Blueberry Homes: Ramsgate prepares to celebrate 200 years of its unique Royal Harbour status

Festivities in Ramsgate will take place from September 24 to 26, to celebrate the town's Royal Harbour status.

After enjoying his time in the town so much following an international trip to Hanover, Germany via Ramsgate, King George IV, on his return, gifted the harbour Royal ascent. 2021 marks 200 years since King George IV officially declared Ramsgate harbour as 'Royal' in 1821.

A grand 200th anniversary festival will occur over three days around the beachfront and harbour area. The main event includes the Royal Navy bringing two of their fleet to the harbour, and the world-famous Tall Ship 'The Royalist' will be in the harbour. It will also host the delayed 80th-anniversary celebrations of the WWII ‘Little Ships' Dunkirk repatriation.

There will be parades and activities going on in Ramsgate's inner harbour, as well as the Harbour Parade in front of The Royal Victoria Pavilion and parts of Ramsgate Main Sands.

There will be an opportunity for children to operate a multi-million-pound submarine simulator supplied by the Royal Navy, alongside a major funfair, market stalls, costumed walks, vintage vehicles, music and entertainment and a variety show called 'The Royal Harbour of Ramsgate Gala Show.' The Royal Cadets will also be bringing an 80 piece band, plus carnivals from around Kent will be parading through the town and seafront area.

The festival coincides with a time for huge promise and regeneration for Ramsgate. The town has been recently ranked as the number one out of 20 seaside towns from the UK to relocate to by a national property market report by propertymarket-index.com for its accessibility, travel time to London, price growth, value for money, culture and maritime heritage, cleanliness, beaches and education.

Amanda Collison, a spokeswoman for the propertymarket-index.com said: "There is the £50 million Royal Sands Ramsgate beachfront development from Blueberry Homes which includes luxury apartments with uninterrupted sea views, a 60 bedroom boutique hotel, a promenade, leisure, retail, and café culture is one of a number of regeneration projects going on locally.”

The festival will also be helping to raise funds towards the completion of a bronze statue of King George IV, which will stand right beside the Royal Harbour as a permanent landmark.

Sculptor, Dominic Grant, planned to gift the statue to Ramsgate once finished but sadly passed away before he could do so in November 2020. £60,000 is needed to complete the bronze casting of the statue and provide site groundworks and a plinth.

Festival Director, Ralph Hoult, said he wants to use the historic festival to get behind completing the funding for finishing the bronze statue.

"We have been talking directly to the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent about whether we could get young Prince George to unveil the late King George IV statue sometime after the 200th-anniversary festival."

Developers, Blueberry Homes, who are behind the Royal Sands Ramsgate development, are one of the main sponsors. Ralph Hoult is pleased to have the luxury property development onboard:

"We're thankful for the sponsorship from Royal Sands Ramsgate and its developer Blueberry Homes. We are very grateful for their support, as well as their efforts to help us with our fundraising project and commitments to the regeneration of Ramsgate.”

A Blueberry Homes spokesperson said: "We're proud to be a part of such a historic and exciting event, Ramsgate is such an amazing town.

"Of all our developments, we have never seen so much demand as there is for the Royal Sands beachfront development. It's a real testament to the area and its appeal that we've managed to sell all the first phase off-plan during COVID, and we're seeing a similar pattern now we've launched the second phase."