Westgate Pavilion Ceases Trading

Ramsgate music entrepreneur and Westgate Pavilion lessee Kevin Crace has just sent me this email:

Hi Richard,

Hope you are well.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, Westgate Pavilion has ceased trading today with immediate effect.

I will pop a press release out over the coming days, but if you want a quick update, please feel free to call me.

Regards,

Kevin Crace

Sad news indeed. Kevin, who also recently reopened the St James Bar here in the Millionaires' Playground, saved the Westgate Shed, er, Pavilion for the Thanet nation back in October 2008. Now it appears to be facing an uncertain future again.

Still, it's not all bad news for God's-Waiting-Room-on-Sea as I hear Medb (pronounced 'Maeve') Films have upped sticks from their Royal Harbour Hotel home here in Ramsgate and relocated to Westgate. Let's hope the local crumblies can stand the excitement of spotting slebs like Paul McGann, Brenda Blethyn and Bobbo Skins walking up the red carpet outside the Carlton Cinema!

Update: Thanet Council has now put out a press release confirming the closure of Westgate Pavilion, pending a new tenant being found. Click here for more.

Westgreat News

Reader Kevin Crace, Saviour of the Westgate Shed, er, Pavilion, writes:

Would you thank your readers for supporting the Westgate Pavilion Demelza House Children’s Hospice charity night last Friday, which I’m glad to tell you raised in excess of £2,500. Additionally, we also collected more than 50 soft toys and games, which will be sent directly to the children, so as to reach them in time for Christmas.

Should any of your readers have any toys, teddies (new only please) or money that they would like to donate, then please contact me at the Pavilion, so we can arrange collection. I’m glad to advise we are now looking at additional ways that we can support this truly worthwhile cause.

Good on yer Kevin! According to the Chief Executive of Thanet Council, only half a dozen people read this blog, so I'm glad the ECR 6 proved so generous. If only Smyths, the new toy shed out at Westwood Chaos, were to match their generosity. Now that really would make for a fairytale ending to this particular toy story!

Broadstairs? Bangin'!

Reader Daniel has kindly sent me this link to a video he shot of the fireworks in Broadstairs last night:


And Kevin Crace, Saviour of the Westgate Shed, er, Pavilion has asked me to remind you that his Demelza House Children's Hospice Charity Party kicks off at 7.30 tomorrow evening, so do pop over to the Pav for a free buffet nosh-up and live entertainment, including a DJ, live ‘party’ band, table magicians, fire juggler (weather permitting), burlesque dancers, and a comedian. Kevin adds: 'The event is for a truly great cause, and we sincerely hope that everyone will join us for a great evening of entertainment.'

There'll also be a raffle with 'hundreds of prizes'. Perhaps I should donate a signed photo of yours truly. That should scoop them at least an extra coupla hundred in raffle ticket sales!

Click here to read more about Demelza House and Westgate Pavilion

Ball Jugglers Wanted In Westgate

Kevin Crace, Saviour of the Westgate Shed, er, Pavilion has asked me to put out the following appeal:

When I took over the Westgate Pavilion last week there was an amount of money that had been collected for a disabled access by the former charity from public donation, totalling roughly £1,300. As I’m now a limited company and paying for the disabled access personally I feel that it would be wrong for me to accept these funds.

Looking for a worthwhile benefactor for the money we came across a Kent based Children’s hospice called Demelza House Children’s Hospice. They certainly look like a great charity who could do with some good funds for the children leading up to Christmas. So, we have now taken this one step further and here’s where I need your help.

On Friday November 7th we propose to hold a charity party in aid of the hospice to raise as much cash as we can and to add it to the £1,300 and to give it to the kids in time for Christmas. The Charity party will be free entry, with a voluntary donation. We have a great local party band - One For The Road - playing free of charge to entertain the guests, plus DJ’s and a whole evening of quality entertainment. We’ll provide a free buffet and we aim to raise additional funds via a raffle etc.

I now need assistance from people who can provide any of the following for us. To welcome guests in our grounds: fire-eater, string quartet, street magicians/jugglers etc

We also need to know if any businesses could provide donations for the raffle prizes. We’d also like to see if any local businesses could provide any toys, new please, so we can also send these across to the children in time for Christmas. These can be collected by us, or dropped to the Pavilion on Sea Road, Westgate.

I know the economic climate is tough for all of us, but with the money that presently sits with us, and any additional money we can raise on the night, we Thanetians can really do some good here in time for Christmas for the kids.

Could you also PLEASE ask all your readers to include it on their blogs too, so we can virally evolve this project. Thanks Richard, we could really make a good difference here for the kids.

Happy to oblige, Kevin! If you've got talent or prezzies to donate, email our Kev at: kevin@mindflite.com

This article has been approved by the Politburo

Westgate Pavilion Saved For The Nation

Hurrah! Regular ECR contributor Kevin Crace reports that the Ts have now been crossed and the Is dotted on his takeover of the Westgate Shed, er, Pavilion over on the north side.

Kevin, a Ramsgatonian and Thanetian Returnee whose background is in the upper echelons of the music industry, has big plans for the Pav, and wants to bring top London acts down to play at the venue, as well as continue its community role. He's also promised to, how shall I put it, tart the place up a bit. Not before time, methinks.

Our Kev clearly has the best of intentions for the venue, and I know him to be a man of considerable drive, integrity and ideas. Which he has amply demonstrated by offering me a free back stage pass, and a chance to stage 'An Evening With Eastcliff Richard' at the joint! Good on yer Kev!

Kevin Crace And Westgate Pavilion

Following my recent item about Westgate Pavilion, I've received this clarification from the chap who wants to save it, Kevin Crace:

It is true that in 2001 I did arrange for Ronnie Biggs return to the UK. This has always been in the public arena and my involvement in his return is something that I have always been actually proud of. I was independently hired to arrange the negotiations for his return and I was paid a sum of money, from a national newspaper for doing such. My connection to Ronnie comes from the fact that in my portfolio of music rights includes the Ronnie Biggs/Sex Pistols song – No One Is Innocent.

I in no way have had any connection to any form of crime. I think it’s also fair to say that I have not discussed this matter with either the Council or the Gazette, as it neither seemed relevant, and because it is one of many business activities that I have been involved in over a number of years.

I am slightly more concerned to clarify the position with regards to the MySpace entry on ‘smoking quality weed’…. This is actually a reference to tobacco and not cannabis. I am the father of three children, and as such I am more than aware of the dangers of drug abuse. Also, working in the music industry, I have seen and lost many friends to drug abuse. I totally deplore and object to drug use, of which I think there is far too much of on the island…

I do however smoke tobacco. I am also an opponent of what I view as the government's draconian anti smoking legislation, and you will note amongst my MySpace friends are the pro smoking group Smokers Reunited, whom I totally support. I think my choice of words on my site, with the gift of hindsight, were inappropriate.

Finally, may I say to you and your readers that my intentions with redeveloping the Westgate Pavilion are truly honest. I spent my childhood at Thanet, and I returned here with my children to try to give them the level of ‘magic’ that I experienced as a child. I, like most of your readers, remember the ‘glory’ days, and have been deplored to see it slide continually down hill, as one attraction after another closes.

If the Pavilion is forced to close, then I am certain it will never re-open. I am also certain that it has the capability to work as a good private business, that cannot only serve the needs of the community, but can also bring much needed tourists back into Thanet, and more particularly Westgate. My proposal to take over the Pavilion is based on the belief that after many years in the industry, and with many contacts in the industry, I am suited to assist in this regeneration.

With kind regards,

Kevin Crace

Ronnie To The Rescue?

Today's Isle of Thanet Gazunder carries a full page spread on the man they're calling the Saviour of Westgate Pavilion (Who cares? - Ed) as part of its campaign to save the aforemetioned, er, shed on the north side of the island. Kevin Crace is described as a 'music entrepreneur' who owns more rights to Elvis Presley's hits than anyone other than the Graceland estate.

What the paper doesn't mention is that our Kev gained fame a few years back as a spokesman for Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, and in fact claims to have arranged his return to the UK in 2001 on humanitarian (and, er, probably legal) grounds. Until last year Biggs was banged up in Belmarsh high security prison 70 miles up the road, but has since been moved to Norwich prison after suffering ill health, and may well be let out soon on compassionate grounds. He's oft-quoted as having missed 'the smell of Margate' during his self-imposed exile in Rio, although 40 years on he might get a bit of a shock were he to rush down here upon his release, as the only thing Margate smells of these days is decay.

Still, who knows? Perhaps Ramsgatonian Kevin, who lists 'smoking quality weed' as an interest in his MySpace profile, might be able to tempt the famous Margate-lover to lend some high profile support to the campaign?

Update: Kevin has subsequently sent me a clarification regarding this item. Click here to read it.

Click here to read full story in the Gazunder
Click here to see Kevin Crace's MySpace profile

Former Thanet Blogger Spotted At Meeting

by Isle of Thanet Gazunder Political Editor Hugh Jorgan

Former Thanet blogger Councillor Seamus McSniggles was spotted alive and well recently - at a meeting in Westgate.

Looking fit and relaxed, Tory Councillor McSniggles attended a meeting of the campaign to save Westgate Pavilion (What that? - Ed.). One eyewitness told the Gazunder: 'He wasn't on the panel but was playing the role of responsible ward councillor to a tee, making sure those asking the questions in the audience were handed the mike by him and that sort of thing.'

The eyewitness, who didn't want to be named, added: 'At the end he tried to take control and wrap it all up in a way that made me realise just how slick he thinks he is.' (Are your sure that's not libellous? - Ed.)

Councillor McSniggles, 83, used to run the 'popular but beseiged™' Thanet Spoons website, but retired recently to pursue a lifelong interest in breadcrumbs.