Margate was once called the ‘Barbary Coast’. Our seaside town was well known for drunken debauchery enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. This infamous party strip included the Amherst bay front, Washington Ave and portions beach front.
Over time, the barbary coast was dismantled and slowly transformed into sushi bars and million dollar condos.
Today, current Margate leadership is being accused of bringing back this late night debauchery that almost ruined the town.
According to Jersey Shore Night Beat: a number of things led to the end of the Margate Barbary Coast era:
- Increase of DWI arrests and accidents.
- Young woman found dead on a boat from a drug overdose.
- Woman being raped on the beach by a professional athlete.
- August 2007: murder of a British tourist behind one of the bayside bars.
Listen: AUG 15 2024 Margate Commission Meeting about nuisance bars, vomit, public urination, open drinking and late night noise violations being ignored. Clubs allowing people to leave with drinks.
Crazy but true. Margate clubs and bars are still open til 4am. Mayor Collins and the Commissioners can vote to change that, but they prefer not to. Solicitor Abbott implies that law is set in stone?
Even the Margate Business Chamber President Ed Berger admits these party places hurt adjacent property values. Listen to Berger here:
DID YOU KNOW? Mayor Collins still ignoring what amounts to ‘cease and desist’ letters from NJ DEP. Collins allowing bars and restaurants to operate on protected ‘Green Acres’ land and environmentally sensitive public beaches.
NO ZOOM FOR TAXPAYERS: Mayor Collins, Commissioners Horn and Blumberg still blocking live ZOOM video of Margate municipal meetings. Most taxpayers being kept in the dark, especially non-voting 2nd homeowners who pay most of the taxes. Residents keep asking: What is Mayor Collins trying to hide?
Related stories:
Margate Taxpayers Ask For Financials From Business Association.
Margate Solicitor Can’t Count Over Six, Hires Ocean City Atty With Better Math Skills.
Trust the Margate Planning Board?
The good old days.
Yes, there were some sad incidents and nobody wants to return to any of that.
However, a somewhat lively, controlled section of this city is not necessary a bad thing.
With 80% of the population being second home owners and many of them with their “superior attitudes,” this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Margate’s snobby image could use some improvement.
It is the people that need to behave.
Proper law enforcement should be able to achieve this.
It is a few that ruin it for the rest.
This is why I no longer live in Margate. It was also referred to as the “Pearl of the Island.” Sadly, no more.
LONGPORT is the Pearl.
Bars should not be allowed to stay open until 4AM. As my dad always said, be in by midnight, or you’ll wind up regretting staying out later. Nothing good happens after 12AM.
Of course, I was a young person, but what do people do when the clock strikes midnight and they’re still drinking? Nothing good!
If these people are driving or even walking down the streets of town, they are loud, or if driving, dangerous to others.
Margate is a beautiful place to be when all you hear is the sound of the surf and friendly people laughing and conversing.
Why do we need bars ruining things at 4am?
If the citizens were allowed to vote on changing closing time back to 2am instead of 4am.
I don’t think there would be one vote not to go back to 2am.
The crowd coming in after 2 AM are already intoxicated leaving bars that close at 2AM from neighboring areas.
Someone needs to find out how to put this referendum on the ballot for the good and safety of Margate residents and property owners .
I lived along the “Barbary Coast” back in the day. It surely was no time to get a good nights rest when all the bars closed. The noise, the traffic, the drunks who used anyone’s property for an outdoor toilet were events especially on weekends. Margate seems to be moving backward instead of forward
What will Margate become? We live in a town overwhelmed in the summer months by our second homeowners and many visitors. It’s our reality.
This influx causes significant parking problems especially in the bay front restaurant area, a late night disrespect of our neighbor’s property by certain late night bar patrons, a lack of programs for our youth to prevent Club Wa other than a curfew, a variance approved overbuilding in our neighborhoods adding to the crowding and a significant lack of building oversight and enforcement benefiting the “insiders” ( is it six units or twelve).
Our year round residents face a changing environment from infrastructure issues like flooding and a dwindling school enrollment causing our actual cost to educate our students to rise since our costs are mostly fixed. Maury tried to discuss this several years ago.
We will be having a re-appraisal of property assessments very soon and it won’t be pretty for some. Middle class families cannot afford buying in Margate. Our local leaders need to have serious and honest conversations with all of us about the future direction of of community.
The current discussion and approval of a parking lot shows us Collins and Horn believe they know better than the many who spoke out. The Master Plan discussion will be next. Will it be done in the background in the middle of winter? What will Margate become in the future?
Will the “insiders” who will benefit decide? We are on a path towards change. Will we continue to be a residential community by the Sea? Or the land of bars and hotels partying to 4am. Where will we land? Don’t be silent!
🤣🤣🤣 You get what you vote for. I’m sure all the people who think it’s still a good idea to have such crap going on don’t live near it. Wow…what a corrupt town.
Mayor of Margate is for himself, not the majority of the people of Margate.
We need to vote on changes made to the town. Not the mayor just getting what he wants.
Just not fair to the town people’s.
There are noise ordinances in place and they contain references to the time of day noise levels permitted. This is a pretty cool place to live. Casinos open 24 hours a day and even other venues open 24 hours. Obviously many people working those hours. Sorry but not everyone works 9-5. or chooses to sleep the same arbitrary hours. Respect and decent should play out 24 hours a day. JMO