanet District Council, said: “We have worked closely with the Sea Scouts to enable this Community Asset Transfer to take place. We will also be assisting the group in identifying and applying for external funding, and look forward to helping them achieve their ultimate goal of creating a vibrant centre for the Sea Scouts Group and other community organisations to enjoy.”
Lesley Gallagher, Chairman of the 6th Ramsgate Sea Scouts Executive Committee, said: “We’re delighted to be able to make this positive step forward in our journey towards creating a Sailing and Canoe training Centre for our Sea Scout group and are very grateful to the council for agreeing to this transfer. We hope that working closely with them we will also be able to attract funding for this fantastic project that will help us to expand on our ability to provide great opportunities for our Young People in Thanet.”
*A Community Asset Transfer is the transfer of management of public land and buildings from the council to a community organisation for less than market value, in order to achieve a local social, economic or environmental benefit.
