Folkestone's historic 1885 Leas Lift was closed when the lease expired on June 30, 2009. It had been operating since the end of 1967 under Folkestone Borough Council, now known as Shepway District Council. The reason for closure was operating costs of £90,000 a year, whith only £30,000 revenue from passengers.

Although it has not yet been officially announced by Charles Evans, agent to Lord Radnor, I can exclusively reveal that at least two members of the new not-for-profit community-led group whick will take over overall operations of the Leas Lift when it reopens, will be ex-Ticker Collector Eamonn Rooney who worked on the lift for 12 years before retiring in February 2009 at the age of 65.

Also part of this new group will be ex Town Councellor Terry Begent, who retired from editing the Go Folkestone magazine towards the end of 2009.

Furthermore, at the end of the meeting at the Quarterhouse on May 18, discussing seafront development, Trevor Minter spokesman for DeHann's Charitable Trust revealed that DeHann's charitable trust has donated money towards this new Leas Lift group, and the amount is reliably described as being several thousand pounds.