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| Leas Club, 6-7-2009. Credit Paul Skelton (from http://www.dover-kent.com/Leas-Club-Folkestone.html) |
Licensees
Robert Warburton 1987 2004
Robert Warburton and John Warburton 2004 2004 +
Folkestone Herald
2-8-1985
Local News
The Edwardian Leas Pavilion Theatre is to become a Wild
West saloon if developers` plans are realised. A theme pub-restaurant catering
for heavy spending 18-30 year olds will be created in Folkestone`s historic tea
rooms in a £250,000 project backed by brewery giants Whitbread.
“It will be a carnival atmosphere”, said Barry Motion,
managing director of Tempocrown developers, now holding exclusive talks with
the Radnor Estate – owners of the building. In an exclusive interview with the
Herald last week he outlined his plans for turning the ailing theatre venue
into a swinging nightspot and eating-out centre. Dining tables for 60 with
waiter service to replace the theatre seats, plus new bars to the left and
right of the entrance stairs. Retention of the basic features of the proscenium
arch, galleries and period toilets, but with Western saloon atmosphere.
Permanent staff of 10 – 12 on the bars, saloon catering and front porch Italian
and Mexican self-service food areas. Dance floor on several levels around
present stage, with facilities for laser light shows and live acts. “We will
offer a full meal for £3.50 to £5 inside, and self-service meals in the food
court out the front at £1.50”, said Mr. Motion. “In direct competition with
nightspots in Ashford and Canterbury, we will be offering an evening out for
young people to suit their tastes and pockets”, he added.
Mr. Motion, whose Epsom-based company has converted
country houses to management centres and Victorian churches to craft and
shopping centres, believes the project can make a profit, guarantee the
structure of the building and bring night life to Folkestone. He says top
priority will be given to quietness on the part of late-night leavers so as not
to antagonise residents. While inside first-class staff will ensure
cleanliness, service and value for money. “We are an investment company here
for a long time – the buck stops with us and the place will be impeccably run”,
he said.
Folkestone Herald
9-5-1986
Local News
Plans to turn the Leas Pavilion Theatre into a leisure club are likely
to go ahead after an application for planning permission was granted this week. The plans
include a dance floor, a bar, snooker and billiards room and a cafe or
restaurant in the former theatre.
Folkestone hotelier Mr. Bob Warburton, who made the application, has
said the cost of changing the theatre into a club will be about £250,000.
Mr. Warburton is expected to sell his share in the Devonshire Hotel in
Marine Parade, Folkestone, which he has run for 20 years. The club
is to be for private members only and to be open from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m.
every day except Saturday when it will stay open until midnight. Live shows and
cabarets will be shown at weekends and the club will be aimed at the teenage
market.
Objections from 48 residents of Folkestone and Hythe and 37 from other
nearby towns have been sent to Shepway’s Planning Department. The residents are
complaining at the loss of the theatre and say there are already enough eating
and drinking houses in Folkestone.
Folkestone Herald
15-5-1987
Advertising Feature
The Leas Pavilion was a restaurant for the gentry in 1902, a silent
movie venue in 1911, and a theatre and concert hall from 1929. Today the
Pavilion has been transformed into a 1980s snooker, pool, tenpin bowling and
cabaret club for a new generation of Folkestonians.
The Pavilion has been brought back to life thanks to the determination
of the Warburton family, who have transformed it from a derelict vandalised
building into an elegant select private club - The Leas Club. Bob and John Warburton, their mother
Norma, and their wives Carol and Bobby took over the Leas and after months of
elbow grease, blood, sweat and tears have restored it to its former glory. The husband and wife teams have had 20
years of the hotel trade tucked under their belts, plus an enthusiasm and love
of Folkestone, strong enough for them to take the plunge and invest in the
club. They first
set eyes on the Pavilion in January, 1986, and knew it suited them down to the
ground. Bobby said: “It was an absolute tip, scenery, props, rubbish everywhere, but we saw the
potential”. Now, 16
months later the Leas Club boasts a snooker room with oak panelled walls, pool
tables, darts, two American style tenpin bowling lanes and facilities to
provide entertainments, bands and a cabaret to private members at a cost of
£35 per year.
Carol explained their choice of decor “We tried to stick to the
Victorian style of the place, in keeping with the original insides. Wherever
we could we tried to save the original fittings and fixtures, like the windows
and ornamentation”, she said. Of course,
there has been a great deal of modernisation, but it has been done with a great
amount of skill, blending in unobtrusively with the surroundings. There are
marbled pillars, wood grained trimmings, lush carpeting throughout, discreet
lighting, arches, and a tasteful green and gold colour scheme - not to mention one modernised very welcome
addition, a 52 foot long bar! In all there is a comfortable relaxed feel to the
whole place, whether you fancy dabbling in some friendly rivalry over a snooker
table or just want to sit and have a quiet drink with friends.
The Warburtons have spent more than £¼ million
restoring the club, a massive sum well spent – especially when you realise that
the original cost to build the Pavilion was only £10,000! Carol said “It has
taken an awful lot of hard work to get it up to scratch, but we would all like
to thank our friends and everyone who helped to get this off the ground”. Bobby
agreed, adding “We are giving Folkestone something back that they have had for
years, but sadly has been left unused”.
Not only can Folkestonians look forward to the
opening of the club on Thursday, May 11, at 10.30 a.m., but they will soon have
an ice cream parlour and tea rooms at the Leas once the Warburtons settle into
the club. The good news is that a whole new generation of Folkestonians will be
able to have the best of both worlds – the grace and elegance of yesteryears at
the Leas Club, while not missing out on all the conveniences and luxuries
modern times have brought us.
Folkestone Herald
31-3-1994
Local News
Burglars stole three gallon bottles filled with coins for
charity from The Leas Club, The Leas, Folkestone. The money totalled more than
£250. A police spokesman said “The bottles are quite heavy and would have been
difficult to carry. The money collected was in small denomination coins and if
any businesses or shops in the area have been asked to change a large amount of
coins into notes they should call us”.
Folkestone Herald
25-1-1996
Local News
A woman had her purse stolen when she left it for a few
minutes in the Leas Club. Owner, Rachael Jackson, of Swan Lane, Sellindge, lost
her driving licence, keys, cash card and £5 cash.
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