Dover Kent Archives
The "Britannia" is a hexagonal shaped building situated next to the police station today and has a wonderful view over the harbour and one time Jetty, and may add to the claim that this was a hunting lodge belonging to the Cobb's Brewing and Banking family. In the 19th Century was next door to Cobb's Brewery who held the freehold here from at least 1820 to October 1968 when they were bought out by Whitbread, who took just three years to demolish the brewery.
In the early 1900's minstrels would entertain on the forecourt in front of the pub, which is now its car park.
It is said that there are a huge amount of tunnels under the area and the cellar of the "Britannia" also has a tunnel entrance reputed to be used by smugglers leading to the nearby Margate Caves. These tunnels were used as an entrance to the Fort air raid shelters during the two World Wars.
The pub was also used by the rescued heroes landing in Margate after being brought home from Dunkirk 1940.
A projectile smashed through the bedroom window and embedded itself 4 inches in the wall after one of the unsuccessful attempt to blow up the rotting iron remains of the storm damaged jetty.
One time Cobbs tied house. Cobbs were founded in 1673, but Whitbread took them over early 1968 and closed the brewery later that year.
Chris Richford tells me the following:- This pub is next door to Margate police station. In 1968 the remains of the Cobbs brewery buildings were still standing. The original police station was in Margate old town. The new police station had opened in 1966 on the site of the brewery. Mr Cobb, while chairman of the Kent Police Authority had apparently gifted the site to Kent County Council. As they had intended to acquire the old TA centre/fire brigade/ambulance station at Westwood to have one station for the whole of Thanet, the gift kept Broadstairs and Ramsgate stations going for at least another 40 years.
In the 1980s, a skeleton was found under the floorboards inside the pub and used to be displayed, covered by a glass plate, in the main bar.
The pub today (2011) the pub is one of East Kent's Premier Live Music Venues.
The pub was disrupted in August 2019 due to unruly travellers in the location.<1>

Photos of The Britannia Hotel Public House <2> <3>


Kent Online: Oct, 15 2024 - The Britannia Hotel Public House, Fort Hill, is a Grade II listed building (1281659). It dates back to 1828 and closed it’s doors for good in January 2019.
In October 2024, plans were unveiled to turn a former pub famous for serving Britain’s cheapest roast dinner (£1 Sunday roasts) into four flats.
Documents lodged by architects Ian Barber Associates say: “The proposals ensure that the existing building will be complemented by the new works, allowing for a positive addition to the site without detriment to the locality.
“They will improve the living quality and standard of the existing building and future occupiers, while not unacceptably intruding into the landscape and street scene or the listed building.”
Developers promise to retain the existing historical features of the 19th century public house, including an internal flint wall.
They also hope to reinstate some which have been lost throughout the pub’s lifetime such as sash windows, and remove modern partition walls.
The architects add: “There have been various alterations to the existing building over time, not all in character with the age and style of the property, consisting of extensions to the front side and rear, with many unsympathetic internal alterations.
“These new plans will provide life to the site and period building, and reinvigorate its continued use.”
The apartments will all have three bedrooms, as will the houses.
Behind the white castle-style wall at the front of the building, it is hexagonal in shape and has an incredibly rich history.
It was once owned by Cobbs Brewery, which made beer at an adjoining site demolished in the 1960s to make way for Margate police station.
It is rumoured the cellar connects to the Margate Caves and tunnels used by smugglers, and the tavern was used to house soldiers rescued from Dunkirk.
A skeleton was found under the floorboards in the 1980s and the publican of the time covered the portion of the floor with glass and displayed it.
Newspaper article reference restoring the Fort Road Hotel, Margate, back to it's former glory.

Ordinance Survey, 1872, Margate - Kent XXV 4_17 (Map). SKE56389.

<1> Dover Kent Archives, 2020, The Britannia Hotel Public House, Margate (Website). SKE57162.

<2> Margate Local History, 2024, The Britannia Hotel Public House, Margate (Website). SKE57161.

<3> Margate Local History, 2024, The Britannia Hotel Public House, Margate (Website). SKE57160.