Margate RNLI bid a final farewell to their old lifeboat station
With handing over of the keys to contractors, Margate RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew have left their old lifeboat station for the very last time, bidding a fond farewell to what has been home to Margate’s lifeboats since 1978 and looking forward to the new boathouse to be built on the site.
The collapse of the town’s jetty in 1978 marked a milestone in the history of Margate lifeboat station bringing the era of slipway-launched lifeboats in Margate to an end. At the time plans were already in place for a new boathouse housing a carriage-launched all-weather lifeboat along with the D class inshore lifeboat next to the Rendezvous Car Park.
At the time the new station was a modern facility - known in lifeboat circles as the ‘Margate Hilton’. Nearly 50 years later however, it lacked the requirements to operate modern lifeboats in the 21st century and was also suffering from the ravages of wind and waves due to its exposed position on the promenade.
Today’s lifeboat stations require dedicated training facilities, segregated changing spaces, a modern retail area, and greater opportunities to engage with its supporters and the local community in general, all within a greener, more efficient and sustainable building.
In 1999 the north side of the building was enlarged improving the conditions for the volunteer crew and in June 2025, with the boathouse nearing the end of its design life, the lifesaving charity announced plans for a replacement building within the existing site footprint (see https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2025/june/18/rnli-reveals-brand-new-plan-for-margate-lifeboat-station )
While construction of the new station is underway, including demolition of the old boathouse, the two lifeboats remain fully operational from temporary accommodation next to the site and after a lengthy ‘moving-out’ period, carried out by the volunteer crew, the time has finally come to say farewell to the old station which, while becoming outdated, has been lovingly looked after by the crews over the years.
The boathouse has also been home to RNLI seasonal lifeguards who keep Margate’s Main Sands safe during the summer months. They are also housed in temporary accommodation and the new building will include enhanced facilities for the lifeguards along with their equipment including rescue watercraft.
The build time is estimated at 12 months with a two month commissioning period and the volunteer crew, shop staff and fundraisers are now looking forward to watching progress with their new home as the station, which has been saving lives at sea off Margate since 1860, moves into the next phase of its long history.
Derek Amas, Lifeboat Operations Manager, RNLI Margate said: “It is great to see the next phase of the new boathouse project finally underway, the old boathouse has served the crew past and present well but it is time to bring the crew facilities up to date to match the technology of modern day lifeboats.
“We also thank our supporters for responding to the appeal for the new boathouse and invite the public to contribute to the project via this link: https://rnli.org/support-us/give-money/give-to-a-special-appeal/margate-lifeboat-station-appeal You can not only be a lifeline for the volunteers you can also be a lifesaver for those who rely on their critical search and rescue skills.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station
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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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