Ok come alone to Tesco car park bring 30 ton lorry filled with none consecutive serial numbers used £5 notes and we will talk. Cross me and the garden gnomes outside your house get hit in a drive by shooting.
70 year old Scottish lady would like a strong man to clear some hardcore from her lawn applicants must have a vehicle the size of oil tanker and would have to make a number of trips to the dump she is will to pay 50p for the job as there is a lot of it as she needs to make room for a building project
No, really, there is one, I had it just a minute ago, oh, drat, where's it got to, pesky thing? Look, I'm going to have to get back to you on this.... no, don't go away - hang on, it'll turn up any minute now,. honest....(continue until even the Thanet Gazette gets bored with the story).
Actually it was from the former Aviation Minister in Nigeria. He has 150M dollars locked in an account and would really like to buy the world famous Manston Airport. He just needed Rogers bank account details to start moving the funds. Marksman
!0.29 you are the biggest lump of knob fungus I have read on here. You think your so intelligent? So tell me "Mr insult" why do you support Manston? Ill tell you why im against it. 1. Pollution 2. Noise level 3. It stops investors as they dont like uncertainty 4. The tax payer props it up to the tune of £8000 a day 5. It holds back 2 large towns 6. If it goes ill see a better return on my house (and ramsgate was there first) 7. It will be better for the whole of Thanet even if you are not affected by the above. 8. And this being a major one, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE. Now if your argument is stronger than mine please tell us all how keeping manston airport open will out weigh what I have said.......
Richard perhaps you should do a thread on the subject of council toilet closures.
Harvey is heading for the horizon. Hart's "Go To" man became Hart's "F-ck off" man.
I am beginning to sense an inquiry into two men. One of whom is now serving 28 years for child sexual abuse.
And it appears this pervy pair were once mercenaries. Balkans and South Africa attacking Mandela Regime.
What I do not know is whether the pair were identified in the Bishop Tutu commission of inquiry 1994. But we do know that the merc mission was detailed in a series of reports in the Searchlight magazine. That former TDC solicitor Mr Borley refused to circulate to cllrs.
Naturally I would imagine that those apparently making inquiry would scent this and question the role of right wingers and gun ranges in Thanet from where the merc mission was allegedly launched.
I would think they may wonder why the local MP failed to take up the issue of firearms offences at the said range. A certain Roger Gale.
Naturally when encountering the seedy right wing in Thanet there would be questions about why they ran their own private military cadet group. And even used a bit of public funding.
Blundering in ? Biggles. Probably unaware of the agenda as always he pronounced on his blog that nothing untoward happened in Thanet especially at a gun range.
Quelle surprise he then sobs at being interviewed under caution.
So, in 2015, who's going to vote for an MP who was prepared to sell their constituents down the river over nightflights and another who wanted YOU to pay through your taxes to prop up an outfit that their free-market couldn't and wouldn't fund.
Tricky one that....
( p.s. look how the Manstophiles are now chucking out 'anonymous' abuse. Funny, funny-tragic )
Gale's bid probably wasn't much more sophisticated than your spoof Richard. People losing their jobs is bad enough without Gale leading them up the garden path and giving them false hope. If the politicians had spent half as much time and effort on re-imagining the airport and coming up with a knock-out plan B instead of living in the past, wailing and gnashing their teeth, there would be a solution that suited everyone by now. But no, Gale has consistently said he is not even contemplating a plan B, thus demonstrating how complacent and out of touch he is with the real world. Lions led by a donkey.
9.58 WOW is that the best you can do, to not answer the question? Look at 1.12 and answer if your so cleaver. Your last response showed how cleaver you and your 3 troll mates are. w/e p/c j/h And then there's you b/b
In fact where are all the Manstophiles? I thought 'chaps' like them were supposed to be magnanimous in defeat. Oh yes, they've crossed over to the dark side of hiding their identities. Shame they can't hide their true feelings.
What, all those noisy Formula 1 cars with their exhaust emissions. Whatever will poor old Dim make of that, Think we all know what the next campaign would be. Where are the monitors, arrest Hamilton and Button, what about the aquifer, heaven help us.
1;29, from the most productive troll comes this latest snippet of wisdom. Just remember though that the Thanet blogs are dying in the same way you claim is Manston and soon you will have no one left to insult. Mind you, you can always talk to yourself like you usually do.
Im collecting for a life sized bronze of Ann Gloag to be placed in a good position over looking Ramsgate "our heroine" Not all asset strippers are bad!!!!
See Ann Gloag has appointed Sincerity Advertising to handle the marketing of her airport she is so serious about selling it! The leading directors of both firms met the Vietnamese ambassador last night and enjoyed an in depth chat over a bowl of Ferrero Rocha.
Her only complaint was she could not find their offices in Broadstairs, but she has been redirected to the Hanoi one.
Anyone seen the Wikipedia entry for the 20yr old who wanted to run the 'virtual airline' from Manston. According to Wikipedia, he was involved with George Galloway's Respect Party. The more you learn about their desperation, the funnier it gets.
At least us 'antis' only had to swipe a few trolls from time to time. How hacked off must the Manstophiles be that every bus they drive behind says Stagecoach. Hundreds of the buggers, all over the Isle. Ouch!
I don't think they still understand. This statement doesn't make sense.
Joint Statement By Sir Roger Gale MP and Laura Sandys MP “The statement released by the current owners of Manston Airport today is very saddening indeed. “We know that there is ongoing and serious interest in the acquisition of Manston as a working airport and we hope that even at this late stage the current owners may be persuaded to reconsider and negotiate. “Our first thought has always been for the employees of Manston, many of whom have families to support. Their wellbeing is of the upmost concern, and we will be making ourselves available for anyone who would like to meet us and discuss their concerns and options. “Our second priority has been to establish the viability of Manston as an operating airport in the local and national interest. We are convinced that, given more time, real progress could have been made and it is thus hugely disappointing that the decision has been taken to close it. The both of us have always said that had we known about the owners’ intentions months ago, a plan could have been put in place well in advance and this continuing uncertainty could have been avoided. “We wish to pay tribute to the local community who have been so vital in keeping the momentum around the airport going, and urge local people to keep faith that a positive solution for Manston will be found. We will absolutely not accept second best and will fight together in the coming weeks to make sure the interests of the people of Thanet are protected.”
What is interesting is the fact that Sandys was told months ago about this issue and did nothing.
What we have here is nothing more than Political Posturing at our expense, the sad thing is that 150 people have ben hoodwinked from the start of Manston,s privatisation under a dodgy MOD sales practise.
The fact that a person from Planestations era is fronting the latest bid beggars belief!!!
As one of the commentators aptly puts it, its time for a full Police Fraud Investigatiion at TDC and possibly KCC.
What we need is a investigative journalist to look at Gale and Sandys to see how much they knew. Because I cant beleave they could be so naive and not know Manston was being asset stripped from the start. But I am in favour of capitalist equalisation. It was always going to be about the money, that lies in the land not an airport. Now its just whats going to be built there. If the planning office say we would like to see large detached houses on large plots being built on the land, and as the planning department we will give you the green light. But if you want to maximise the amount of houses on the site we will fight you all the way. That's what we should be asking our MPs to work towards.
Has anyone seen or heard from the Hobbit-Man? You know, Nicolaas or Legollaas, not a local.
PR picture has him supporting his chinny-chin-chin with the top of a raised forefinger. Mmmm...a thinker!!
Well, one of the local copy-chasers actually asked him for an opinion, from his house, some 89 Miles from the flight-path and guess what this Master of the Universe said?
To paraphrase: What a result! The burdensome staff can be ditched and Manston will become JFK a week on Friday.
Seriously, what do these idiots do when they're not dribbling into their pillows.
I fancy a blog-ruck with Wee Willy 'The Eppy-Fit' Epps, John Holyer John Holyer (The Window to watch) and their disappointment of a Son, Chequered-Past.
Off out soon, but if any of the troika of unintelligent trolls, as previously given the oxygen of publicity to are up for it, load your posts and I'll pick you off one by one.
Sorry 7:19, but you have driven them all away. It is all yours now and you can talk to yourself, or the trees, to your heart's content. No one is listening apart from Michael, who enjoys your comments to boost the visitor numbers to his site. Everyone else has gone from there to.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Manston being asset stripped? Like there were ever any assets there to start with. Gloag bought a run-down, failing airfield. She brought in the guy who turned Southend around but even he couldn't do anything with it. So, she did what any sensible hard-headed business person would do; she contracted consultants to prepare a study to tell her whether it had any prospects. They said no and now she's doing the only thing she can do under the circumstances. For Gale to throw his toys out of the pram and start accusing her of industrial vandalism is childish and plain stupid.
Have you just taken your Saga-approved blouson off??!!
Listen old man, this is just the start. I'm DFL with a house in London and two Georgian also-rans with potential down here.
I've only been here for 2 years but it was clear in 2012 that we'd have to remove all obstacles if this area was going to have any kind of growth. Phase one has now been achieved.
7.58 Im all for it what's phase 2? Even though phase 1 was the hardest I can only see getting rid of the ferry and building on the terminal and car/lorry park and using the ferry harbour as a extension to the marina Phase 3 to reinstate the 1930 art deco lift and use the other beach
What would be a good idea would to be, to make an artificial reef with the runway off the coast of ramsgate we have the infrastructure to do it. It would be good for the fishing industry also put in the right place it could capture more sand. Stopping Ramsgate beach form getting any smaller.
A must see at least it cures some of the headaches of the EKO and we can get a large open space with trees? http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-72
I see from south east news, that it wasn't even a very successful ww2 airfield as it wss too close to the continent and the aircraft couldn't get high enough quick enough to alwss be effective, which is why the RAF went further inland. A non profit making business should close, it would be no other way with any other employer, shame to see it go but its had enough chances, time for something new.
My favourite numpty plan was converting Richboro towers into a hotel. None of these ideas sadly are quite as stupid although the runway reef is not bad!
Margate Town Council in the offing too I see - looks like the end of The Duffers already...
River Oak are a property company so that really would just be land-banking. Give it a go yourself 9:33 but all the Manston staff ideas were rejected as not viable too.
Wendy Fraser, group secretary of Save Manston Airport, said campaigners would be stepping up their campaign to keep the airport open..what they are going to wear two T shirts ??
"Why not let the Americans give it a go with their own money?"
What assurances do you have that these Americans will continue to run it as an airport? How do you know that their bid is not based on closing it down and using it to build houses? There's an old saying: "Better the devil you know." and that may be true in this case (although both devils are familiar).
I think those campaigners have done well, at least they got off their arse and have done something! what have you all done? sit here and moan, most of you seem to be the types who want Thanet to fail despite living here. The logic is laughable! put most of these people in front of a TV camera regarding something they cared about I bet none of you would even have the balls to do so. So much crap talked on this page and mostly by a blogger who thinks he's the bee's knee's that everyone rips the piss out of all the time but he just doesn't know it . Jokes on you Eastcliff. haha
12.48 Manston is closing not for any other reason than the land is worth more as a development site than an airport. But to have a go at people taking the piss out of anybody willing go on TV saying we will fight tooth and nail to stop Gloag doing what she wants with her own property. Needs a bit of ridicule the same with gale he has never heard of asset stripping. And people vote for him you would be better off with a dead fish But im glad he was on the save manston side a little like Churchill was glad that hitler was running the nazi's You dont need to do as much when an idiot is your opponent.
12.48 With Manston closing its the start of the recovery for Thanet dont be upset just wait and see I could not think of a worst place to make a transport hub than Thanet. Its not the way forward tourism is.
Did you not see just over a week ago an empty commons chamber with a speaker a senior transport minister gale and shifting sands, and a scriber. Gale trying for all his worth to make a grand speach at 23 . 30 hrs to save the airpirt, and the minister giving a long reply culminating in short that nice little airfield, if it closed tomorrow it would be sad but it would have no bearing on the countries airport industry and must be dealt with by the owner and not have government involvement. The want HS2, thevwant Boris Island, they have no intrest in Manston, let it now become something to be proud of a not over developed multi purpose site.
TDC and RTC are corrupt even their own LGA report says so. And Wiggins involved in manston after the accounting fraud and EUjet says it all. The Police need to make arrests instead of councillors whitewashing themselves. The Councils are broken.
to all the dfls what you gonna moan at now must be quite boring with nowt to winge about time to move to romny marsh help close lydd airport so ya mate boris gets his island
8:19 - The DFL's will probably pour their money into Ramsgate housing stock / small businesses to the the delight of smaller building firms, and likely gentrify an otherwise blighted area. Locals that don't like DFL's can always move out and sell their houses at the improved market value once the airport closes. Schools will gradually improve as the quality of the environment improves and Ramsgate can return to its former glory as a seaside resort, much like Dartmouth etc.
All the DFL's will have to moan about after that is the quality of local politics that you've clearly had to put up with too long. Some of us have been to the world beyond Minster roundabout and they do things a whole lot better there.
Worth having a look at the Riveroak website. A small team of real estate experts with no knowledge of running businesses and certainly not an Airport from what I can see. Basically a hedge fund which will be looking for returns of circa 20%. No idea how Mr Gale thinks this outfit would seriously run an airport for the long term initially losing any money on a monthly basis never mind £10,000.
Ramsgate like Dartmouth? In your dreams, sunshine. Ramsgate at best could be like Great Yarmouth or Southend, sort of cheap and tatty, but Dartmouth, home to the Royal Navy college and surrounded by beautiful countryside, never in a month of Sundays.
11:40 - I said 'much like' but I still think it's a fair comparison considering they both have a common history as a resort.
Anyway keep up those low expectations, they sound like the all too familiar "F$&@k Ramsgate" diatribe that have basically divided the community over the issue of market forces and political nonsense surrounding that airport.
Nick, not negativity but realism. Sadly, Margate and Ramsgate have a tourism history based around the traditional working class British seaside holiday complete with candy floss and 'kiss me quick' hats. Broadstairs was always the slightly more upmarket family resort venue and, because of that, has adapted better to the type of holiday home and weekend away style of today.
West country resorts are as much about countryside as sea and were always more expensive. The comparison is thus invalid.
Ramsgate needs to find something, possibly the Marina, to attract London folk down for weekends and day visits even, in the way the Turner has boosted visitors to Margate. There is no going back to the worker's outings of yesteryear, or even the Mods and Rockers.
A small regional airport could have been part of the Thanet mix, but the London Manston idea was always OTT and has contributed to its demise.
By the way, I am a DFL, living in Broadstairs, but take my holidays in places like the Brecon Beacons, the Highlands or the West country. Those are get away holidays.
Like, wow, an actual exchange of opinions. Quite clearly, Tim, after a night of talking to himself, is not up yet to dominate the ether with his chuntering. Mrs. G, any chance of popping another sleeping pill in his lunch time cuppa.
It's ok Richard we see worrow is back on top form! Now to focus on the real issues. EKO and manston most people know is to do with corruption hand in hand with TDC and Manston Skyport ltd. Ann Gloag did not buy the airport she had shareholders in a previous company that already had a vested interested in which she was a director of. She knew what was going on and the council fully back her to the hills to build housing with their cut. In the meantime any offers (whilst probably true) are stalling tactics used to make tails look good!
10.57 Nick You are so right Ramsgate has so much potential. living in Ramsgate myself over the last 5 years I can see the only major thing holding it back was the airport as for the people that think Ramsgate is doomed and will always be just watch this space I liken it to an old Victorian house that,s had years of neglect and looks a state but after some hard work and money there,s noting more beautiful .
Well once the political elite round here are cleansed then maybe the area will turn around for all classes from day visitors to regatta rats... and i agree the Marina is an amazing asset. There is so much that could be done but i sadly don't think the airport is really more than a footnote for the Spitfire.
We live in the Garden of England and there is a lot to offer for holiday makers and actually a high quality sandy beach. However it is managed badly!
Sure it's not National Park status in Thanet, but hey look how Whitstable turned around in a decade! It was all tea rooms and false teeth 15 years ago and now London overspill want to live / visit there!
Anyway side track - Airport is doomed unless it's subsidised by somebody. These are the facts of life, so it's time to grow a pair and get on with it. This pantomine by Gale is just damage limitation by a politician that can't get a grip on economic fantasy he literally whipped up. Did you see his speech in the commons...? Tumbleweed..., just like that bloody runway! Conservatives better change him soon with someone with energy and realism!
Gale has turned to the only contact he has to 'guide the bid'. The same guy whose track record includes failing to run Manston as a going concern twice, and who was behind the epic fail of 'flights to Virginia' a few years ago which ended in KCC pouring £300,000 of taxpayers' money directly down the drain. Quite why a Thatchersaurus like him is describing the closure as 'corporate vandalism' is beyond me! Unless he's a two-faced old fart... Hmmm.
Also if you look at the bid backers you'll see they're just another bunch of hedge-funding, asset-stripping land bankers who want to get their hands on a prime piece of real estate at a knock down price. Sorry guys, Annie's already beaten you to it!
I see those economic illiterates over at the Unite union are whipping themselves into a frenzy saying that if Gloag was offerred £5m she should take it and be grateful despite the land value being many multiples of that.
Has anyone in this part of Kent ever studied a balance sheet? Councillors, MPs, Unions....utterly ridiculous and out of their depth yet again.
Furthermore I have already demonstrated on this blog that the reason some pro-Manston campaigners are against the idea of a housing development is their fear that it will be occupied by 'bloody immigrants' (their words not mine). There is a horrible undercurrent of racism and xenophobia in Thanet - even Londoners who relocate here are belittled and mocked by some of the more extreme elements. If we want to move forward and grow the area, that will have to change.
The modern day remedy whenever an argument might be failing is to play the race card. Well done Richard for joining that dubious club which includes the like of Clegg.
One man's trash is another man's treasure! Change the land use and hey presto! I think Manston would qualify as brownfield - not open green field...so easy to build on!
As for Wiggins MD man, Gloag is right to send him off with a flea in his ear. Zero credibility, and proven recently by him and his HF mates not making an offer when Infratil had it up for sale for 18 months. They would have bitten their hands of for £5,000,000.
Our councillors are not fit for purpose. TDC has sacked many of the senior civil servants but the parties have closed ranks to protect their jobs. We need a clearout of these pointless old fools.
Gloag meant Gale for zero credibility. The idiot announces an offer on Sunday knowing it had been rejected on Friday. And similarly did nothing for 18 months. Gale is finished.
Nick at 3:24, brown field or not, planning is still needed and the infrastructure must support what is proposed. Going back to your tourism though, do you really think a large housing complex on the final approach to Thanet will really encourage more visitors. A theme park, wild life conservation area or even a forest might, but houses, in your dreams. It was bad enough when the approach was through fields of cabbages.
And of course, once the inland housing development is built, us millionaires with cliff top mansions will be benefitting from the uptick in premium, sea front locations! Hey presto - job done!
Please remember when commenting that intelligent, amusing and relevant contributions are much less likely to be removed than rants, insults, potential libels and barmy, off-topic witterings. Your co-operation is appreciated.
4:01 you seem to be saying our councillors are superb and dynamic rather than the corrupt cretins we know them to be. How many more should be arrested to make you change your mind?
As an MP who blithely stands up in the House of Commons to ask questions on behalf of VAT fraudsters, you've got to worry about Gale's business acumen. Unless he got a sweetener for it, in which case hats off!
Problem is Plan B has never been considered as far as I've read! It's been an asinine 'airport or bust' fallacy (fueled by a 'master plan' and 10,00 jobs) every since I moved here. I really thought it was a joke when I first heard it! Call me cynical if you want!
Frankly nobody knows what will be built there so its all conjecture. The Housing estate idea is alarmist and chimes into the lowest expectation logic that I've so often read in places like this.
There is so much fear about this stupid non-business airport on all sides.
The possibilities are endless as you know, but nobody is going to want to touch it if it HAS to stay an airport are they!
Good point. The housing estate is just something to frighten the horses. Now if the horses weren't being led by donkeys, we could have a sensible discussion about all the nice things Manston could become, now that it's not an airport.
The local bumpy-duffers won't have a say in what she does. Money and success that Anne Gloag has achieved means that our tin-pot councillors and MPs aren't even on her radar, nor whatever you or anyone else says, need they be.
The Secretary of State will ease her plans through and I'd be surprised if the go-ahead wasn't already a done deal. The development ticks all the government's boxes.
Perhaps Anne will name a few Cul-de-Sacs after our elected muppets in honour of their forward thinking over the past few decades.
The future of Ramsgate It wont take long before interest in the fantastic housing stock is noticed with a few changes to the harbour which are planned already changing the ferry port and car park into an amusement park with large rides for all the family, bringing back the use of the other beach and lift, the planned change to the motor museum being finished, the royal pavilion coming into use with w/s, the slipway development being started and finished, the maritime museum plans come true, even without the pleasureramma site changing this is enough for Ramsgate to fly But if the pleasureramma site was finished and we had an artificial reef made from the old runway with some small town centre changes this really would become the next millionaires playground!!!!!!! There's not a great deal to do when you think about it with a little help from TDC and private money/investors this could happen in a few years MAKE RAMSGATE GREAT
Perhaps Bill Gates could be persuade to buy Manston. Keep it open for rescue/aid flights for which Manston has a good record, and for which Bill Gates is a supreme ambassador.
Even if a buyer was found there is no guarantee they would run the site as an airport and there is no way any buyer would contractually obliged themselves to do this. Rather like Pfizer bidding for Astra Zeneca whatever they promise they will do what fits them commercially and there's nothing anyone can do about it, there's amways a material adverse change clause which is the get out of jail free card. We've seen that Pfizer can shut things down without a thought. Same happened with Kraft. Unless the taxpayer wants to subsidise the economics of a venture will always have to add up. When politicians try and beat the financiers they always get their faces ripped off, credit crunch bail out of banks, sale of Post Office and massive discount etc etc
We're in danger of being Tim Dimmed and Cheggered here! All comments must be on topic, end of.
That's not a bad suggestion Mr B of B, but as Gloag is also a squillionaire and does her own good works in Africa, she may have already thought of it and discounted it. Besides I don't think Thanet is on Gatesie's radar. Unless we could prove we've got endemic malaria, that is. Who knows? Worth a shot maybe?
As you can all see from the number of comments (about mayors, pollution, restaurants etc etc) that I'm having to delete, Tim's meds are beginning to wear off again. So I've turned comment moderation back on.
It's a shame, as I was enjoying the debate. But you see, that's what trolls like Tim, Cheggers and the rest want - to divert any sensible exchange of views to their own personal obsessions. Sad but true.
ECR is there anyway of stopping them from posting on here as they never have anything productive to say? I would never think of wrecking this blog weather people agreed with me or not.
Sadly not. Not on this Blogger platform at least. You can see the effect it's had on Michael's blog too. Leave comment moderation off to encourage debate and the trolls have a field day. Put it on and you have to keep checking for comments all the time.
Worse, if moderation is off overnight, you get the kind of expletive, capitalised claptrap which I experienced last night, which in essence is a denial of service attack.
If I was prone to paranoia, I'd be wondering whether the council had its dead hand on all of this!
ECR, I don't know if your platform allows it but you can use a keyword or keywords that trigger a comment moderation break whilst allowing everything else to get through. Trolls don't like to work too hard for their fix.
Sorry if that sounded like advice on Lemon Sucking. You probably know this stuff anyway.
The Manstophiles have gone all native and are trying to turn Gloag Village into Greenham Common!!! They're attaching ribbons and stuff to the perimeter fence ahead of a meeting of their elders there on Friday.
As we speak, bongos are beating out a tribal rhythm and their living-god (answers to Rog) is thrusting a large stick towards the sky whilst shouting 'Potentiaaaal' at the top of his voice.
You? a millionaire Richard? LOL far from it, if you was what would you be doing in Ramsgate or posting bollocks on the internet. I think people are missing the point of saving the airport, it may not have been made a go of but the whole point to save it is to put it in the hands or people who will. You can carry on being negative all you like but the positives far out weigh them ;)
Reports are coming in that Conservative MP, Sir Blustery Gale is spearheading efforts to find a buyer for the doomed union, Unite.
A spokesman for Unite said that despite efforts over the years and lots of tax-payer money being thrown at the problem, the promise of 10,000 union-subs arriving by direct-debit every month had failed to materialise.
'We're fookin' gooted' said a local Unite officer with a Scottish sounding name.
'We were promised 10,000 x £20 every month. If we'd have known we were being sold a pup, we'd had let the Electricians Unions or USDAW have this gig'
The trouble is that you lot have been banging on about the positives since 1999...no it REALLY IS that long. 15 years on and the airport is no nearer being a profitable enterprise than it was on Day 1. We cannot know for certain but we can look at other disused airfields and can postulate that other development approaches might have been far more successful and might have created far more jobs. The truth is that all political parties have backed the airport to the exclusion of all else and in so doing have created a self-fulfilling prophesy: if you aren't receptive to alternatives, no alternatives will be forthcoming. I believe that the moronic repetition of the "great potential" mantra may have caused real and lasting damage to Thanet's economy. Those who have mindlessly back the airport over 15 years must be held accountable for putting all of our economic eggs in a basket with a bl**dy big hole in the bottom.
Richard Eastwick say s Oooh oooooh ooooooh Cllr Fart deeper deeper deeper I love anal! treat me like a dirty journo! OOOOOHHH both hands right up in my shit now!
Who ever is posting that sort of filth needs to get their head in order. I feel sorry for ECR for having to go though it all. This site is the best local site for independent news and would be a shame if the author was not to bother because of idiots who have clearly lost their recent battle. I hope they will realise what they are doing is not the work of an adult it is childish and stupid and maybe they dont realise that if push came to shove their ISP can be found and their real name and address can be exposed.
some of the Councillors are well past there used by date, some are Good, some OK, do not paint them all with the same brush however, the few mainly from Tory and UKIP administrations who rent a mob for full Council meetings, are the real issue, not the hard working honest ones of which are from a couple of the other parties, and have Thanets best interest at heart. also know this, TDC has no rights over the airport, neither does KCC or Government, its a private enterprise owned by Gloag, and she is entitled to do whatever she wants with it. These do gooders may have to travel to work now instead, earn money elsewhere and bring it back to Thanet, we are stronger without the damn airport. The current administration has begun to deal with the Harbours, many schemes in Ramsgate, Dreamland, all of which the Tory incompetents neglected, placed TDC in bad deals with developers and more, which this administration has had to clear up over the last 2.5 years, that's how bad its been. look at who has brought council into discredit, All Tories. Enough said.
12.50am , Stephen Fry, meanwhile, is tweeting that governments should sanction Brunei for its new laws against homosexuals. Manston is not on his agenda it seems.
Perhaps some councillors should be asking for a transfer to the Sultans government, seems they would fit right in.
Please see this press release from RiverOak, they are more than just a property company.
Manston Airport, Kent
RiverOak Investment Corp LLC of Stamford Connecticut announced on May 4, 2014 that it had submitted a formal offer to acquire 100% of the shares in the company owning Manston Airport. The offer was conditional only on an expedited process of due diligence with closing anticipated by the end of May 2014.
The consideration offered is significantly higher than the entire capital investment expended by the current owner since Manston was purchased in November of last year.
RiverOak’s executives visited Manston on April 29th and travelled to Scotland to meet Mrs Gloag and her advisor on May 2nd. RiverOak currently has $350 million of assets under management with a number of operating partners and has a successful track record of turning around troubled operating and real estate assets.
In this particular project, RiverOak is the capital partner of a number of aviation operating entities specializing in aircraft maintenance and cargo operations, and principal partners at RiverOak have extensive US experience with the capital markets and debt restructuring of a number of major airport assets, one of which is a singular maintenance and cargo hub in Texas.
RiverOak has developed a long term plan to own and manage Manston as an airport in line with its investment philosophy of diversified investing in asset backed businesses. RiverOak remains committed to investing in and developing Manston as a successful diversified aviation services, cargo and potential future passenger airport facility, and values Manston as an important piece of aviation infrastructure that is very important to both Kent specifically and the United Kingdom in general.
RiverOak is distressed to learn of the announced closure of Manston today and remains willing to engage with all parties to achieve a solution which allows the airport to continue operating and preserves the jobs of its staff.
For further information or press inquiries contact Tony Freudmann at 07785 306715
The duffers simply have no clue at all. The Tories are blaming Labour for night flights but that's all. The wider concern has to be what the Environment Agency were saying about the toxic levels...
After reading Simon Moores bolg on Ramsgate I feel there is a reel unfair prejudice towards the people and town of Ramsgate from him and the Conservative party. Why would it bother him if the people of Ramsgate see a bright and successful future. He doesn't realise there are so many friends groups of public building's and spaces with 100s of volunteers bringing these areas and building's back to being something the people of Ramsgate can be proud of. If he took time to look at what's happened so far he would feel ashamed to spout such damming remarks but it seems as though he has a different agenda one of bias and prejudice towards the people who in his eyes are responsible for the demise of his aircraft park. Ignoring all the facts of Manstons real demise. I wonder if his party would be happy with his aspersions as representing their views or would it be like a UKIP candidate saying something on gay marriage? Ramsgate has so much potential if only our local MPs and councillors could see. I hope one day the people of Ramsgate get a chance to return the kindness that's been shown to them. MAKE RAMSGATE GREAT
Dear Ms Gloag Close the airport Sunday night and place staff on garden leave, stick by your thoughts to close it, we need genuine hopes in Ramsgate and Thanet not 15 years of empty promises and lies from all its previous owners, build a legacy for us not a slab of out of time concrete. Thanet needs a multi purpose site such as Kings Hill near Tonbridge thats a real example of what an old collapsing airfield can become. How many second chances does it need, if you do not build on it, someone else will, so please help us have some real prosperity, word of warning, watch who you deal with if our MPs are involved.
Good for Stephen Fry on Brunei: why are UK Ghurkas stationed there? Apart from stoning nobody is allowed to vote! It's like England 150 years ago and we shouldn't be propping up regimes such as this and Bahrain or Dubai.
The Dorchester is being boycotted as owned by Brunei - is there anything in Kent?
Would anyone build an airport from scratch at Manston? No.
The Manstophiles on their Save thingy have published Ann Gloag's email contacts. I'm sure their rambling nonsense is a great source of amusement at Gloag Castle but it might be worth those who haven't already, dropping her a line to tell her the truth about what an abysmal failure the place was and that she deserves to make a killing out of it as housing.
Feel free to drop John Snow a line at Channel4. Apparently they've been invited down to report on the peace-camp or whatever it is that the petroheads are up to down there.
Clearly the save Manston lot are no threat to the closure of the airport. If I were in power in anyway, I would distance myself from them as I could never have them standing behind me as I argued to save Manston. I would lose all creditability. I see someone has posted a statement by RiverOak Investment Corp saying these are good investors and they will make a go of Manston. But not only are they saying we will pay you a fraction of Manstons worth £5m they are also a asset stripping company that will do exactly what Gloag is going to do, just they will be a us company. How anybody can expect Gloag to take £100m-£150m drop in expectations and walk away is beyond me Anybody who beleave's Gale saying she should take such a drop know's nothing of business.
The Tories and UKIP (BNP in blazers) only care for Margate, westgate, bitching ton, kings gate, Palm Bay, some of the villages, and Broadstairs, they don't care for Ramsgate, as if it ever relished its true potential which it will without Manston, Ramsgate would be the real jewel, that and they have no votes hear and have been heard to say before why should we care we don't get voted in at Ramsgate, classy hey, what about the 30.000 people which live in Ramsgate wards, do we not deserve peace, and improvement, not according to the save manston at all cost mob, even if it means using tax money or iffy new people found by MPs, save Ramsgate, close the airport.
Phew! Now that Manston has gone we can finally turn our attention on the Port (or non-Port) of Ramsgate. What with the Thanet Taxpayer having to continually prop it up with our council tax, with no ferry company wishing to touch it, other than to ship half dead sheep, due to its proximity to Dover and Folkestone and with TDC losing millions of pounds it's about time we shut the blasted thing down and tell all the little boat owners to bugger off somewhere else.
You have really stuck your neck on the line and you are going to look ridiculous should Manston be rescued as an airport. Hubris and all that old chap, pip pip.
Perhaps I have not made my self clear. I have posted a few posts on the fate Of the Manston site. There has been a number of major developments on airfields over the last 5 years as brown field sites. They are prime for this sort of asset stripping. Now you have no chance of saving it as an airport but you do have a chance of stopping it becoming a sink estate. All of the efforts need to be put in to what it will become. say no to maximising the amount of housing on the land and getting low paid and London rejects. Force the local planning to pass large plots with large detached houses on them. We have all had a little bicker on here, but the time to unite is now. If we all sing from the same song sheet we can get this passed There is no chance of stopping them building on it is just a case of compromise
Interesting to see all of the councillors and MP's out in support of saving manston as an airport. Fast forward a fe years when planning or full council are sitting with a planning application in their hands what they will all do.
Laura Samdys won't be around so she is acting with absolutely no consequences whatsoever. Roger could seemingly get away with anything and still get voted in, so same situation.
But if the save man stoners think the politicians ar on entire side, it's only for today. Very soon they will have to start compromising and working with the gloag foundation. They do after all own 700 acres of their district.
These potential buyers don't sound like the smartest cookies. airport for sale for 18 months, they don't get a sniff of it, then up they come with a £5mill bid AFTER it's been sold for a pound.
Either they are looking to recoup their outlay through developing it for something else or they are a dumb as they sound
all you will get is another millmead,whitehall,newington or st peters type estate full of dfls that no one else will take rents payed by the tax payers so why not SAVE THE AIRPORT with this cash cheaper in the long run??
Not sure I've demonstrated any hubris, 10.40pm. My position on the airport is quite clear. The threat of night flights has blighted Ramsgate since 1999. I therefore regard the airport as a bad neighbour, and like any bad neighbour would not be sad to see it go. I've also said that, in all likelihood it will go, as nobody has shown Ann Gloag anything that could possibly change her mind.
Of course it's sad to see job losses, but I don't recall this kind of kerfuffle when Pfizer went, and there were 30 times more people employed there.
All I can deduce from the fuss is that there is a rather pointless, sentimental attachment to the airport because of its admittedly splendid history as an RAF base. However, it now serves no purpose, loses £10,000 a day, and therefore commercial reality and market forces have dealt it the final coup de grace.
The stalking horse of a 'sink estate', put forward by another commentator earlier, is further confirmation, if you ask me, that the Gale approach of sticking his head in the sand and not engaging with economic reality, or accepting there ought to be a plan B, is a dead end. The airport is going to close, we need politicians who will engage with Gloag now about what comes after, rather than scaring the horses with talk of what might be. If Gale and co had any respect for the people of Thanet, they would be telling Gloag now about what would and would not be acceptable in place of an airport.
So, no hubris, just common sense, the facts, and my opinion for what its worth. I'm reserving the hubris for next Thursday, when the gates shut for good! After all, you've got to allow me an element of 'told you so', surely?!
See one of our resident antis is already moving on to closing both the port and the marina. At this rate there soon will not be much left. Certainly no jobs, airport, harbour, Pfizer, mines, signmakers, Woolworths and our one industry, model trains, manufactured in China. Oh, and definitely no fricking fracking, that's for sure.
Trouble is, we cannot all sit at home being kept by our wives who run little restaurants.
4.22 the port is the same as manston and should go but the marina should be extended into where the port was as the marina is fully booked closing the port would also free a lot of prime land that could be used for fair attractions
Please, can we just luxuriate in the fact that that (staff aside), the idiots we've had to tolerate on this and other blogs about Manston have in the past hour, had to face the fact that it is GAME OVER!
Gale is either very very stupid or he is misleading the Save Manston lobby for his own political ends ie to make people think he's the hero saving the day. Anyone who looks at the Riveroak website can see that all they want is the land. This from the strategy section of their website..
We have a history of finding underutilized, distressed real estate assets and capitalizing on value-added opportunities…of discovering unique real estate assets with strong upside potential…of working with seasoned real estate development and management companies who are both strategically and tactically focused on their own specific areas of real estate expertise.
In other words they want to build on Manston just like Gloag does.
237 comments:
1 – 200 of 237 Newer› Newest»So will we see a second MP call it a day between now and 2015?
Gale must go
Ok come alone to Tesco car park bring 30 ton lorry filled with none consecutive serial numbers used £5 notes and we will talk.
Cross me and the garden gnomes outside your house get hit in a drive by shooting.
LOL
70 year old Scottish lady would like a strong man to clear some hardcore from her lawn applicants must have a vehicle the size of oil tanker and would have to make a number of trips to the dump she is will to pay 50p for the job as there is a lot of it as she needs to make room for a building project
No, really, there is one, I had it just a minute ago, oh, drat, where's it got to, pesky thing? Look, I'm going to have to get back to you on this.... no, don't go away - hang on, it'll turn up any minute now,. honest....(continue until even the Thanet Gazette gets bored with the story).
Actually it was from the former Aviation Minister in Nigeria. He has 150M dollars locked in an account and would really like to buy the world famous Manston Airport. He just needed Rogers bank account details to start moving the funds.
Marksman
you are a complete knob Richard why don't you do us all a favour and fist your self stupid in the local council toilet which is where you belong
Nice writing Richard, just proves how child like your blog posts always are. Its funny watching you get taken down a peg on twitter
Take the approach the Facebook group does. If you keep positive, a buyer will be found. Disillusion fools
Dickie looks like your gonna be sleeping safe and sound at last.
!0.29 you are the biggest lump of knob fungus I have read on here. You think your so intelligent? So tell me "Mr insult" why do you support Manston?
Ill tell you why im against it.
1. Pollution
2. Noise level
3. It stops investors as they dont like uncertainty
4. The tax payer props it up to the tune of £8000 a day
5. It holds back 2 large towns
6. If it goes ill see a better return on my house (and ramsgate was there first)
7. It will be better for the whole of Thanet even if you are not affected by the above.
8. And this being a major one, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE.
Now if your argument is stronger than mine please tell us all how keeping manston airport open will out weigh what I have said.......
Richard perhaps you should do a thread on the subject of council toilet closures.
Harvey is heading for the horizon. Hart's "Go To" man became Hart's "F-ck off" man.
I am beginning to sense an inquiry into two men. One of whom is now serving 28 years for child sexual abuse.
And it appears this pervy pair were once mercenaries. Balkans and South Africa attacking Mandela Regime.
What I do not know is whether the pair were identified in the Bishop Tutu commission of inquiry 1994. But we do know that the merc mission was detailed in a series of reports in the Searchlight magazine. That former TDC solicitor Mr Borley refused to circulate to cllrs.
Naturally I would imagine that those apparently making inquiry would scent this and question the role of right wingers and gun ranges in Thanet from where the merc mission was allegedly launched.
I would think they may wonder why the local MP failed to take up the issue of firearms offences at the said range. A certain Roger Gale.
Naturally when encountering the seedy right wing in Thanet there would be questions about why they ran their own private military cadet group. And even used a bit of public funding.
Blundering in ? Biggles. Probably unaware of the agenda as always he pronounced on his blog that nothing untoward happened in Thanet especially at a gun range.
Quelle surprise he then sobs at being interviewed under caution.
So, in 2015, who's going to vote for an MP who was prepared to sell their constituents down the river over nightflights and another who wanted YOU to pay through your taxes to prop up an outfit that their free-market couldn't and wouldn't fund.
Tricky one that....
( p.s. look how the Manstophiles are now chucking out 'anonymous' abuse. Funny, funny-tragic )
Gale's bid probably wasn't much more sophisticated than your spoof Richard. People losing their jobs is bad enough without Gale leading them up the garden path and giving them false hope. If the politicians had spent half as much time and effort on re-imagining the airport and coming up with a knock-out plan B instead of living in the past, wailing and gnashing their teeth, there would be a solution that suited everyone by now. But no, Gale has consistently said he is not even contemplating a plan B, thus demonstrating how complacent and out of touch he is with the real world. Lions led by a donkey.
9.58
WOW is that the best you can do, to not answer the question?
Look at 1.12 and answer if your so cleaver. Your last response showed how cleaver you and your 3 troll mates are.
w/e
p/c
j/h
And then there's you b/b
Staff have been told the airport will close on the 15th May 2014,
So where is Sir Dodger Bail-Out?
In fact where are all the Manstophiles? I thought 'chaps' like them were supposed to be magnanimous in defeat. Oh yes, they've crossed over to the dark side of hiding their identities. Shame they can't hide their true feelings.
Silly cows! X
Hiding identities? The only person to "come out" against Manston is John Worrow!
11.18
Im glad your argument is as pathetic as your trolling.
What, all those noisy Formula 1 cars with their exhaust emissions. Whatever will poor old Dim make of that, Think we all know what the next campaign would be. Where are the monitors, arrest Hamilton and Button, what about the aquifer, heaven help us.
10:42, he of the smart little initials of people not commenting here. So who is being obsessive now TG and what about your mate MK.
Can we not forget that today is a day of CELEBRATION. Don't feed the trolls! X
If you looked in Ann Gloag eyes you would not see any soul
1;29, from the most productive troll comes this latest snippet of wisdom. Just remember though that the Thanet blogs are dying in the same way you claim is Manston and soon you will have no one left to insult. Mind you, you can always talk to yourself like you usually do.
Manston to close this week or next week?
Let's hope the police begin their inquiry too...
Im collecting for a life sized bronze of Ann Gloag to be placed in a good position over looking Ramsgate "our heroine"
Not all asset strippers are bad!!!!
Why did Gale announce an offer on Sunday when it was rejected on Friday?
Into what, 1:51, contempt of court, civil disobedience or hogging blogsites perhaps.
See Ann Gloag has appointed Sincerity Advertising to handle the marketing of her airport she is so serious about selling it! The leading directors of both firms met the Vietnamese ambassador last night and enjoyed an in depth chat over a bowl of Ferrero Rocha.
Her only complaint was she could not find their offices in Broadstairs, but she has been redirected to the Hanoi one.
Anyone seen the Wikipedia entry for the 20yr old who wanted to run the 'virtual airline' from Manston. According to Wikipedia, he was involved with George Galloway's Respect Party. The more you learn about their desperation, the funnier it gets.
At least us 'antis' only had to swipe a few trolls from time to time. How hacked off must the Manstophiles be that every bus they drive behind says Stagecoach. Hundreds of the buggers, all over the Isle. Ouch!
I recognise that writing!
2.35
Probably. I signed the papers that had you sectioned once x
Zo TDC haf succeeded where Hitler failed, I vish my grandvadder was around to zee ziz.
Oh do F-off Brenda.....there's a dear.....
I don't think they still understand. This statement doesn't make sense.
Joint Statement By Sir Roger Gale MP and Laura Sandys MP
“The statement released by the current owners of Manston Airport today is very saddening indeed.
“We know that there is ongoing and serious interest in the acquisition of Manston as a working airport and we hope that even at this late stage the current owners may be persuaded to reconsider and negotiate.
“Our first thought has always been for the employees of Manston, many of whom have families to support. Their wellbeing is of the upmost concern, and we will be making ourselves available for anyone who would like to meet us and discuss their concerns and options.
“Our second priority has been to establish the viability of Manston as an operating airport in the local and national interest. We are convinced that, given more time, real progress could have been made and it is thus hugely disappointing that the decision has been taken to close it. The both of us have always said that had we known about the owners’ intentions months ago, a plan could have been put in place well in advance and this continuing uncertainty could have been avoided.
“We wish to pay tribute to the local community who have been so vital in keeping the momentum around the airport going, and urge local people to keep faith that a positive solution for Manston will be found. We will absolutely not accept second best and will fight together in the coming weeks to make sure the interests of the people of Thanet are protected.”
Gale and the Duffers must go. The failure of the area is complete. Resign.
Riveroak offered £5m but they are a property company...
What is interesting is the fact that Sandys was told months ago about this issue and did nothing.
What we have here is nothing more than Political Posturing at our expense, the sad thing is that 150 people have ben hoodwinked from the start of Manston,s privatisation under a dodgy MOD sales practise.
The fact that a person from Planestations era is fronting the latest bid beggars belief!!!
As one of the commentators aptly puts it, its time for a full Police Fraud Investigatiion at TDC and possibly KCC.
Anon, who do you suggest we vote in to replace Gale? Oh, don't tell me... TIME FOR CHANGE!!!
Garbutt is standing for Mayor then Sandys seat not Gale's as part of Time for Change.
What we need is a investigative journalist to look at Gale and Sandys to see how much they knew. Because I cant beleave they could be so naive and not know Manston was being asset stripped from the start.
But I am in favour of capitalist equalisation. It was always going to be about the money, that lies in the land not an airport. Now its just whats going to be built there. If the planning office say we would like to see large detached houses on large plots being built on the land, and as the planning department we will give you the green light. But if you want to maximise the amount of houses on the site we will fight you all the way.
That's what we should be asking our MPs to work towards.
That includes closing Thor and MODFire and demolishing Arlington House
They knew about the monitor s removed and said nothing and same with the water supply
A council tax strike for a police investigation will carry more weight
Has anyone seen or heard from the Hobbit-Man? You know, Nicolaas or Legollaas, not a local.
PR picture has him supporting his chinny-chin-chin with the top of a raised forefinger. Mmmm...a thinker!!
Well, one of the local copy-chasers actually asked him for an opinion, from his house, some 89 Miles from the flight-path and guess what this Master of the Universe said?
To paraphrase: What a result! The burdensome staff can be ditched and Manston will become JFK a week on Friday.
Seriously, what do these idiots do when they're not dribbling into their pillows.
Why Not Manston? Ergo Est Sum xxx
Tony Freudmann of wiggins and planestation involved with Gale and this bid...
the airport was down for the chop the day the air show was scrapped any one with an ounce of common should have seen it coming.
Gale
Sounds like
Fail
So should
Er...Bale
I fancy a blog-ruck with Wee Willy 'The Eppy-Fit' Epps, John Holyer John Holyer (The Window to watch) and their disappointment of a Son, Chequered-Past.
Sorry guys, really can't be arsed hahahahaha xxx
Off out soon, but if any of the troika of unintelligent trolls, as previously given the oxygen of publicity to are up for it, load your posts and I'll pick you off one by one.
Not your day is it? Mwah xxx
Sorry 7:19, but you have driven them all away. It is all yours now and you can talk to yourself, or the trees, to your heart's content. No one is listening apart from Michael, who enjoys your comments to boost the visitor numbers to his site. Everyone else has gone from there to.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Manston being asset stripped? Like there were ever any assets there to start with. Gloag bought a run-down, failing airfield. She brought in the guy who turned Southend around but even he couldn't do anything with it. So, she did what any sensible hard-headed business person would do; she contracted consultants to prepare a study to tell her whether it had any prospects. They said no and now she's doing the only thing she can do under the circumstances. For Gale to throw his toys out of the pram and start accusing her of industrial vandalism is childish and plain stupid.
6.48
A Farce. Beyond satire now ;-)))))))))
So Gale and Sandys bullshit was based on....
Wiggins.
PlaneStation.
A 20 year old who was part of George Galloway's Respect Party who believed in a 'Virtual' aircraft company.
The cleaners and Pest -Control staff.
7.28
Have you just taken your Saga-approved blouson off??!!
Listen old man, this is just the start. I'm DFL with a house in London and two Georgian also-rans with potential down here.
I've only been here for 2 years but it was clear in 2012 that we'd have to remove all obstacles if this area was going to have any kind of growth. Phase one has now been achieved.
Tony Freudmann how we've missed him but Gale has been cosying upto him all along after the Wiggins accounting fraud, Planestation and EUJet crash.
And Clive n Bob cosying upto Buchanan with monthly meetings but no Airport Committee - rather than investigating the fines and pollution and monitors.
7.58
Im all for it what's phase 2?
Even though phase 1 was the hardest I can only see getting rid of the ferry and building on the terminal and car/lorry park and using the ferry harbour as a extension to the marina
Phase 3 to reinstate the 1930 art deco lift and use the other beach
MAKE RAMSGATE BETTER
7.58
whats phase two fill in the harbour to build pent houses on?
Phase 2: remove the Duffers. They couldn't have failed any more could they?
8.36
dont be silly
do you live in ramsgate?
What would be a good idea would to be, to make an artificial reef with the runway off the coast of ramsgate we have the infrastructure to do it.
It would be good for the fishing industry also put in the right place it could capture more sand. Stopping Ramsgate beach form getting any smaller.
A must see at least it cures some of the headaches of the EKO and we can get a large open space with trees? http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-72
I see from south east news, that it wasn't even a very successful ww2 airfield as it wss too close to the continent and the aircraft couldn't get high enough quick enough to alwss be effective, which is why the RAF went further inland.
A non profit making business should close, it would be no other way with any other employer, shame to see it go but its had enough chances, time for something new.
My favourite numpty plan was converting Richboro towers into a hotel. None of these ideas sadly are quite as stupid although the runway reef is not bad!
Margate Town Council in the offing too I see - looks like the end of The Duffers already...
No tax payers money has been used in this episode. Why not let the Americans give it a go with their own dollars?
Why did Roger say the bid was provided on Sunday but he knew it was rejected on Friday?
River Oak are a property company so that really would just be land-banking. Give it a go yourself 9:33 but all the Manston staff ideas were rejected as not viable too.
Wendy Fraser, group secretary of Save Manston Airport, said campaigners would be stepping up their campaign to keep the airport open..what they are going to wear two T shirts ??
"Why not let the Americans give it a go with their own money?"
What assurances do you have that these Americans will continue to run it as an airport? How do you know that their bid is not based on closing it down and using it to build houses? There's an old saying: "Better the devil you know." and that may be true in this case (although both devils are familiar).
"..what they are going to wear two T shirts ??"
They could remortgage their houses and stick the money in the pot. If the airport is such a good bet surely you'd bet your house on it?
Ramsgate mayor fake election 7pm tomorrow Weds let them know it's over
The Duffers must go they have had long enough
I think those campaigners have done well, at least they got off their arse and have done something! what have you all done? sit here and moan, most of you seem to be the types who want Thanet to fail despite living here. The logic is laughable! put most of these people in front of a TV camera regarding something they cared about I bet none of you would even have the balls to do so. So much crap talked on this page and mostly by a blogger who thinks he's the bee's knee's that everyone rips the piss out of all the time but he just doesn't know it . Jokes on you Eastcliff. haha
12.48
Manston is closing not for any other reason than the land is worth more as a development site than an airport.
But to have a go at people taking the piss out of anybody willing go on TV saying we will fight tooth and nail to stop Gloag doing what she wants with her own property. Needs a bit of ridicule the same with gale he has never heard of asset stripping.
And people vote for him you would be better off with a dead fish
But im glad he was on the save manston side a little like Churchill was glad that hitler was running the nazi's
You dont need to do as much when an idiot is your opponent.
12.48
With Manston closing its the start of the recovery for Thanet dont be upset just wait and see I could not think of a worst place to make a transport hub than Thanet.
Its not the way forward tourism is.
Pleasurama and Arlington still bad though. And the councils!
Did you not see just over a week ago an empty commons chamber with a speaker a senior transport minister gale and shifting sands, and a scriber. Gale trying for all his worth to make a grand speach at 23 . 30 hrs to save the airpirt, and the minister giving a long reply culminating in short that nice little airfield, if it closed tomorrow it would be sad but it would have no bearing on the countries airport industry and must be dealt with by the owner and not have government involvement. The want HS2, thevwant Boris Island, they have no intrest in Manston, let it now become something to be proud of a not over developed multi purpose site.
ECR I see Peter Checksfield is posting again at 0212
TDC and RTC are corrupt even their own LGA report says so. And Wiggins involved in manston after the accounting fraud and EUjet says it all. The Police need to make arrests instead of councillors whitewashing themselves. The Councils are broken.
to all the dfls what you gonna moan at now must be quite boring with nowt to winge about time to move to romny marsh help close lydd airport so ya mate boris gets his island
What a great idea 0819.
The Aussie bint who fights lydd is probably delighted at the thought of manstons majority of holiday flights, all 5 of them, are shifting to Lydd.
I hope they have good sewers as the volume of liquid mixed with Tena's being unloaded a after an hours coach journey will be immense.
I've deleted a lot of rancid spam/graffiti there which appeared overnight. I think someone must have been having a nocturnal emission!
8:19 - The DFL's will probably pour their money into Ramsgate housing stock / small businesses to the the delight of smaller building firms, and likely gentrify an otherwise blighted area. Locals that don't like DFL's can always move out and sell their houses at the improved market value once the airport closes. Schools will gradually improve as the quality of the environment improves and Ramsgate can return to its former glory as a seaside resort, much like Dartmouth etc.
All the DFL's will have to moan about after that is the quality of local politics that you've clearly had to put up with too long. Some of us have been to the world beyond Minster roundabout and they do things a whole lot better there.
Worth having a look at the Riveroak website. A small team of real estate experts with no knowledge of running businesses and certainly not an Airport from what I can see. Basically a hedge fund which will be looking for returns of circa 20%. No idea how Mr Gale thinks this outfit would seriously run an airport for the long term initially losing any money on a monthly basis never mind £10,000.
Or £10K a day. Good points there, and certainly much more coherent than the rude and irrational mumblings of the pro-Manston lobby!
Ramsgate like Dartmouth? In your dreams, sunshine. Ramsgate at best could be like Great Yarmouth or Southend, sort of cheap and tatty, but Dartmouth, home to the Royal Navy college and surrounded by beautiful countryside, never in a month of Sundays.
11:40 - I said 'much like' but I still think it's a fair comparison considering they both have a common history as a resort.
Anyway keep up those low expectations, they sound like the all too familiar "F$&@k Ramsgate" diatribe that have basically divided the community over the issue of market forces and political nonsense surrounding that airport.
Your sunshine!
Nick, not negativity but realism. Sadly, Margate and Ramsgate have a tourism history based around the traditional working class British seaside holiday complete with candy floss and 'kiss me quick' hats. Broadstairs was always the slightly more upmarket family resort venue and, because of that, has adapted better to the type of holiday home and weekend away style of today.
West country resorts are as much about countryside as sea and were always more expensive. The comparison is thus invalid.
Ramsgate needs to find something, possibly the Marina, to attract London folk down for weekends and day visits even, in the way the Turner has boosted visitors to Margate. There is no going back to the worker's outings of yesteryear, or even the Mods and Rockers.
A small regional airport could have been part of the Thanet mix, but the London Manston idea was always OTT and has contributed to its demise.
By the way, I am a DFL, living in Broadstairs, but take my holidays in places like the Brecon Beacons, the Highlands or the West country. Those are get away holidays.
Like, wow, an actual exchange of opinions. Quite clearly, Tim, after a night of talking to himself, is not up yet to dominate the ether with his chuntering. Mrs. G, any chance of popping another sleeping pill in his lunch time cuppa.
It's ok Richard we see worrow is back on top form! Now to focus on the real issues. EKO and manston most people know is to do with corruption hand in hand with TDC and Manston Skyport ltd. Ann Gloag did not buy the airport she had shareholders in a previous company that already had a vested interested in which she was a director of. She knew what was going on and the council fully back her to the hills to build housing with their cut. In the meantime any offers (whilst probably true) are stalling tactics used to make tails look good!
10.57 Nick
You are so right Ramsgate has so much potential. living in Ramsgate myself over the last 5 years I can see the only major thing holding it back was the airport as for the people that think Ramsgate is doomed and will always be just watch this space
I liken it to an old Victorian house that,s had years of neglect and looks a state but after some hard work and money there,s noting more beautiful .
Well once the political elite round here are cleansed then maybe the area will turn around for all classes from day visitors to regatta rats... and i agree the Marina is an amazing asset. There is so much that could be done but i sadly don't think the airport is really more than a footnote for the Spitfire.
We live in the Garden of England and there is a lot to offer for holiday makers and actually a high quality sandy beach. However it is managed badly!
Sure it's not National Park status in Thanet, but hey look how Whitstable turned around in a decade! It was all tea rooms and false teeth 15 years ago and now London overspill want to live / visit there!
Anyway side track - Airport is doomed unless it's subsidised by somebody. These are the facts of life, so it's time to grow a pair and get on with it. This pantomine by Gale is just damage limitation by a politician that can't get a grip on economic fantasy he literally whipped up. Did you see his speech in the commons...? Tumbleweed..., just like that bloody runway! Conservatives better change him soon with someone with energy and realism!
Couldn't agree more.
Gale has turned to the only contact he has to 'guide the bid'. The same guy whose track record includes failing to run Manston as a going concern twice, and who was behind the epic fail of 'flights to Virginia' a few years ago which ended in KCC pouring £300,000 of taxpayers' money directly down the drain. Quite why a Thatchersaurus like him is describing the closure as 'corporate vandalism' is beyond me! Unless he's a two-faced old fart... Hmmm.
Also if you look at the bid backers you'll see they're just another bunch of hedge-funding, asset-stripping land bankers who want to get their hands on a prime piece of real estate at a knock down price. Sorry guys, Annie's already beaten you to it!
The Duffers have failed yet still they cling on rejigging the council processes to suit themsrlves. Who should resign?
I see those economic illiterates over at the Unite union are whipping themselves into a frenzy saying that if Gloag was offerred £5m she should take it and be grateful despite the land value being many multiples of that.
Has anyone in this part of Kent ever studied a balance sheet? Councillors, MPs, Unions....utterly ridiculous and out of their depth yet again.
Furthermore I have already demonstrated on this blog that the reason some pro-Manston campaigners are against the idea of a housing development is their fear that it will be occupied by 'bloody immigrants' (their words not mine). There is a horrible undercurrent of racism and xenophobia in Thanet - even Londoners who relocate here are belittled and mocked by some of the more extreme elements. If we want to move forward and grow the area, that will have to change.
If the land value is many time £5 million, why did Infratil sell it for a £1.
The modern day remedy whenever an argument might be failing is to play the race card. Well done Richard for joining that dubious club which includes the like of Clegg.
3:24 pm
One man's trash is another man's treasure! Change the land use and hey presto! I think Manston would qualify as brownfield - not open green field...so easy to build on!
Good for you 3.27pm. I'm a morning man myself.
As for Wiggins MD man, Gloag is right to send him off with a flea in his ear. Zero credibility, and proven recently by him and his HF mates not making an offer when Infratil had it up for sale for 18 months. They would have bitten their hands of for £5,000,000.
Our councillors are not fit for purpose. TDC has sacked many of the senior civil servants but the parties have closed ranks to protect their jobs. We need a clearout of these pointless old fools.
Gloag meant Gale for zero credibility. The idiot announces an offer on Sunday knowing it had been rejected on Friday. And similarly did nothing for 18 months. Gale is finished.
Off you pop, 3.27!
Nick at 3:24, brown field or not, planning is still needed and the infrastructure must support what is proposed. Going back to your tourism though, do you really think a large housing complex on the final approach to Thanet will really encourage more visitors. A theme park, wild life conservation area or even a forest might, but houses, in your dreams. It was bad enough when the approach was through fields of cabbages.
Several of whom are much younger than you 3:51.
And of course, once the inland housing development is built, us millionaires with cliff top mansions will be benefitting from the uptick in premium, sea front locations! Hey presto - job done!
3.04 if she has already turned dowm £8 million why would she even look at taking £5 now ???
Please remember when commenting that intelligent, amusing and relevant contributions are much less likely to be removed than rants, insults, potential libels and barmy, off-topic witterings. Your co-operation is appreciated.
So Rodgers Mate turns out to be Freudmann of Wiggins again. Shambolic by all concerned.
Er, my thoughts entirely 4.11pm!
4:01 you seem to be saying our councillors are superb and dynamic rather than the corrupt cretins we know them to be. How many more should be arrested to make you change your mind?
As an MP who blithely stands up in the House of Commons to ask questions on behalf of VAT fraudsters, you've got to worry about Gale's business acumen. Unless he got a sweetener for it, in which case hats off!
4:00 pm
Problem is Plan B has never been considered as far as I've read! It's been an asinine 'airport or bust' fallacy (fueled by a 'master plan' and 10,00 jobs) every since I moved here. I really thought it was a joke when I first heard it! Call me cynical if you want!
Frankly nobody knows what will be built there so its all conjecture. The Housing estate idea is alarmist and chimes into the lowest expectation logic that I've so often read in places like this.
There is so much fear about this stupid non-business airport on all sides.
The possibilities are endless as you know, but nobody is going to want to touch it if it HAS to stay an airport are they!
Good point. The housing estate is just something to frighten the horses. Now if the horses weren't being led by donkeys, we could have a sensible discussion about all the nice things Manston could become, now that it's not an airport.
We're not talking about Garbutt, 4.34pm. Stick to the point.
Oh do keep up 4.00pm
The local bumpy-duffers won't have a say in what she does. Money and success that Anne Gloag has achieved means that our tin-pot councillors and MPs aren't even on her radar, nor whatever you or anyone else says, need they be.
The Secretary of State will ease her plans through and I'd be surprised if the go-ahead wasn't already a done deal. The development ticks all the government's boxes.
Perhaps Anne will name a few Cul-de-Sacs after our elected muppets in honour of their forward thinking over the past few decades.
Ezekiel Letsbe Avenue could be a start.
The libdem duo sticking to their line of manston the only recycling aviation site. Chumps.
The future of Ramsgate
It wont take long before interest in the fantastic housing stock is noticed with a few changes to the harbour which are planned already changing the ferry port and car park into an amusement park with large rides for all the family, bringing back the use of the other beach and lift, the planned change to the motor museum being finished, the royal pavilion coming into use with w/s, the slipway development being started and finished, the maritime museum plans come true, even without the pleasureramma site changing this is enough for Ramsgate to fly
But if the pleasureramma site was finished and we had an artificial reef made from the old runway with some small town centre changes this really would become the next millionaires playground!!!!!!!
There's not a great deal to do when you think about it with a little help from TDC and private money/investors this could happen in a few years
MAKE RAMSGATE GREAT
Perhaps Bill Gates could be persuade to buy Manston. Keep it open for rescue/aid flights for which Manston has a good record, and for which Bill Gates is a supreme ambassador.
4:48 the Thanet gun range is more interesting than this. Possibly even the IRA welding plot. Even the Ramsgate Town team painting lampposts.
4.47
They know they're dead in the water. If I was in their shoes I'd be promising free Money and Ice-Cream with a back rub thrown in.
They'll become more barking as time goes on but bear in mind there is a precedent set throughout this past month or so.
Free-Marketeer MP Windy wanted a 70's style British Leyland style bail-out at our expense.
MP HeadintheSandys was up for overnight knackered jumbos booming over her own constituency.
The swivel-eyed Smells Like You Kippers wanted to build another runway! Double losses all round...
The LieDems are just joining in. Go on, let them play.
Even if a buyer was found there is no guarantee they would run the site as an airport and there is no way any buyer would contractually obliged themselves to do this. Rather like Pfizer bidding for Astra Zeneca whatever they promise they will do what fits them commercially and there's nothing anyone can do about it, there's amways a material adverse change clause which is the get out of jail free card. We've seen that Pfizer can shut things down without a thought. Same happened with Kraft. Unless the taxpayer wants to subsidise the economics of a venture will always have to add up. When politicians try and beat the financiers they always get their faces ripped off, credit crunch bail out of banks, sale of Post Office and massive discount etc etc
We're in danger of being Tim Dimmed and Cheggered here! All comments must be on topic, end of.
That's not a bad suggestion Mr B of B, but as Gloag is also a squillionaire and does her own good works in Africa, she may have already thought of it and discounted it. Besides I don't think Thanet is on Gatesie's radar. Unless we could prove we've got endemic malaria, that is. Who knows? Worth a shot maybe?
Bemused of B
Will you publish your letter to Bill Gates and any replies he may send you.
You could get a Knighthood for this. Like Rog has. Luvvly Jubbly!
As you can all see from the number of comments (about mayors, pollution, restaurants etc etc) that I'm having to delete, Tim's meds are beginning to wear off again. So I've turned comment moderation back on.
It's a shame, as I was enjoying the debate. But you see, that's what trolls like Tim, Cheggers and the rest want - to divert any sensible exchange of views to their own personal obsessions. Sad but true.
ECR is there anyway of stopping them from posting on here as they never have anything productive to say?
I would never think of wrecking this blog weather people agreed with me or not.
5.26
Keyboard narcissists do this for many reasons but at the core is a need to be noticed.
Don't feed the Trolls, tempting though it can be!
Sadly not. Not on this Blogger platform at least. You can see the effect it's had on Michael's blog too. Leave comment moderation off to encourage debate and the trolls have a field day. Put it on and you have to keep checking for comments all the time.
Worse, if moderation is off overnight, you get the kind of expletive, capitalised claptrap which I experienced last night, which in essence is a denial of service attack.
If I was prone to paranoia, I'd be wondering whether the council had its dead hand on all of this!
ECR, I don't know if your platform allows it but you can use a keyword or keywords that trigger a comment moderation break whilst allowing everything else to get through. Trolls don't like to work too hard for their fix.
Sorry if that sounded like advice on Lemon Sucking. You probably know this stuff anyway.
Seen the latest?
It's like 1980's all over again.
The Manstophiles have gone all native and are trying to turn Gloag Village into Greenham Common!!! They're attaching ribbons and stuff to the perimeter fence ahead of a meeting of their elders there on Friday.
As we speak, bongos are beating out a tribal rhythm and their living-god (answers to Rog) is thrusting a large stick towards the sky whilst shouting 'Potentiaaaal' at the top of his voice.
It's a funny old world.
You? a millionaire Richard? LOL far from it, if you was what would you be doing in Ramsgate or posting bollocks on the internet. I think people are missing the point of saving the airport, it may not have been made a go of but the whole point to save it is to put it in the hands or people who will. You can carry on being negative all you like but the positives far out weigh them ;)
6.08
Have you been in a coma for the last 15 years a lot has happened since 1999. Try and keep up!!!!!!
6.02
That's the best thing i have seen written very funny
Reports are coming in that Conservative MP, Sir Blustery Gale is spearheading efforts to find a buyer for the doomed union, Unite.
A spokesman for Unite said that despite efforts over the years and lots of tax-payer money being thrown at the problem, the promise of 10,000 union-subs arriving by direct-debit every month had failed to materialise.
'We're fookin' gooted' said a local Unite officer with a Scottish sounding name.
'We were promised 10,000 x £20 every month. If we'd have known we were being sold a pup, we'd had let the Electricians Unions or USDAW have this gig'
The trouble is that you lot have been banging on about the positives since 1999...no it REALLY IS that long. 15 years on and the airport is no nearer being a profitable enterprise than it was on Day 1. We cannot know for certain but we can look at other disused airfields and can postulate that other development approaches might have been far more successful and might have created far more jobs. The truth is that all political parties have backed the airport to the exclusion of all else and in so doing have created a self-fulfilling prophesy: if you aren't receptive to alternatives, no alternatives will be forthcoming. I believe that the moronic repetition of the "great potential" mantra may have caused real and lasting damage to Thanet's economy. Those who have mindlessly back the airport over 15 years must be held accountable for putting all of our economic eggs in a basket with a bl**dy big hole in the bottom.
Richard Eastwick say s Oooh oooooh ooooooh Cllr Fart deeper deeper deeper I love anal! treat me like a dirty journo! OOOOOHHH both hands right up in my shit now!
And there we have a typical example of the average Manston supporter's level of debate. I expect that's one of Cheggers'!
6.48pm, shouldn't you be doing your homework? If you could, I'm sure you'd be drawing knobs all over the page.
ECR, it seems your denial of service trolls are at it again.
Who ever is posting that sort of filth needs to get their head in order. I feel sorry for ECR for having to go though it all. This site is the best local site for independent news and would be a shame if the author was not to bother because of idiots who have clearly lost their recent battle.
I hope they will realise what they are doing is not the work of an adult it is childish and stupid and maybe they dont realise that if push came to shove their ISP can be found and their real name and address can be exposed.
ECR
Let's just enjoy the peace now RAF Tracey's off to the airport knackers yard. It's been a long time coming. We were right and 'they' were wrong.
This is too good to be true, but true it is. The airfield closes for good on May 15th but did you know that on that date in 1928....
Mickey Mouse made his 1st appearance in "Plane Crazy"
Now they're tweeting Stephen Fry and Alan Carr to save the airport. Desperate.
Amazing three bank holidays in a row without training flights thundering over us all day.
Anyone know what pans B, C and D are yet - are our plum duffers still stewing?
some of the Councillors are well past there used by date, some are Good, some OK, do not paint them all with the same brush however, the few mainly from Tory and UKIP administrations who rent a mob for full Council meetings, are the real issue, not the hard working honest ones of which are from a couple of the other parties, and have Thanets best interest at heart. also know this, TDC has no rights over the airport, neither does KCC or Government, its a private enterprise owned by Gloag, and she is entitled to do whatever she wants with it. These do gooders may have to travel to work now instead, earn money elsewhere and bring it back to Thanet, we are stronger without the damn airport. The current administration has begun to deal with the Harbours, many schemes in Ramsgate, Dreamland, all of which the Tory incompetents neglected, placed TDC in bad deals with developers and more, which this administration has had to clear up over the last 2.5 years, that's how bad its been. look at who has brought council into discredit, All Tories. Enough said.
If you were the lot at the airport, would you be better using this time to find a job in or out of Thanet, rather than whinging the airport owes them.
12.50am , Stephen Fry, meanwhile, is tweeting that governments should sanction Brunei for its new laws against homosexuals. Manston is not on his agenda it seems.
Perhaps some councillors should be asking for a transfer to the Sultans government, seems they would fit right in.
You mean it's not possible to do both 8:16?
Please see this press release from RiverOak, they are more than just a property company.
Manston Airport, Kent
RiverOak Investment Corp LLC of Stamford Connecticut announced on May 4, 2014 that it had submitted a formal offer to acquire 100% of the shares in the company owning Manston Airport. The offer was conditional only on an expedited process of due diligence with closing anticipated by the end of May 2014.
The consideration offered is significantly higher than the entire capital investment expended by the current owner since Manston was purchased in November of last year.
RiverOak’s executives visited Manston on April 29th and travelled to Scotland to meet Mrs Gloag and her advisor on May 2nd. RiverOak currently has $350 million of assets under management with a number of operating partners and has a successful track record of turning around troubled operating and real estate assets.
In this particular project, RiverOak is the capital partner of a number of aviation operating entities specializing in aircraft maintenance and cargo operations, and principal partners at RiverOak have extensive US experience with the capital markets and debt restructuring of a number of major airport assets, one of which is a singular maintenance and cargo hub in Texas.
RiverOak has developed a long term plan to own and manage Manston as an airport in line with its investment philosophy of diversified investing in asset backed businesses. RiverOak remains committed to investing in and developing Manston as a successful diversified aviation services, cargo and potential future passenger airport facility, and values Manston as an important piece of aviation infrastructure that is very important to both Kent specifically and the United Kingdom in general.
RiverOak is distressed to learn of the announced closure of Manston today and remains willing to engage with all parties to achieve a solution which allows the airport to continue operating and preserves the jobs of its staff.
For further information or press inquiries contact Tony Freudmann at 07785 306715
Wonder if they'll try fracking at the airport. High skill jobs, local energy benefits for local residents, does it get any better?
The duffers simply have no clue at all. The Tories are blaming Labour for night flights but that's all. The wider concern has to be what the Environment Agency were saying about the toxic levels...
So what if infratil polluted the staff and walked away
yes
After reading Simon Moores bolg on Ramsgate I feel there is a reel unfair prejudice towards the people and town of Ramsgate from him and the Conservative party. Why would it bother him if the people of Ramsgate see a bright and successful future. He doesn't realise there are so many friends groups of public building's and spaces with 100s of volunteers bringing these areas and building's back to being something the people of Ramsgate can be proud of.
If he took time to look at what's happened so far he would feel ashamed to spout such damming remarks but it seems as though he has a different agenda one of bias and prejudice towards the people who in his eyes are responsible for the demise of his aircraft park. Ignoring all the facts of Manstons real demise.
I wonder if his party would be happy with his aspersions as representing their views or would it be like a UKIP candidate saying something on gay marriage?
Ramsgate has so much potential if only our local MPs and councillors could see. I hope one day the people of Ramsgate get a chance to return the kindness that's been shown to them.
MAKE RAMSGATE GREAT
Dear Ms Gloag
Close the airport Sunday night and place staff on garden leave, stick by your thoughts to close it, we need genuine hopes in Ramsgate and Thanet not 15 years of empty promises and lies from all its previous owners, build a legacy for us not a slab of out of time concrete. Thanet needs a multi purpose site such as Kings Hill near Tonbridge thats a real example of what an old collapsing airfield can become. How many second chances does it need, if you do not build on it, someone else will, so please help us have some real prosperity, word of warning, watch who you deal with if our MPs are involved.
Good for Stephen Fry on Brunei: why are UK Ghurkas stationed there? Apart from stoning nobody is allowed to vote! It's like England 150 years ago and we shouldn't be propping up regimes such as this and Bahrain or Dubai.
The Dorchester is being boycotted as owned by Brunei - is there anything in Kent?
Two things.
Would anyone build an airport from scratch at Manston?
No.
The Manstophiles on their Save thingy have published Ann Gloag's email contacts. I'm sure their rambling nonsense is a great source of amusement at Gloag Castle but it might be worth those who haven't already, dropping her a line to tell her the truth about what an abysmal failure the place was and that she deserves to make a killing out of it as housing.
Feel free to drop John Snow a line at Channel4. Apparently they've been invited down to report on the peace-camp or whatever it is that the petroheads are up to down there.
7.35
Precisely.
Clearly the save Manston lot are no threat to the closure of the airport. If I were in power in anyway, I would distance myself from them as I could never have them standing behind me as I argued to save Manston. I would lose all creditability.
I see someone has posted a statement by RiverOak Investment Corp saying these are good investors and they will make a go of Manston. But not only are they saying we will pay you a fraction of Manstons worth £5m they are also a asset stripping company that will do exactly what Gloag is going to do, just they will be a us company.
How anybody can expect Gloag to take £100m-£150m drop in expectations and walk away is beyond me
Anybody who beleave's Gale saying she should take such a drop know's nothing of business.
The Tories and UKIP (BNP in blazers) only care for Margate, westgate, bitching ton, kings gate, Palm Bay, some of the villages, and Broadstairs, they don't care for Ramsgate, as if it ever relished its true potential which it will without Manston, Ramsgate would be the real jewel, that and they have no votes hear and have been heard to say before why should we care we don't get voted in at Ramsgate, classy hey, what about the 30.000 people which live in Ramsgate wards, do we not deserve peace, and improvement, not according to the save manston at all cost mob, even if it means using tax money or iffy new people found by MPs, save Ramsgate, close the airport.
I have been working at Manston for 26 years.. and am neither deaf or cancer ridden ..
Still hopeful we can all be saved .. :-)
Glad you are ok but what about those most likely to be affected such as children?
So very true
Phew! Now that Manston has gone we can finally turn our attention on the Port (or non-Port) of Ramsgate. What with the Thanet Taxpayer having to continually prop it up with our council tax, with no ferry company wishing to touch it, other than to ship half dead sheep, due to its proximity to Dover and Folkestone and with TDC losing millions of pounds it's about time we shut the blasted thing down and tell all the little boat owners to bugger off somewhere else.
ECR,
You have really stuck your neck on the line and you are going to look ridiculous should Manston be rescued as an airport. Hubris and all that old chap, pip pip.
Perhaps I have not made my self clear. I have posted a few posts on the fate Of the Manston site. There has been a number of major developments on airfields over the last 5 years as brown field sites. They are prime for this sort of asset stripping. Now you have no chance of saving it as an airport but you do have a chance of stopping it becoming a sink estate.
All of the efforts need to be put in to what it will become. say no to maximising the amount of housing on the land and getting low paid and London rejects. Force the local planning to pass large plots with large detached houses on them. We have all had a little bicker on here, but the time to unite is now. If we all sing from the same song sheet we can get this passed
There is no chance of stopping them building on it is just a case of compromise
Interesting to see all of the councillors and MP's out in support of saving manston as an airport. Fast forward a fe years when planning or full council are sitting with a planning application in their hands what they will all do.
Laura Samdys won't be around so she is acting with absolutely no consequences whatsoever. Roger could seemingly get away with anything and still get voted in, so same situation.
But if the save man stoners think the politicians ar on entire side, it's only for today. Very soon they will have to start compromising and working with the gloag foundation. They do after all own 700 acres of their district.
These potential buyers don't sound like the smartest cookies. airport for sale for 18 months, they don't get a sniff of it, then up they come with a £5mill bid AFTER it's been sold for a pound.
Either they are looking to recoup their outlay through developing it for something else or they are a dumb as they sound
all you will get is another millmead,whitehall,newington or st peters type estate full of dfls that no one else will take rents payed by the tax payers so why not SAVE THE AIRPORT with this cash cheaper in the long run??
Not sure I've demonstrated any hubris, 10.40pm. My position on the airport is quite clear. The threat of night flights has blighted Ramsgate since 1999. I therefore regard the airport as a bad neighbour, and like any bad neighbour would not be sad to see it go. I've also said that, in all likelihood it will go, as nobody has shown Ann Gloag anything that could possibly change her mind.
Of course it's sad to see job losses, but I don't recall this kind of kerfuffle when Pfizer went, and there were 30 times more people employed there.
All I can deduce from the fuss is that there is a rather pointless, sentimental attachment to the airport because of its admittedly splendid history as an RAF base. However, it now serves no purpose, loses £10,000 a day, and therefore commercial reality and market forces have dealt it the final coup de grace.
The stalking horse of a 'sink estate', put forward by another commentator earlier, is further confirmation, if you ask me, that the Gale approach of sticking his head in the sand and not engaging with economic reality, or accepting there ought to be a plan B, is a dead end. The airport is going to close, we need politicians who will engage with Gloag now about what comes after, rather than scaring the horses with talk of what might be. If Gale and co had any respect for the people of Thanet, they would be telling Gloag now about what would and would not be acceptable in place of an airport.
So, no hubris, just common sense, the facts, and my opinion for what its worth. I'm reserving the hubris for next Thursday, when the gates shut for good! After all, you've got to allow me an element of 'told you so', surely?!
10.40pm
Seen the Gazette?
For you ze airport it's over.
Ha bloody Ha!
See one of our resident antis is already moving on to closing both the port and the marina. At this rate there soon will not be much left. Certainly no jobs, airport, harbour, Pfizer, mines, signmakers, Woolworths and our one industry, model trains, manufactured in China. Oh, and definitely no fricking fracking, that's for sure.
Trouble is, we cannot all sit at home being kept by our wives who run little restaurants.
Have the flag-wavers not looked at what happened in Tony Freudmann's Wiggins/Planestation days?
4.22
Are you all going to blame Garbutt for your woes?
The game's over. Has been for months. We tried to tell you but oh no, you all buried your heads in the sand.
Thursday May 15th. The old men's days are over.
4.22
the port is the same as manston and should go but the marina should be extended into where the port was as the marina is fully booked closing the port would also free a lot of prime land that could be used for fair attractions
Please, can we just luxuriate in the fact that that (staff aside), the idiots we've had to tolerate on this and other blogs about Manston have in the past hour, had to face the fact that it is GAME OVER!
Gale is either very very stupid or he is misleading the Save Manston lobby for his own political ends ie to make people think he's the hero saving the day. Anyone who looks at the Riveroak website can see that all they want is the land. This from the strategy section of their website..
We have a history of finding underutilized, distressed real estate assets and capitalizing on value-added opportunities…of discovering unique real estate assets with strong upside potential…of working with seasoned real estate development and management companies who are both strategically and tactically focused on their own specific areas of real estate expertise.
In other words they want to build on Manston just like Gloag does.
Post a Comment