A historic hotel deemed “unviable” by its owners will be converted into a private school if new plans are approved.
Proposals have been submitted to transform Wards Hotel in Earls Avenue, Folkestone, into an educational and boarding house for Earlscliffe School.
The site is located 160 metres away from Earlscliffe’s main campus in Shorncliffe Road, which is a facility for international students aged between 15-19.
The school, run by Dukes Education, is an independent sixth form college with sites across the West End of Folkestone.
According to planning documents submitted by the student immigration manager at Dukes Education, Lee Tattum, the current owners deem the hotel “unviable as a business”.
He states the business has been “operating at a loss” and experienced a “downturn in trade”.
Due to the school’s “continued success and growth”, it is now at capacity within its current building stock and is looking to add the Wards Hotel to its estate.
Teachers hope the 10-bedroom hotel can provide further student accommodation as well as a “much-needed” function room and an art studio.
KentOnline visited the area earlier this week and spoke with neighbours at the site about the proposed changes to the hotel.
Paul Gedge, 46, who has lived in a property next door to the hotel for the past 20 years, says he has some “concerns” but would “not object” to the plans.
“The main worry is about having a bunch of teenagers living next door,” he said.
“But I have to say they don’t really cause that much of an issue at the moment living down the road.
“It’s not something that I would object to. I would rather have the building used than be derelict.”
The 46-year-old says he is “not surprised” the hotel is closing as it has been on a “downslope for many years”.
Wards Hotel has been on the market since February 2023.
If the application is approved by Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC), the existing rooms will be “unchanged and repurposed” for single and twin boarding rooms for students, providing 16 boarding spaces in total.
The three-star Edwardian hotel dates back to 1901 and has a rating of 4.5 on Tripadvisor.
Ray Campion, who lives a few doors down from the site, says he is in “favour of the education centre being expanded”.
The 29-year-old added: “I have used the restaurant at the hotel a few times but I have often wondered how they survive because it never seems busy.
“I see a lot of the kids at the school on our road and they never cause any issues.
“The loss of the hotel and the restaurant would not be a big issue for me.
“I like the fact there is an international school in Folkestone and I’m all for the education centre being expanded.”
Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.
FHDC is expected to make a decision on the plans in July.
The owners of the Wards Hotel were approached by KentOnline but they declined to comment.
Earlscliffe School has also been approached for a comment.
A decision on the application will be made by planning officers at FHDC.
