The Tollgate Hotel (also referred to as the Toll Gate Inn, Tollgate Motel or Europa Lodge[1]) was a large roadside inn and hotel at the junction of the A2 (Watling Street) and Wrotham Road (A227) near Gravesend, Kent.[2]
Historical records for the Tollgate Hotel, or the Turnpike Gate Inn, show an inn on the site by the mid-1820s.[3] In 1922 the original “Toll Gate Inn” was demolished to widen the A2; it was replaced by a new 1923 “roadhouse” inn[4] designed by the George Clay Partnership.[5][3] This mock-Tudor style building (in the north-west corner of the site) – along with later flat-roofed hotel wings – survived for many decades.[6] During World War II the complex served as a local battle headquarters and anti-invasion defence point.[7] In 1971 the hotel was enlarged by 60 bedrooms[8] and rebranded as the Tollgate Motel/Europa Lodge.[9] Later 20th-century planning records also note granted (but unbuilt) extensions in 1994 and 2002. In all known records the site operated as a hotel (Class C1)[10] until its closure; it was part of the Russell’s Brewery tied estate[11][12][13] (later inheriting Truman company ownership).[14]
Aerial view of the Tollgate Hotel in 2003
Throughout its existence, the Tollgate complex was mostly a mid-20th-century structure. The only architecturally “historic” elements dated from the 1920s rebuild or later 1970s additions – there are no intact Victorian features. Planning documents describe the former hotel’s restaurant/reception block as “Mock Tudor style” and note the flat-roofed two-storey bedroom blocks.
By 2006 the Tollgate Motel had fallen out of use.[15] The Highways Agency compulsorily purchased the 2.5‑acre site in November 2006 (for £4.85 million)[16] to facilitate the Bean-to-Cobham A2 widening.[17] The hotel was then partly used as a works depot:[18] planning permission was granted in late 2006 for Skanska (the A2 contractors)[19] to use the buildings as temporary site offices until the new A2 opened in 2009.[20][21][3] A motel wing at the south end was demolished to construct a new coast-bound slip road, together with two nearby cottages (Shrimp Brand Cottages). Thereafter all hotel operations ceased and the property remained unused, fenced and guarded.[15] The vacant site has been described as "aneyesore"[22] that has required continuous security (fencing, patrols and alarms).[15]
As of 2025 the site remains largely derelict.[23] The remaining buildings are scheduled for demolition.[24]
Timeline
Major dates and events for the Tollgate site include:
c.1827: Original Toll Gate Inn (or Turnpike Gate Inn) established on Watling Street.[25][3]
1922–23: Old inn demolished for A2 road widening; rebuilt as Tollgate Inn (a “roadhouse”‑style pub) in 1923.[3]
1939: (Brewing change) Russell’s Brewery (local tied estate owner) taken over by Truman’s.
1971: Extended by 60 rooms[8] and rebranded Tollgate Motel/Europa Lodge.[9]
1994: Large extension (63 rooms with swimming pool) granted planning permission (not implemented).
Jan 2014: Gravesham Borough Council approves BP/McDonald’s scheme[35] despite massive public opposition (1784‑signature petition, 366 letters).[36]
February - June 2014: Judicial Review by adjacent Tollgate Service Station owner (Simon Privett)[37][31] quashes the 2014 permission[38] for Green Belt policy failings.[31][39]
July 2015: Revised BP/McDonald’s application granted by council after further objections.[40]
August 2015 - March 2016: Privett again wins Judicial Review (permission quashedu over planning report error). BP withdraws this application in November 2017.
March 2016: BP Oil UK submits new application (20160215) for petrol filling station only on western part of site.
February 2018: Gravesham approves the BP-only scheme. Privett appeals and Inspector rescinds permission (citing hotel reuse potential).
2019: Highways England finally proceeds with sale to BP UK (contract became unconditional after planning delays).[26][41]
August 2024: BP’s EV-charging arm (BP Pulse) and Marks & Spencer announce plans for a combined fuel/E‑charging station with M&S Simply Food on the site.
March 2025: Official application submitted for a service hub (24 EV bays, petrol pumps, M&S shop, Wild Bean Café); hundreds of residents publicly support it, but the determination is delayed by an objection from National Highways.[23]
The site and its surroundings
The former Tollgate Hotel site in 2006.
The Tollgate site (2.5 ha) lies on the east side of Wrotham Road/Watling Street at the south end of Gravesend.[15][39] At closure it comprised a cluster of Tudor-imitative and flat-roofed motel buildings (restaurant/reception block in mock-Tudor style,[29] plus L-shaped bedroom wings and a function-room unit). The complex fronted onto the old A2 slip road; a southern wing and two cottages were removed for the new A2 slip.[29]
The adjacent roads were reconfigured by the A2 Bean - Cobham scheme: the coast-bound slip was realigned (access now to Cyclopark) and the M2/Wrotham Road roundabout and local junctions adjusted. A former arable field to the east (used for A2 spoil storage) remained undeveloped.[42]
Community events
On 18 November 2002, the Northfleet, Swanscombe and Greenhithe Lions Club held a presentation evening at the Tollgate Hotel, distributing £2,500 in cash donations to seven local charities, including Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Services, PHAB (Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied) and Dartford and Swanley Mencap’s drop-in centre in Gravesend.[43]
Sporting records
Historical photograph of the Tollgate Hotel in 1988.
In August 1986, local runner Kim Stanley set what was then thought to be the first recorded “Fastest Known Time” for the 78mi (126km) Wealdway, starting from outside the Tollgate Hotel, Gravesend, on 23 August and finishing in Eastbourne 15 h 23 min later.[44]
Security
A 2016 planning report noted that the site was “fenced off, secure and patrolled”,[45] but otherwise had been "left to decay" with "grounds…unmanaged".[46] Highways England explained that security was needed because "vacant properties can be an easy target for vandals and trespassers," and that keeping the site secured helped keep it "in a condition fit for purchase while the sale was negotiated".[15]
Security of the hotel grounds included perimeter fencing and continuous patrols. According to local reports, the operation was overseen by the facilities contractor Mitie Group plc. Highways England confirmed that costs covered both a posted guard and electronic monitoring equipment. In practice this meant a 24/7 on-site security guard (employed via Mitie) and associated electronic security kit including CCTV cameras, alarms, etc.[45] In summary, the security set-up comprised:
Manned guard: A Mitie security officer continuously on-site.[26]
Electronic security: Hired surveillance equipment (cameras/alarms) to monitor the grounds.
Fencing and patrols: High fencing around the perimeter with regular patrols.[45]
Between 2014 and mid-2019, Highways England paid Mitie a total of £221,417.56 for security services on the Tollgate site.[26] This expenditure was broken down as follows:
Total security spend: £221,417.56 (paid to Mitie Group PLC).[26]
Highways England share: £121,417.56 (covering Nov 2014 – May 2019).[15]
Purchaser’s contribution: £100,000 (covered by BP Oil UK, the eventual buyer).
The buyer’s £100,000 contribution was provided before completion of the sale: it paid security at £1,000 per week from December 2017 to December 2018[26] and £2,000 per week from December 2018 to May 2019.[26] After accounting for this, Highways England's net spend was £121,417.56[15] from November 2014 to May 2019. The FOI notes that "these costs also included the hire of the electronic security equipment, in addition to the posting of a guard".[26]
Redevelopment proposals
Since closure, multiple redevelopment schemes have been proposed. The first major bid (2013) was by BP Oil UK to demolish the derelict hotel and build a BP petrol station on half the site and a drive-thru McDonald’s[47] on the other half. Gravesham Borough Council’s planning board actually approved this scheme in January 2014 despite extensive local opposition (1784‑signature petition, 366 letters of objection).[48] However, a judicial review by the owner of the neighboring station (Simon Privett) successfully quashed the permission in June 2014.[39] BP re-submitted essentially the same plan later in 2014. It was again approved (July 2015)[39] but again overturned by Privett’s 2015 appeal. Facing repeated defeats, BP ultimately withdrew its BP/ McDonald’s application in November 2017.[29]
In the meantime BP lodged a new application (Ref. 20160215) in March 2016[49] for a standalone BP Connect petrol filling station and shop on the western part of the former hotel site. This plan would clear all existing buildings (demolishing the 1920s core and extensions)[50] and retain the eastern portion as a grassed “future development” area.[29] The 2016 application generated similarly large objection (nearly 1,000 letters by 2017) primarily from the Privett-affiliated Tollgate Service Station and local residents, who cited Green Belt,[51] traffic, noise and redundancy of another fuel point (given the adjacent garage). Gravesham’s board approved the BP-only scheme in February 2018,[52] but Simon Privett, again, challenged it. In mid-2018 a High Court judgment rescinded the permission on Green Belt grounds, quashing the council’s decision. With that “third” attempt foiled, the site remained unsold for several more years. In 2019 Highways England finally agreed to proceed with the sale to BP (their conditional contract was made unconditional as planning hurdles persisted).[53] The physical site continues to sit empty under BP’s ownership, with only the adjacent roads and parkland altered since the 2000s.
Most recently (2024–25) BP’s electric-vehicle charging division (bp pulse) and Marks & Spencer have proposed a new mixed service station concept. In August 2024 they revealed plans for a “flagship” service hub: a BP station with 6 islands and forecourt, 24 EV charging bays, an M&S Simply Food outlet and Wild Bean Café.[23][54][55] Public consultation showed substantial support: hundreds of local residents expressed backing for converting the “eyesore” site to new use. In early 2025 BP formally submitted a planning application to demolish all remaining hotel buildings and build the combined petrol/EV station with the M&S shop.[23] If approved, the redevelopment is expected to create about 30 jobs and attract more visitors to Gravesend.[23] However, as of spring 2025 the decision is pending: National Highways has lodged a statutory objection concerning motorway access.[23]
↑ Gravesend & Darent Valley Branch of CAMRA. "Tollgate Motel, Gravesend". CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale). Campaign for Real Ale. Gravesend & Darent Valley Branch of CAMRA. p.1. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22.
↑ "The Cyclopark has a dedicated entrance / exit onto the Wrotham Road on what was the former coast bound slip road onto the old A2 and which serves also as an access to a number of residential properties in Wrotham Road and to the Tollgate service station"Cyclopark Commuter Car Parking Application | Gravesham Borough Council
↑ Skelton, Paul (2022-12-01). "TOLL GATE Pub of Gravesend". Dover-Kent.com. Paul Skelton. Paul Skelton. p.1. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
↑ "GR/2006/0866: Planning permission was granted for a temporary change of use of the field adjacent to the Tollgate Hotel as a storage/stock compound in connection with the A2 road widening scheme. This was on 2.7 hectare (6.6 acres of agricultural land. This was required to be reinstated upon completion of the A2 road works and this has now been carried out."Applications GR/2010/0463 & 0464: Activity Park Lighting and Usage, Gravesend
↑ "Lions hand over cash to charities". News Shopper. Newsquest Media Group Limited (published 2002-11-18). Newsquest Media Group Limited. 18 November 2002 [2002-11-18]. p.1. Archived from the original on 2025-05-24. Retrieved 2002-11-18.
↑ Stanley, Kim (1986-08-23) [1986-08-23]. "Running the Wealdway". Kent Ultra Runners Quarterly. 2 (3). Fastest Known Time LLC: 12–15. Archived from the original on 2025-05-23.
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