Having been put in charge of thumb twiddling this week (with special responsibility for arse scratching), I thought I'd don my CelebProtect™ Kevlar stab vest and point my immensely powerful motorcycle and commensurately miniscule dangly bits in the direction of the Smoke (Margate) yesterday evening.The Anthea Turner Centre, due to open in 2010 or 2011 depending on which statement by that ruddy faced man from KCC you believe, is already beginning to dominate the skyline, serving as a beacon of hope for Bentley loving architects, builders, developers of luxury apartments and arts consultants for miles around. That said, it really is quite impressive. Although the inhabitants of the 5 star Fort Road Hotel and Arcadian gated development opposite look set to be robbed of their sea views. And future visitors might well be put out by the trundlings of Margate's Thunderbirds-style lifeboat which will still have to go past the front of the gallery to launch.
There's only hoarding to see from the pointlessly de-dualled Fart Hill, but if you sneak round the front, as I did, you get a much better view:
Cleary the place is going to be well-appointed for khazis with all this pipework they're putting in:
Let's hope the millions of visitors they predict spend more than just a penny!
22 comments:
Given Margate's further demise in the last couple of years, will the Turner Centre be an expensive folly goading and sneering at the surrounding poverty or a beacon of hope for the future?
Morrisons are putting on a free bus to go to morrisons in canterbury while the refit is on.
The turner is the hope Margate needs and i am sure it will be fantastic.
Ahh Eastcliff old bean, if i had known you were going to be in these parts i would of prepared some kedgeree for sustenance and petrol for some margate based fun! (right readers!) ...did you have a chance to cast the old monocle over the small but perfectly formed glimpse photo show on the harbour?...
Hi ECR,
I'm afraid you have made a dreadful mistake. Those aren't sewage pipes. They're the main exhibit for the new gallery. It's by a Margate artist called Ray C. Lemon and the work is entitled "Margate is full of sh*t"
To tell the truth, 5:19, I was rather put off by the hut-dwelling crone waving a sign demanding a British quid for parking the bike, which has roughly the footprint of a perambulator. In the olden days (last year) I could ride the old throbber to the end of the pier, park up, and enjoy a Woodbine and the sunset - all for gratis!
That's tongue in cheek surely Peter?
I think the Turner Centre would make a super Thanet Museum and vistor centre - don't see why all the space should be for works of art
You're all out tonight I see.
Book burning starts tomorrow??!!
ECR, notice you didn't answer the question about the Glimpse exhibition? Surely you didn't go all the way to the dark side without?
Jean my love...you are surely missing the best bit of Margate, the Old Town, new shops, galleries and cafes opening up there, gorgeous...stop writing Margate off everyone and start supporting us. Thanks
Yes.why has the pier been turned into a giant car park(surely the weight of all those cars 4x4's etc is too much weight).On sunday they were chaging £6 a day to park,when in the town parking is free on a sunday!My family and I went for a walk to see the exibition(which was very good)but wes spoilt by car fumes and my little dog nearly got run over-I thought the pier was supposed to be developed for arts,cafe's etc -not a bloody car park!
write to TDC, especially Derek Harding and ask him why Sherrif and Knight got funding for the arm. £350K was the last I heard, to develop it for arts. since then, IOTA has gone and it's a bloody car park...another little brown envelope me thinks
10:43, love. I'm not writing it off or bringing it down - it breaks my heart to see the place the way it is. And yes, the old town is fighting back as best it can.
I simply observe that there is a possibility that the Turner centre, should it not spark regeneration, will look a pretty crude extravagance when there is clear need for help all around.
Jean.The reason the old town is coming on ,is because of the turner centre.The galleries shops and cafe's are really great and some of the ladies have put on a monthly markat starting in may,we also have free jazz in july,kite festival,carnival etc-bring it on!
To be honest, MG, it looked as if everyone was packing up and going home for the night. The parking fee was offputting too.
From what I've seen of Glimpse, which is only what's on the internet, it looks thoroughly splendid and I will make a concerted effort to visit over the weekend. I'll stash the bike on a free bike bay somewhere.
Although there are precious few of those in Thanet. And the one on Broadstairs jetty was occupied by some arse in a red van the other day. Oooh, now you've got me started!
If nothing else, The Turner Centre will make a superior benefits centre than Margate Library.
In the paper today it says the salary bill for the Turner will be 750k a year. However, it also gives a figure of 400k for the current salary bill. How can you have a 400k salary bill for something that isn't built yet? Is Vicky Pomeroy paid this much?
The whole of Margate town seems to be turning into a car park. The Harbour Arm, the Fort Hill road down to Winter gardens, the Market Square are all full of cars. What IS going on here?
The Market Square has a bollard that is lockable but someone with a key appears to be letting his/her mates in to park there.
PS. Can't wait for the Turner to open.
Turner Rocks
Glimpse was great - saw it yesterday - last chance today though
Observing daily the lack of any people visting the current M&S site, this looks like a very big White Elephant. This view seems to be supported by experiences of other newly built art centres in the UK loosing substantial sums of public money. This project was not what day trippers etc wanted, the appropriate development of Dreamland should have been the prority!!
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