Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Hedge/Funds

Time for some other news methinks, and I'm indebted to reader Steve for highlighting a couple of stories in today's excellent yourthanet newspaper - available free in the corner of all your favourite local stores, usually behind the twelve boxes of Haribo.

It seems that Thanet Earth, who are building the world's largest greenhouse on the outskirts of the isle and who pride themselves on their green credentials, have grubbed up part of a commemorative 'Millennium Hedge' for access reasons. They say they'll restore it once they've completed construction so, er, watch that space.

And speaking of empty spaces, those nice Turnip people have announced they are pleased with the 153 visitors a day they've been getting for their latest exhibition at the Turner Contemporary Project Space, or the old M&S to you and me. What a load of pants. I must say, on the occasions I've walked past it's been completely deserted apart from the staff, with passers-by muttering: 'What a f*cking waste of money.'

Still, eventually it'll attract heaps more tourists than Dreamland ever did, I'm sure.

Click here for Thanet Earth story in yourthanet
Click here for Turnip story in yourthanet
Empty Space

13 comments:

Observer said...

I expect those 153 people thought they were going onto M & S to buy some knickers or tights or whatever M & S sell now.
Dreamland is now the biggest tourist attraction in Thanet with hundreds of folks on a macabre tour of burnt out sites in Thanet, this tour is about three weeks long so allow plenty of time.
( Not for the faint hearted )

Anonymous said...

That is 153 including passers by.

Is it right that William Hill is running a book on the next Thanet unfortunate fire site ?

Will it be another former London borough care home bought to offload social care and health costs on to the resort (The First Avenue area Cliftonville) ?

Will it be a seafront location ?

The Nayland Rock ? The Winter Gardens ? Arlington House ? The Railway Station ?

Or the site which used to be called M and S ?

Now you see the logic of claiming 153 visitors. The Tivoli job only required ten persons to run whilst the petrol was poured.

They are hoping that the arsonists will baulk at expecting 153 to vamoose.

Anonymous said...

My money is squarely on the former Casino on the seafront at Ramsgate. Then the Motor Museum.

On the subject of Turner Contemporary, I was one of the 153 per day who attended. It seems a bit churlish to dismiss something positive that is happening in Margate because it doesn't fit inside your personal experience. I'm not saying it was good or anything, just that it was at least something that people might visit in Margate.

Anonymous said...

I rather enjoyed it. It is very imaginative and interesting. I'm glad they are getting a lot of people. Despite the determined spoily sports attempts to trash it. Just cos you don't understand art.

Anonymous said...

Agree, I regularly walk past, the place is always empty, and the only people inside are the attendants. TDC must be talking the numbers up. Presumably it must be just curious people visiting after shopping at Primark. Everyone I have spoken to locally think the place is a complete waste of money.

Anonymous said...

I hear A LOT of local opinion and every time you mention the Turner it gets a groan.
It's the number one sticking point on the Isle - of that there can be no denying.

Did they talk the numers up?
Who knows...
But I will say this: if they were found to be lying then they'd be in the shit and personally, I just don't think they'd have the balls to tell porkies about it.

Anonymous said...

Get over it, some people in Margate like art, shock horror.

Anonymous said...

Yes - but £25m worth of people (not including the cost of buying the M&S site and all the ongoing costs for the TC)?

Anonymous said...

As i understand it the M&S building is on loan to TC from the council which when sold on the council stands to make a profit with which to reinvest.

Michael Child said...

Anonymous I think it just possible that shop property in Margate could be not such a good investment.

Anonymous said...

Ah, but after a good fire...!

Anonymous said...

Hello Michael, i take your point but the value of the land on which it sits and the future plans for Margate, to which the likes of you and i aren't privy.

Anonymous said...

I walk past here twice every day, the most visitors I've ever seen has been half a dozen, often it's just the curators reading books or being chatted up by some lonely artist (the most attention a local artist gets from the TC).
If this show did an eight hour day, which it doesn't, there should be just over 19 in there every hour, which there plainly isn't.
Given that the TC is already at least 10 million quid up, plus the 2.5 million for this space that works out at an daily audience of "153" developed over ten years for £3434 for each and every day. And that's an incredibly gentle use of figures... anyone got more exact ones?