The Tom Thumb Theatre

[Margate Architecture]

Hi there,

Well done for following this up. I've been dreaming about this building falling into safe hands since it came up for sale. It would make a lovely little cinema, bar, cabaret place. Just wonderful.

I've PM'd you details of my mortgage broker. I managed to by a similar difficult to buy building in Margate that I'm restoring. Perhaps he might be of help.

MA

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

would thanet not refer the rates back to a residential property and if in the future you wanted to convert part of the building to a busness/tourist attraction then change it.

The trouble is that I would have to buy it before I could find that out.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

Just a brief update, the TTT now has a "Sold" board displayed outside. Presumably the sale is still "subject to contract" as there is no record of the sale online. When the transaction has been completed I'll be able to find out how much it sold for.

I'll keep an eye on it to see what the new owner does with it and post photos here as and when anything happens.

I would have loved to have bought it and still would, but we are still only just over a third of the way through the property price crash.

Good luck to the new owner. For me, the timing just wasn't right.

[Sarah]

A heads up for Vince!

http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/listing_vie ... 44&Auc=132

Tom Thumb Theatre in auction 6 April, with a 'come and buy me' estimate which is a very long way from its recent advertised price.

Sarah

[EAS]

Used for civil marriages until recently! What a fabulous place for a wedding (or a puppet theatre...).

http://nemesisrepublic.blogspot.com/200 ... small.html

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

A heads up for Vince!

http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/listing_vie ... 44&Auc=132

Tom Thumb Theatre in auction 6 April, with a 'come and buy me' estimate which is a very long way from its recent advertised price.

Sarah

Thanks Sarah, got that to open now.

That is more in line with my own valuation but I have to stand back from it for now. There are too many problems about mortgagability at the moment- the only mortgages I could obtain had uncompetetive rates of interest, there are problems over its rateable status and as an HGV driver who is seeing fellow drivers laid off in droves at the moment, I don't have the job security I would need for the project. The world has changed a lot since October.

Hopefully it will sell to someone who can pay cash for it and has a passion for the building and will return it to its former glory.

[porterm]

Hi all (and Vince),

Just thought you might like to know that this building's value has apparently now halved according to BBC South East News on the TV last night.

Could be worth another look, but I can understand anyone's reservedness in these present, quite unusual times. The TV report, with reference to Clive Emson, stated that they hope to keep the building as one of the world's smallest theatres, however, could also see it possibly becoming a double lock-up garage once again.

Let's hope for the former.

Martin

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

I seriously looked into bidding at the auction but it would have cost a lot of money just to put finance in place, what with the valuation and the arrangement fees and I am quite sure I could and would be very quickly outbid.

I hope too that it stays a theatre but I think it more likely that it will be converted by a developer, probably by having the downstairs turned into a flat.

Whatever happens, I'll keep an eye on it and post photos as and when anything happens and I'll just say thanks to everyone for the interest and wish Sarah the very best of luck on the day!

[porf]

Just heard on the news that it went for £130,000.

How comes nothing ever ends up that close to the guide prices on anything I go to auctions for

New owners plans seem to be to restore it so at least that's good.

[Sarah]

Said on the local news that it's been bought by an actress who plans to operate it as a theatre.

Sarah

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

Fantastic news, I was so worried that Jimmy Godden would be at the auction!

And I was right not to put a bid in place because £125,000 was my absolute maximum bid so my prediction that I would be outbid was right!


I'll post photos as and when things happen.

[porterm]

Hi all,

You all beat me to the update tonight! (well, it is now 01.39 on Tuesday!)

I think it was Geoff Clark on BBC South East News commented on how the actress-buyer should never be out of work now at least.

On another slightly ironic note, I thought you'd like to know that Clive Emson has a fairly new office down the road from my home in our former Jobcentre building. Just seemed a bit surreal to me in the current climate we're all in.

Martin

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

I was hoping it would remain as a theatre and in the absence of anyone else prepared to do that, I would have had a stab at doing it myself but I have no theatrical knowledge whatsoever and it is obviously better that it has sold to someone with those connections and the same desire.

I'll pop along to say "Hello" when things start happening and wish the owner good luck, and I'm just going to go back to "Plan A" which is to sit out the rest of the property crash in my rented flat- another 18 months- and then buy something more "normal", outright.

I was lucky enough to have had a chance to view the whole building but I feel the buyer has saved me from myself!

[crommerts]

Anyone out there who knows what happened with the Tom Thumb theatre after the auction?

Have seen no activity?

How to contact the owners?

Thanks.

Simon

[Sarah Parr]

Simon,

I sold it to a fellow thespian by the name of Frankie Jordan, and hopefully will continue it as a theatre.

Sarah

Sarah Parr