Thursday, January 22, 2009

A Wood Night In Ramsgate

Not since the 70s has the seafront here in the Millionaires' Playground done such brisk trade! A steady stream of white vans, estates and flat bed trucks advertising 'professional building services' has been heading down Marina Road since dusk, all returning with bootloads, roofloads, even strapped-on loads of wood! Shed loads, in fact.

And there you have it. Forget spending millions on a Turnip Centre. Forget EU money to turn our lovely lido into a car park. Forget luxury apartments on the burnt out Pleasurama site. Nope, what will really bring the punters in, even on a cold, wet January night, is a few free planks of four by two!

Click here for story on BBC News website


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for Peter Checkfield to take some more photos on the beach so I can go down there and say "I've got wood".

Anonymous said...

Nahhh

The Belgian Bar is offering a good deal, buy two big breakfasts and get a bag of nails free.

An advertisement seen in a london station states if you want experience of building items in wood you can get shed loads of experience on the main sands of Ramsgate.

Anonymous said...

I heard that extra police were brought in to try to stop the timber importation.

Some oik is now offering his spoils on ebay as "Copper Beach Wood"

Anonymous said...

Wood nicker "Oh hullo copper what's your attitude towards someone thieving this wood to make a little cabin then ?"

Copper "Zero tolerance"

Woodnicker "That'll never work gotta leave a bit of expansion gap"

Anonymous said...

Wood nicker "Oh hullo hullo what sort of copper is this catching me in the act of nicking beach wood"

Copper "Well a gay copper actually and your chances of getting away with the wood relate to how good you are at tongue and groove"

Anonymous said...

Just when you thought it could not get worse

Copper: What are you doing there ?

Woodnicker: Obtaining some timber

Copper: What for ?

Woodnicker: CGP

Copper: What do they want it for ?

Woodnicker: Summink about building a case to prop up share values mate

Copper: Are you taking the p-ss ?

Woodnicker: No timber mate see ya

Anonymous said...

Nothing to do with this strand - apologies for that - but interesting that the two Tory Councillor blogs - belonging to Ken Gregory and Simon Moores - both now will not take anonymous comments. And Ken has introduced comment moderation too.

Clearly the Tory Group are viewing blogs as a local activity over which they must take concerted decisions and approaches.

Anonymous said...

The trouble with the Tory blogs is that they become a magnet for everyone who hates the Tories - of which there are many in these parts.

At least on ECR you can say what you like as long as you keep it clean and don't defame anyone (except ECR of course who seems to enjoy being abused).

A J Ovenden said...

Yesterday was really a day of confusion. First you are not allowed on the beach, then you are.

It may have looked over the top but TDC had to assess the risk and public safety comes first.

As for stealing the wood, give it a few more days and anyone removing the wood will be doing a public service.

Ken Gregory said...

Anon 0925.

I have introduced moderation for the simple reason that I am unable to access the internet for a couple of days after today. I would hate to let some people use my blog as a forum to abuse others. Apologies to regular posters. I will regularly check by blackberry and update/post.

Anonymous said...

While waiting for the bus in Broadstairs four vans/lorries passed me loaded down with timber. Only problem is it's saturated with salt water so will take months to dry out. If anyone is having building work done it might be a good idea to ask to see the receipt for any timber as this lot will warp in no time.

Linda said...

How about a wooden Turnip Centre. Would save millions on materials and it would be ecologically green as well............ still I expect some will be stacked somewhere as an art exhibit !!

Peter C said...

Anon 11:28, Several more women want to do photoshoots for me, but they're waiting until the weather gets warmer & dryer! Still always looking for more volunteers though...

As for anonymous comments, I still allow them on my own blog, but they're more limited in what they can & can't say compared to those people brave enough to reveal their true identity.

Anonymous said...

Cllr.Gregory seems happy to let abusive e-mails referring to 'Labour scum' stay on his blog so I fail to see what difference his being unable to check his site for a couple of days will make.

Anyway, this has nothing to do with the bonanza for white van man of free 4x2 timber. Will there be lots of new fences going up or could it be used for roofing?