Saturday, July 27, 2013

Ramsgate's Big Weekend

Just a reminder that this weekend we have Those Magnificent Men In Their Floating Machines racing up and down along the Ramsgate costa, thrusting their 3,000,000 horse power beauties to a potential maximum of 900mph! I gather the spectacle is mostly centered on the seedier west side of the Millionaires' Playground, based around the port. More details here.

And up on Government Acre, also on the west side, you can wallow in nostalgia with Thanet At War, an exhibition of military vehicles and other 1940s stuff. Entry to that is a paltry two knicker. I must say, I went last year and the tea and buns were rather good!

So forget grooving to the tunes of Plan B and Jessie J over at the Sound Island Festival in Quex Park, come to, er, stormy Ramsgate and thrill instead to the sound of V8 engines and Vera Lynn!

Update: It seems that no actual powerboat racing took place on Saturday, due to a rather gloomy mist that has descended on the Millionaires' Playground. Oh well, that's Blighty for you. You pays your money, then the fog takes it away!

Update update: My spies tell me that there will be racing today (Sunday) as the weather's much improved. It should all kick off around 3pm. Hurrah!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a pity that other local bloggers, such as Jaun Sheet (cos he looks like the paper towel advertiser), aka Biggles, over on Thanet Life can't promote local events. Instead they prefer to spend their time posting spiteful, bitchy comments about their political opponents. They really should try to set their malevolent jealousy aside before it consumes them totally. Thankfully they appear to be yesterday's "men".

Richard Eastcliff said...

Oh yes. I'm all give, me!

Anonymous said...

Steve Glass wrote:


Your approach to informative blogging is refreshing indeed.

I wonder if your spies have gained any insider knowledge of the festering arguments concerning the allocation of a building blue plaque in Ramsgate ?

It seems that someone wants to put a blue plaque up to the effect the house once belonged to a man with the unlikely name Percival Knatchbull.

The man reputed to have been the inspiration for the fictional character "Grouty" in Porridge. A masterpiece series featuring your old show bizz chum Ronnie Barker.

During his short East end schooling his nickname was "Purse Snatch". There is no doubt that young Percy was soon "At it".

In 1939 his talents were harnessed by the military. He burgled his way across Europe photographing enemy documents, safebreaking and the like. Meanwhile his dear old mum was living free in a house of Georgian splendour in Ramsgate. Caretaking it whilst the owners went to a safer area for the duration.

After hostilities the owners evicted Percy's mum and tried to demand back rent because the house had survived. Percy was furious. It appears that he had not restricted himself to photing German secrets he had helped himself now and then to valuable items. So postwar he was already a wealthy man.

The owners of the Georgian villa found huge well dressed Percy at their door one day. The deal he offered was that he would buy the house cash but with a 50% discount for their having treated his old mum so shabbily. And so the deal was struck.

Percy went back to the bedsit in Battersea where his old mum was living. "Mum you know you loved that Georgina villa ? There's the keys luv it's yours"

There are some who think that story deserves a blue plaque by the front door. There are others who disagree.

Anonymous said...

Have you been down to the "Croisette" this morning ECR?

I see that somebody has just got away with £34 millions worth of jewels.

Maybe I have got this mixed up with the real Croisette.

Peter C said...

Margate has turned into Peckham-on-Sea today, and I mean that as a compliment! Great to see so many black faces here.

Anonymous said...

That should help Margate plod fill their stop and search quotas. Only joking, Peter, honest.

Anonymous said...

Peter, just like Peckham complete with stabbing.

Ian Driver said...

as a Down From Peckham (DFP), or more precisely down from the Old Kent Road, I welcome the growing diversity of Thanet. A diverse community is a stronger, richer community.

Ian Driver said...

Steve I like your story about Percival it should be made into a film! It reminds me a bit of the fabulous 1980s BBC drama Private Schulz with Charlie Elipick MP, or was it Michael Elphick? and Ian Richardson about the German conman and his team of forgers who planned to massively inflate the UK economy with £millions in forged fivers and in so doing win the war. It was hilarious and still available on DVD.

Anonymous said...

As a TIB or Thanet in Bred I...(fill in blank)