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The Margate hotel bought by indie chart-toppers The Libertines was once ranked "terrible" and among the county's worst.

The Palm Court Hotel in Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, has been snapped up by the band who intend to transform it into a recording studio, bar, restaurant and B&B.

Its hellraising new owners - infamous for sex, drugs and rock and roll - are a far cry from previous management who, on their website, made a point of stating they were a "God-fearing couple" with "strong Christian beliefs".

But band members Peter Doherty, Carl Barat, Gary Powell and John Hassall, along with friend Jai Stanley - who all have a stake in the business, will no doubt hope to improve its past reputation.

According to review site TripAdvisor 57 per cent of guests rated Palm Court "terrible".

Nightmares

Complaints included semen-stained bedding, moldy bathrooms, shabby decor and broken floorboards.

One man even blamed the hotel for giving him his first nightmares in 20 years.

Shocked by the reviews, Kent Live spent the night at Palm Court in April.

The seven-bedroom seafront hotel had been on the market for £500,000 earlier this year with planning permission to convert it into four flats.

With a sauna, hot tub and gym it would also have made a luxury family home, according to estate agent Lovetts.

But the band, who play Margate's Winter Gardens on October 1 as part of a UK tour of seaside towns, have instead gained planning permission to extend the property to incorporate a recording studio.

(Image: TripAdvisor)

Speaking earlier this year singer/guitarist Carl Barat said the venture would be a "hotel, bar, restaurant, recording studio".

He added: "We're jumping through hoops – the last thing we're waiting on is getting the planning permission.

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"If that goes through then we're in business and rolling with a place to make a record, place to rehearse, place to write, a place to do whatever we want really."

It is understood the studio will be available for local musicians to use.