FORMER reality TV star "Nasty" Nick Bateman, who found notoriety in the first Big Brother, has plans to open a new private members' club in Margate.

Mr Bateman who already owns several properties in Thanet, was spotted in town viewing The Constitutional Club in Cecil Square as a potential site for his new venture.

Mr Bateman, who wrote the bestseller How To Be A Complete Bastard, hopes the "upmarket" club will entice stylish and "raffish bounders" such as himself to the town.

The club requires substantial investment to return it to its former glory but "Nasty Nick", who has profited handsomely from his 15 minutes of fame, believes he has deep enough pockets for the project.

He said: "I think an upmarket club based on the Soho House private members' club in London would be perfect for The Constitutional.

"Just because it is called a private members' club doesn't mean people who are not rich enough or stylish enough to join will be barred. Not at all. It would be open to absolutely everyone but you just have to sign up and pay a subscription.

"The aim would be to make it as up-market as possible but I honestly believe with the Turner Contemporary opening soon there will be all sorts of creative types arriving in Margate who will want somewhere civilised and stylish to go to hang out and chat to like-minded people."

Nick expects many more authors and artists to be attracted to Thanet during the next decade.

He said: "The Turner Contemporary is the best thing to happen to Margate since Dreamland opened in the 1950s.

"The more people who come to see it will mean the more people who look across the bay and fall in love with the beautiful views that Turner himself once enjoyed. The future for Margate is bright and I plan to invest in that future."