The quaint coastal village of Sandgate near Folkestone, in Kent, has become a haven for Londoners seeking a slice of seaside serenity. As Londoners look to relocate, estate agents note a surge in sales from these city escapees snapping up homes in the area.
Speaking to the Express about the property boom, Carlo Martella from Your Key Move Sales said: “We found a lot of people from London are liking the fact that they can come to Folkestone and Sandgate especially, being on the seafront, has got a lot of appeal for people.”
He added: “I’d say a good 50-60% of property sales are people from London, although that’s good because it brings a lot of money down here, we have seen house prices going up significantly. In some respects it can be detrimental on the basis that it’s pricing some local residents out of certain areas and properties.”
Adorning the waterfront are eye-catching, colourful houses that offer panoramic views of the English Channel. The village isn’t just about pretty vistas, its stellar transport connections mean central London is less than an hour away by high-speed train from nearby Folkestone Central.
In the heart of the village on Sandgate High Street stands the Royal Norfolk Hotel. With a robust 4.5-star rating on Google reviews, this heritage hotel lies a mere 300 metres from the historical Sandgate Castle, reports Kent Live.
William Burles took the reins of this 19th-century building around two and a half years ago after leaving his previous job at P&O, as reported by the Express. He commented: “We’ve got the beach, everybody flocks to the beach and we’re on the bypass of that. We used to have some empty shops, but now we don’t. There’s restaurants and bars opening, Sandgate is becoming quite cosmopolitan.
“There’s always something going on, it’s a nice community here. Guests who have just checked out today, they’ve been down here looking for houses and they’re from the Midlands. And they’re not the only couple doing that, we’ve had quite a few recently.”
Sandgate isn’t just a hotspot for those thinking of moving. “We get Dutch guests, Germans, Italians, Canadians, Australians, which makes for fun conversations in the dining area in the mornings,” he shared, still spritely at 60.
The hotel also boasts a talking parrot named Monty as one of its attractions, who has been part of the establishment for two decades. “When I took the hotel over, I wasn’t quite happy about having a caged bird, but Monty’s lived here for 20 years. He comes out and plays quite often, he’s quite the bit of fun.”
Top spots for visitors are The Boat House, Zig Zag Path, and the former residence of a famous English author, the House of H. G. Next month sees the much-anticipated Sandgate Sea and Food Festival, coinciding with the August bank holiday weekend.
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