Get creative with the Leas Lift Colouring Competition! We’re inviting artists of all ages to take part in a special Colouring Competition. Local illustrator Tom Bradshaw / ScribeYak has created a brilliant drawing of the historic lift and its journey to restoration – now it’s your turn to bring it to life with colour, imagination, and flair! […]

Read our short interview with Leas Lift Hero, and illustrator, Tom Bradshaw. Tell us who you are and what you do for a living. Hi, my name is Tom Bradshaw. I’m an illustrator and scribe artist. You moved to Folkestone not too long ago, if I remember correctly. What do you love most about living […]

As restoration work continues on Folkestone’s historic Leas Lift, the charity has appointed a Content Marketing Officer to ensure audiences stay informed and engaged throughout the project. George Cory joins the team with a strong background in communications, having previously worked at creative organisations in Kent, including the Gulbenkian Arts Centre and Creative Folkestone. With a […]

East Kent College Folkestone and Leas Lift are thrilled to present an exhibition of Level 3 Year 2 Art & Design students work. The exhibition explores the cultural, historical, and architectural significance of the region’s iconic Funicular Lift, which has long been a symbol of the town’s relationship with the sea and its evolving urban […]

Folkestone’s Leas Lift has reached its first major milestone in the restoration programme after the two carriages were lifted from the track by crane, ready for refurbishment.  The Grade II* Listed funicular railway, which closed in 2016, is being brought back to life thanks to a £6.7 million fundraising campaign, which included £4.8 million from […]

As restoration work at Folkestone’s Leas Lift is set to begin, the charity has appointed a Community Engagement Manager to ensure local people are kept informed and feel part of the efforts to re-open the iconic Lift. Yaz Norris has more than 10 years’ experience working in arts charities and heritage projects, most recently as […]

The big question we get asked all the time is ‘When is work going to start on the restoration?’. There’s always a lot going on behind the scenes so to understand more, we sat down with Luke Brown, project manager at AtkinsRéalis and Jo Streeter, chair of the Leas Lift Build Committee. Can you summarise […]

The restoration of Folkestone’s Leas Lift has taken a major step forward with the appointment of a principal contractor for the construction work. Following a thorough tender process, Bexley-based Apex Contractors has been awarded the contract, which is worth more than £5m. Over the next three months, Apex will be working alongside the project team […]

The new team behind The Lift Café – pictured above from left to right are Tony Knell, Dean Rowland and Kat White from the Little Coffee Shed – are now firmly installed in their new home. While the main building is being restored, the café is operating from a temporary container at the entrance to […]

A curator and cultural consultant with an international reputation has joined the Board of Trustees for Folkestone’s Leas Lift. Lewis Biggs OBE has been appointed to the volunteer Board that is supporting the restoration and re-opening of the Lift. A Folkestone resident for the past 10 years, he was curator of Creative Folkestone Triennial in […]

Folkestone’s Leas Lift has been voted as one of the UK’s favourite seaside places and experiences. The Seaside Heritage Network has revealed the Leas Lift made number five in its Bucket and Spade List of the Top Ten favourite seaside places and experiences, voted for by members of the public. Comments from voters included ‘It’s […]

Due the popularity of the Lift Café and the wish to retain a point of information about the Leas Lift project to the public, the Folkestone Leas Lift CIO has decided to continue a small scale food & drink offering in a temporary container on site whilst construction and restoration works to the existing Lift buildings are ongoing.