Kiss Me Margate?

Hmmm. I'm not quite sure what Topshop are suggesting here. Unless 'Margate' is vernacular for those parts that only the former Chief Exec of the Lib Dems can reach. Allegedly.

Oh well. One thing that will be kissing the clouds over Margate, and the rest of the island, should the air traffic control chaps at NATS get their way, is planes taking off from London City and Gatwick airports. The 'London Airspace Consultation' ends next Tuesday, so get your proverbials on if you want to have your say. Although anyone who can make sense of their Dad's Army style maps is a better man that I am, Gunga Din.

Whatever. If it means the grimy norf side of Fannit finally getting its fair share of aircraft noise, I'm all for it!

Right. I'm off down the Croisette here in the Millionaires' Playground for my traditional Friday night Krug and caviar! Toodle-pip!

A Word From Our Other Sponsor

As part of my new policy of carrying a modest amount of tasteful sponsorship ('selling out' in old money) here on the island's biggest and best blog, I'd like to introduce you to those nice people at Nice Things.

Based at the newly renovated Custom House in the Millionaires' Playground, Nice Things showcases local arts and crafts from, er, local artists and craftsmen. So if your other half has a birthday coming up or you need a last minute prezzie for that anniversary you've forgotten, or you just want to treat yourself, do pop along and browse their selection of paintings, ceramics, jewellery, trinkets, cards and wrapping paper.

Phew! The things I have to do to earn a wedge these days! If you'd like your name in front of thousands of readers a week, other slots are available. All it costs is less than a bottle of decent fizz a month, stuffed in cash into the customary brarn envelope, and deposited at an address of my choosing. Just email me at richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk

Booze News

Noooooooooooooo! Eagle-eyed reader Ken has sent me this snap of an alcohol licence review notice which has gone up in the window of Waitrose, here in the Millionaires' Playground.

The supermarket is probably one of the few reasons there is any kind of discerning middle class still left in Ramsgate, if not the whole of Thanet, with the booze counter being a Mecca for anyone with a palate that stretches beyond White Lightning and cheap, fizzy leg opener. Ken says:

Apparently the police are requesting a review of Waitrose's licence because of the high level of reported incidents of shoplifting etc from the store. The store apparently reports all incidents and regularly provides names of offenders and security video confirmation but the police do nothing. They are now requesting a review of the licence because of the high offence levels reported. Who would blame Waitrose for shutting up shop because of such stupidity. So where is YOU CALL - WE WILL COME? [See previous item]

Quite. And knowing how jealous our Margate-centric council feels about Ramsgate's revival, I wouldn't be surprised if they withdrew the licence out of spite in the hope that it would drive out Waitrose, leaving us with another eyesore of a building in the centre of town. Or perhaps they're in cahoots with their friends at Tesco!!!??!!!

A Word From Our Sponsor

For nigh on five years now, Thanet's Premier Blog has been bringing you all the news that's unfit to print, uncluttered by advertising or the need to plug some product, service or political doctrine.

Which means you haven't had to miss a single goal (ITV), or had useless tut from B&Q rammed down your throat just when you were about find out how to build a nuclear submarine (Quest).

But times are tough. Even for (Columbian Peso) millionaires like me. Yes, it's sad to say, dear reader, but I was recently reduced to buying a case of Shampagne from Aldi, steaming off the labels and replacing them with ones I'd photocopied from my last bottle of Krug. Shameful, I know, but after the tenth bottle nobody really noticed.

Where I work, in TV land, belts are being tightened. Top executives are seeing their pay slashed by up to 25%, leaving them with a meagre £400K-£500K a year to scrape by on. Nobody can afford to keep a Georgian town house in Chelsea and a villa in Tuscany on that sort of money.

So after much consideration I've persuaded the board of Eastcliff Richard (Virgin Islands) (2005) Ltd to allow some tasteful sponsorship. You won't be confronted by the kind of Googlesplatter you see on some of the more tawdry Thanet blogs. Just the occasional ad for useful things, carefully selected and road-tested by yours truly.

My first sponsor is IsleOne, a splendidly informative and superbly designed website chock full of luvvly Fannit fings, brought to you by top webmeisters freshfishdesign. I urge you all to pay a visit.

And if you'd like your name in front of thousands of readers a week, other slots are available. All it costs is less than a bottle of decent fizz a month, stuffed in cash into the customary brarn envelope, and deposited at an address of my choosing. Just email me at richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk

Noght Flight Cunsultation Not Exprcted Until Sprong

Esxcuhe me but I'm a bit the worse rfor weare. You would be too if you'f had a week like I have. Anyhoiw, necking back the old Krug down at Miles BAr earlier, I got talking to some bod from Thanet Counciul. According to hims they are not going to consult on the dreaded night flightts over Ramsgate until the spirng. Maybe, with a £6m pound black hole in their trouserds, they're not willing to spend the £80,0000,0000 0 00 it's going to cost to consult.

Anyeay so then like I told him he could stuff his chuffing night flights and it all went a bit handbags at danw3 like. I see the Tories transpoort spokesman has been gassing on about building a Euro MArine enrgy park in Ramsgate lets all vote for LAurs Sansdyssd and hope they build it on the fuifrkjncking airpoport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click here for more on shadow Energy Sec's 'Euro Marine Park' plan
Click here for confirmation of consultation delay [Right again! - Ed]

Island In The Sun

Where else could you trot out on this nice, sunny morning for your cliff top walk and witness a millionaire basking in the sun at 9am?

This particular captain of industry was relaxing on the cliff top in the comfort of his blue and white sun lounger, soaking up the rays, and enjoying a tin of high class Stella Artois, which, as I'm sure you've gathered from their advertising, is a tincture so expensive that it really is only affordable by the rich and famous.

Proof yet again that the Cannes of Kent is attracting quality tourism, even this late in the season!

Sham Pain

Not so long ago one of my fellow Thanet bloggers, Big Adem, exposed an email scam in which the perps were claiming to be dispensing hundreds of pounds worth of M&S vouchers in conjunction with Persimmon Homes. Of course, it turned out to be b*lls.

Now, it would appear, I've fallen foul of a similar scam. This time we're being promised a free case of Veuve Clicquot champagne. Here's what the email says:

Hello all Champagne lovers. Send this message to 10 people, with a copy to markp@spier.co.za Veuve Clicquot France will contact you in order to deliver to you a case of champagne in three weeks. They are doing this to enlarge their database. It does work and you receive 6 bottles in 15 days. Thanks Anna x

Now, upon checking Mr Markp's email address, it would appear to belong to a South African leisure and property business. And just for comparison, here is the French champagne company Veuve Clicquot's site. I rest my case. Or is it half a case? I do wish these spammers would at least be consistent.

Anyhow, as regular readers know my favourite tipple is Krug so it's no loss. And if exposing this gets me 5000+ hits like it did Big Adem, I'll be opening a few bottles this evening!

Update: From Veuve Clicquot's website:

Dear websurfer,

A promotional deal is currently on the Net regarding a free offer of a case of 6 bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

This is a hoax, totally beyond our control; and, of course, we are not the author. We do not gather any e-mail nor build up any database.

We strongly condemn the author of this hoax and hope that it will end.

Yours sincerely,

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin