Council To Get A Tongue Lashing

I feel I've been rather remiss in not yet mentioning the phenomenal success of Boredstares film maker Christine Tongue's latest oeuvre, Thanet on Film. It's already had umpteen sell-out viewings at the teeny-tiny Palace (Windsor in old money) Cinema over in the Dickensians' Playground, and looks set to run longer than James Bond or the Carry Ons.

Now Christine is planning an 'emergency public meeting' in the New Year to raise awareness of the issues brought up by the film, viz that our septic isle was a lot more fancy-dancy before the rot set in with the creation of Thanet District Council, appropriately enough on April Fools' Day 1974.

Keep an eye on my What's On in Thanet guide in the sidebar on the right for details of upcoming screenings. In the meantime, Christine's sent me a set of snaps from the film which you may care to peruse...

This is Dreamland in the 1950s, before the rot set in and everything burnt to a crisp. I presume this is what the £4m 'heritage theme park' will look like.

Next, and here's the Cliftonville Lido when it was still filled with water, rather than concrete...

And ditto Ramsgate's Marina swimming pool...

Here's an ad for Miss Bullock's exercise classes. And what a fine example of the female form Miss Bullock is! Note that she's wearing a rudimentary bikini well pre-war, thus stuffing Johnny Frenchman's claim to have invented the garb!

Finally, here's what was a popular turn in the 1920s and 30s, Uncle Mack and His Minstrels. (Click here to watch archive footage.) Of all the seaside traditions we could bring back that might reinvigorate Fannit's fortunes, this, in my humble opinion, ain't one of them!