Village in the Isle of Thanet, Kent, between Margate and Birchington. It boasts two beaches which face out onto the North Sea. These are, from west to east, West Bay and St. Mildred's Bay.
The village itself grew up opposite the train station on one side of the 'High Street'. The shops in the middle of the street have traditional corrugated iron balconies sheltering the pavement. In this collection of shops, you will find two greengrocer's, a small supermarket, a gift shop and a grott shop.
At the Margate end of the High Street, one can find a tandoori, an electricals shop, a barbershop and a pet shop. Next to the station lie a garden centre and a beauty salon at one end, with an estate agency, fish and chip shop and newsagent at the other.
Opposite the station, one can find two newsagents, a bank and a copy-shop.
At the Birchington end of the High Street is a junction, leading left to the main road linking Birchington to Margate, straight ahead to a laundrette, and right to another shopping area of the village.
Following this road down towards the seafront between West Bay and St. Mildred's Bay, one can find a cinema, estate agency and optician's on the left, with two pharmacies, a post office, a gift shop and a video rental shop on the right.
At the bottom of this road, one finds a junction to the main road leading through Westgate. On the left hand side of this road is the doctor's surgery.
Westgate-on-sea is a main-line station, through which all trains coming from London to Ramsgate or vice-versa must pass.
West Bay is the quieter of the two beaches, and boasts a traditional café-cum-ice cream parlour, which still sells Wall's ice cream with wafers. Overlooking the beach are many retirement homes.
St. Mildred's Bay is more well-known and boasts two cafés, although Pav's Garden Café seems to be more successful than its competitor. The local café owns land near the bay and is making a pretty penny with its golf putting course and tennis courts, which are always popular with tourists.
On the East cliffs of St. Mildred's Bay, once can find the Sunken Garden which is a favourite spot for old bowls enthusiasts.
During WW2, Westgate was an air base, and the grassy area near St. Mildred's Bay, which is now used for recreation, was a short airstrip. There is a plaque on the promenade testifying to this fact.