THE BULLS HEAD, MARGATE. I wanted it to give me the horn, but was it just bull****

Welcome to Margate! 

The glorious golden beach by the station, the stunning sunsets painted by Turner, the Dreamland fin a shining beacon for the free spirited and the culturally enlightened beckoning them to come to me, love me, this is the Dreamland you've been looking for.

Margate is the word on everyone's mouth this side of the Southbank, the ultimate Londoners retreat and a place many have set up camp and called their home, a place where you can make dreams come true.

Not everyone is happy about that but unlike some outspoken locals, I am super excited by this wave of passion, creativity and vision. 

Their seemingly endless resources and ability of looking at a dump and thinking "this time next year Rodders" and proclamations of "to do is to dare innit" oh how Del boy would love it here today as a bonified DFL.

Investment. Margate has evolved and developed because of investment. This microscopic focus on Margate has contributed to pushing property prices up to the highest percentage of house price increase in the South East in the last few years. Dragged along with that are rents, locals are struggling. 

This is not unique to Margate, since C19 people poured out of London for a slice of the good life, but Margate still has one of the highest percentages of poverty in the south east. But you don't have to be piss poor to struggle here, this economic climate and mortgage rate increases has impacted Mr and Mrs semi detached and two cars, 2.4 children and a pug. There isn't much disposable income anymore.

Every hospitality business, indeed any service led business is trying to entice the same customers from a receding pool. Still the investment comes, and prices rise in pursuance of a profit. The question is, who are the people who will keep your business afloat in these coming years? 

This question must be on the mind of any DFL eyeing a dilapidated building and imagining it after recieving the Kate Moss London look. Shortsighted they would be to think that by applying the same lippy formula in Shoreditch will inturn pay the same results in the till all year around in Margate, Margate isn't surrounded by people, it's surrounded by water.

Today I find myself in the throbbing heart of Margate old town, away from the graveyard of fallen high street giants and amongst other like minded free thinking unplugged entrepreneurs.

The Bulls Head is commanding a prime spot, like the king of the castle, but it had been the dirty rascal for many years. If there was any pub remaining that really told you what Margate had gone through, it was this place. Once the haunt of rock stars and celebrities, for the last 40 years it has been on the steady downward slope to oblivion. Until now.

I've been eyeing up the Bulls Head for sometime. I am an admirer of architecture, a lover of history, a fascinator of the what if, and this is a place which had caught my eye and nostrils flaring,  and now it's finally open, myself as el matador will wave the red flag and see what this horny beast has got. OLE!

Let's get into it.

Talking of red flags. Before I visited I had an internet search to see what I could find. The first reviews on Google are not the kind of comments you want when you as the business owner throws open the doors for people to admire your creation. I'm not paying much attention to those, everyone is an expert, indeed a Facebook search for New Thanet Chat is a revealing insight into the depravity and viciousness of the keyboard warriors here. 

The building has been sensitivity painted in a very traditional deep green, large airey windows with a southerly aspect allow light to pour through, the tables outside enjoying the sunshine in Margates old town market square. 

Inside they have chosen the style wisely opting for rustic bare brick and crumbled plaster which I should imagine is not an easy look to pull off, but it has been finished with purpose. I am fascinated by an original wooden ceiling beam which is exposed, layered over is some protruding lathes and then the plaster, it's quite artful.

The flooring is simply sanded boards but not so far as to take the character away.

 

A combination of low backed couches and an eclectic mix of chairs and tables perfect for those wishing to dine, or chill in a window reading a book.

Now we get to the part that's going to divide opinion. 

It doesn't have a bar.

Hold up hold up, no bar? Yep no bar! There is a beverage preparation area without a physical bar, oh I can imagine the shock and crys of disbelief for the traditional geezer who likes to lord it up at the bar sinking pint after pint all day. No mate, take a seat, look at the menu and wait for the server. 

While I think about it and consider the virtues of the concept I think about how people love the Wetherspoons app, just sit down, order on the app and drinks come to you, it's basically the same (without the app of course)

Removing the physical barrier between man and booze...hmmm they must have done that for a reason back in the day... but I can see the logic of doing away with it..

Not having a bar allows free flowing table service without the obstruction of a massive bit of timber.

Traditionalists will want to internally combust at this outrageous meddling with a man's right to sit at a bar like the aforementioned propa geeza, but my thinking is that the effect of not having a physical bar infact creates a controlled, safe and predictable environment, and that is also a good thing.

So is this now a pub in the traditional sense? I'm not so sure, but it's definitely a place to respectfully enjoy company or solitude, whilst being waited on and that is very appealing.

London prices.

So to address a comment made by one of the online reviews saying that The Bulls Head was charging London prices, well that's nothing new. For as long as I remember growing up around here, the term London prices has always been a thing. It simply means being charged more than you want to swallow and therefore the purpose of logic for the high price is they don't want you, but them there city slickers. 

Up til now The Bulls Head was tatty and grimy, a  sanctuary and outpost for Margates waifs and strays. Whilst I'm sure that is not true of everyone that was a former customer, but there was a reason it had to change. 

What has changed down here and indeed the whole country is a change in hospitality culture, only a few old school boozers remain because gone are the people in numbers that want to frequent them.

I have to back up The Bulls Head and say no mate, these aren't London prices, that's just what the going rate is for a decent drop now in a decent venue and I can tell you how I know.. I conducted my own "research" (I like this kind of research). Having enjoyed a day of riotous dancing and drinking around Margates finest hostelries on a bank holiday Saturday, upon reviewing my bank statement the morning after (eek) the prices are consistent with all the other venues (barring spoons of course)

So it's clearly a fantastic achievement, the business model is evolutionary, the service is fluid. But is there enough to make it a go to place all year around? Only time will tell, and this is the reason why I'm not giving a star rating based on this visit as I didn't see enough of it over time. What's the food? I didn't see a menu which is just a school boy error on my part, but the website doesn't reveal much yet either.

This is indeed early days for the business and finding their groove can be easier said than done, so my beady little eyes will be watching with keen interest in the coming months.

But I will end with this final observation which I can't leave out.

Me and the Mrs took a  bank holiday Sunday morning walk to blow off the cobwebs just before midday, it was lovely to see so many people out. I suggested we try to sit outside for a coffee in the sunshine away from the ferociously chilling northerly gusts coming off the sea, and where better to go than the new Bulls Head. 

The old town square was awash with people seated outside eating and drinking, not a seat could be found apart from outside The Bulls Head where every table was empty, because it was still closed. I couldn't believe it.

I am sure The Bulls Head will prove to be a huge success and I will look forward to my next visit.

Visit them today at:

THE BULLS HEAD 

1 Market Pl, Margate CT9 1ER