Nightclub to re-open as school for children with special needs

A former nightclub is to get a new lease on life as a school for children with special educational needs. Maidstone council has granted a certificate of prior approval to Earley Springs Ltd, for permission for a change of use at the old Victoria’s Cabaret Club on Ashford Road in Harrietsham. The single-storey building began life as a transport cafe back in the 1950s, but between 1972 and 2019 it was one of the top entertainment venues in the area , hosting stars such as Michael Barrymore and Jim Davidson.

It closed just prior to the pandemic. For a while, the site operated as a car sales business and was then home to Frankie and Finn’s pizza bar, which operated from a cabin in the grounds. Since November 2023, it has been vacant.



Permission had been granted for its demolition and the construction of four homes on the site, but that came to nothing. Its new owners want to open a state-funded special educational needs school taking 60 pupils, looked after by “between 15 and 20 staff”. They plan no external alterations or extensions, and the existing access would remain unchanged.

Earley Springs says the site will provide 21 standard parking bays, one disabled bay and one mini-bus bay, which will be ample as most of the children will arrive by taxi or minibus. The plans include an undercover play area, an open play area and a forest school. Over 1.

6 million pupils in England have special educational needs according to the latest government data, with the most common type of need being those with an autistic spectrum disorder, who often need support with speech, language and communication needs. The council considered that the school would cause less noise disturbance and fewer traffic movements than the permitted use as a nightclub and so should be looked on favourably. However, the council did impose some conditions on the new use.

The school must not open outside of 6am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday, and not at all on Sunday. The school must take no more than 80 pupils - which is more than the applicants were asking for. Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.

Details of the Victoria’s application can be found on the Maidstone council website, under application number 25/500520..