Nearly a million people who visited Margate in the past five years headed straight to the Turner Contemporary, it has been revealed.

The figures were released after academics at the Canterbury Christ Church University studied the amount of revenue coming from guests visiting the Turner.

It prompted a visit from a government minister this morning.

MP Matt Hancock, who is the minister for digital and cultural affairs, spent the morning looking at the exhibitions on display and greeting some of the artists whose works are featured there.

The social value report was revealed at a reception hosted by MP for North Thanet Sir Roger Gale at the House of Commons on Monday, October 31.

The paper showed how the Turner Contemporary has been a source of social and economic regeneration within Margate.

More than 960,000 visits to the town over the past five years are thought to have been by people with the sole intention of going to the gallery and subsequently spend time and money in the town centre.

Money being spent by visitors while they are in the town is also going straight back into the economy.

“Five years into its development, Turner Contemporary continues to lead on the regeneration of Margate and following our social value report it’s clear that the gallery has achieved so much more than was expected...” - Matthew Hancock, Culture Minister

From 2015 to 2016 more than £7.8 million of additional funds were generated by visitors to the centre of culture.

Bosses have also taken the opportunity to work with primary schools in the area to transform green spaces closeby to their classrooms into creative zones.

Young Arts Leaders lobbied members at the Thanet District Council to allow them permission to go ahead with the project.

The youngsters work with representatives from the gallery, who go into the schools, on a Friday afternoon to develop their own idea of what the perfect space would look like.

The minister had a tour of the galleries and was also taken to the artist studios and cultural spaces in the town.

Chair of the Turner Contemporary, Clive Stevens, believes today was an occasion to think about what is next.

He said: “It’s brilliant to welcome a visit from the Minister of State for Digital and Culture.

“Five years into its development, Turner Contemporary continues to lead on the regeneration of Margate and following our social value report it’s clear that the gallery has achieved so much more than was expected.”

Mr Hancock also met creative entrepreneurs to give his backing to this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign.

He visited Resort Studios in Cliftonville, Margate, which will be holding a Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 3 to celebrate the initiative.

The site is a collective of creative professionals with individual studios, shared facilities, workshop areas and exhibition space.

Now in its fourth year, Small Business Saturday saw £623 million spent in small firms across the UK last year.

Mr Hancock said: “The UK’s creative, digital and cultural businesses make a significant contribution not only to our economy but also to our way of life.

“Many of them are small, independent companies and so it’s important to celebrate them as part of this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign and I urge people to get out and give them their support on Saturday, December 3 and in the run-up to Christmas.”