Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Any Portas In A Storm

Holy shop fronts! I see those splendid chaps at Ramsgate Arts have popped out a quickie in a bid to get my old retailing chum Mary Portas down to the Tip of Kent to display her sexy undercrackers in some of our knackered old units.

I must say, I think they've made the Millionaires' Playground look just the ticket for a Harvey Nics! Take a squiz and see what you think...


15 comments:

Luke Edwards said...

I'm glad you've returned to blogging, old chum, but you've stolen my pun: http://www.thanetwaves.co.uk/2011/10/any-portas-in-storm.html. Has someone been reading my blog during your sojourn in the big smoke, by any chance?! ;-)

Anonymous said...

A lot of people are very happy that you are blogging again.
The days are much brighter.
Thank You.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Sorry Luke old sport if I nobbled your headline! Perhaps I should have made a pun about Mary England instead! Geddit?!!??!!??? (Probably not. Unless you're over 65. Which you ain't. So I'll shut up now.)

Eddie said...

Oh god, not you again?

We do all live for the future don't we? I quite like Ramsgate just the way it is.

Big Bopper 69 said...

Merrie England ?
Oh yes I remember,was that later renamed the Coronation Ballroom?

MrHoneysuckle said...

All the Charity shops in Ramsgate must have a really negative impact on a "Luxury" holiday let empire, mind you they do quite good work for charities don't they?

Readit said...

Mary Portas will never have the "fire" that was Merrie England

Richard Eastcliff said...

I think it's more about the mix of shops, Mr Honeysuckle.

Charity shops do good work, and they're a great place to buy cheap stuff. I don't think the Town Team are saying they want to close any down, just that there are enough now and Ramsgate doesn't need any more. A thriving town needs a mix of reatil outlets, rather than it being all skewed towards the lower end of the market.

Some people might say that charity shops do not compete on a level playing field with traditional retailers who have to earn a living by making a profit, insofar as charity shops have virtually no overheads in the way of rent or wages, and don't have to pay for any of their stock. But I wouldn't be one of them, because I am an inveterate coward.

Michael Child said...

I passed a charity shop recently that was advertising for an assistant manager wage £30k, this suggests a manager and the sop wasn’t very large with the usual mix of volunteers.

I also know that a lot of charity shops are run entirely by volunteers, as I often appraise books for them so they know how much to price them at.

So I think some charity shops my be more equal than others.

Oh and Richard welcome back, again.

MrHoneysuckle said...

Mix of shops would be fine. Some of the folk in this video have the resources to make a difference but prefer to invest in property with seaviews. Same in Margate with the old town...

Richard Eastcliff said...

Fair point Mr Honeysuckle, although I guess it's the same with most seaside towns, and always has been.

Once the seafront is chock-a-locka with bars, brasseries and boutique B&Bs, we may see more of the regeneration moving inland.

You can't blame the Irish bird in the film for seeing a golden opportunity and picking up Albion House though, surely? After all, if it had been left in the hands of The Duffers it would be rotting for decades.

And thanks for the welcome back Mr Bibliobloke! However, I have to say I regard it as more of a holiday blog these days!

Anonymous said...

Toni (Newsagents), turn the radio off you don't have permission or a license to broadcast into the street!

Anonymous said...

The sound and sight of bloody cars and vans despoiling the harbour front when there's a perfectly good multi-storey carpark...well OK it stinks of urine and nobody cleans it!

Anonymous said...

What a shame that Margate won this. They've already had millions spent on them, and Ramsgate's film was sooooo much better.

Anonymous said...

I don't ! It's full of people who are 'flat-earthers' , have no vision or interest in creating jobs and business opportunities, benefits claimants with Staffy dogs and copious amounts of their poo left on pavements, loutish pub-dwellers, and snobby serial self-deluders who imagine the Ramsgate Georgian squares to be the new Belgravia and constantly bang on about the evils of expanding the airport . In one word , sickening ! I was glad to leave after 12 years and re-join the normal world..