A heritage group has launched a fundraising campaign to restore a historic hotel that has been closed to the public for decades.

In its Victorian heyday, the Granville Hotel in Ramsgate entertained high-society guests with its marble skating ring, theatre and ballroom, but the building has since fallen into a state of disrepair.

Heritage Lab CIC hopes to renovate the site as a community arts space, but founder and CEO Rob Kenyon says £25,000 is needed from the public to make it happen.

“We need your help to bring this magnificent, Grade II-listed building back to life for the benefit of our local community for years to come,” said Mr Kenyon.

“Next year we want to get the building reopened as thriving creative centre to provide employment space for local artists, create jobs and to enhance pride in our amazing town.

“We’ve already raised two thirds of the money, but we need the public’s support to get this project over the line.

The renovation would reopen the former ballroom, bar and restaurant of the famous seafront hotel for hosting exhibitions, performances and for community events and conferences.

The lower ground floor will see studios and co-working spaces for local professional artists.

Depending on the size of the amount given, donors will be rewarded with gifts and honours ranging from postcards for £7 donations to naming rights for a donation of £25,000.

For every pound donated, up to £25,000, a grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund will match contributions.

The fundraising push comes off the back of a £77,300 sum awarded to Heritage Lab earlier this year by the Architectural Heritage Fund.

While in May, the community interest company was handed £300,000 from the government’s Levelling Up fund.

Currently unused and in a state of disrepair, the former hotel building forms part of Historic England’s Conservative Areas at Risk and Ramsgate’s Heritage Action Zone.

Designed by EW Pugin - son of Augustus Pugin who designed the interior of the Palaces of Westminster - the prestigious space has not been open to the public for three decades.