Leisure complex costing £950,000 opens its doors

A new leisure complex which only has a five-year lifespan has opened near the Ashford International station.

Council bosses say 1,000 people visited the Coachworks over its opening weekend in Dover Place.

The scheme - which cost £950,000 - only has a short lifespan as the land is set to become the second phase of the Commercial Quarter in later years.

It has seen the former Ashford Youth Theatre building, which has sat empty since 2016, turned into ‘The Hot House’, featuring a number of food and drinks outlets, event space and a mezzanine level bar.

The site’s three-storey corn store is now a ‘business incubator’ with start-up work spaces and shared facilities to host up to 200 people.

The ‘Event Yard and Yard Bar’ also features as part of the scheme – an open-air space which chiefs say is ideal for events including theatre, cinema and live sports screenings.

Ashford Borough Council owns the buildings and the scheme, which has been designed by architect Carl Turner and was officially opened on Friday during the council’s ‘Illuminites’ events.

“We were delighted to finally open our doors to coincide with Illuminites Ashford and to host Kent Food Hubs’ Christmas market,” Mr Turner said.

“We have had fantastic feedback, so it was great to be able to give these buildings a new lease of life. Watch this space for a regular line up of exciting events in the new year.”

Until Christmas, the opening hours for the ‘Hot House’ are from 5pm to 10pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

At weekends, it is open from midday to 10pm on Saturdays and 5pm to 10pm on Sundays.

Its last day of trading will be on Sunday, December 22 and council bosses say tickets are now available for a New Year’s Eve party.

Occupied by Croford Coachbuilders in 1962, the Dover Place site became a by-word for quality carriage building.

The company manufactured wooden wheels and bodywork, with a separate department headed by Michael Goodbun handling touch-ups on the paintwork.

Years later, ABC evicted the Ashford Youth Theatre from the building now known as the ‘Hot House’ in 2016, leaving the group - which was founded in January 1983 - without a home.

■ Visit www.coach-works. co.uk.

Bosses say the ‘Event Yard and Yard Bar’ is ideal for events including sports screenings

The former corn store is now a ‘business incubator’ hub

Pictures: GG Archard The mezzanine bar in the ‘Hot House’

This shot, taken in July last year, shows the former Ashford Youth Theatre site before construction began