To that end, I've updated my What's On In Thanet guide in the sidebar on the right. If you're on a smartphone, you'll have to click on 'view web version' to see that. To be frank it's not as comprehensive as it once was, given that the Visit Thanet website has improved over the years and is now pretty kushti. So apols if your particular shindig has been left out.
Also in my sidebar is my Recommended Nosheries column. This, er, needs a bit of updating, especially the Margate and Broadstairs sections.
I'll be tooling around the towns over the Easter break to sample the delights of the island's eateries, and reporting back. So restaurant owners beware! Prime cuts only please - no fingers in pies!! And if any of you lovely readers have any grubby experiences to report, do drop me a line in the comments section below.
As ever, I like to promote Ramsgate over Margate, especially given all the public dosh that's been spent attracting tourists to the north side at the expense of the south side over the past few years. So I'm pleased to announce that the Millionaires' Playground can now boast a new museum and gallery to equal the Turnip Contemporary! Step forward The Micro Museum, which boasts a collection of computers, electronics and video games from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. What with that and our Pinball Museum, all we need now is a glass eye collection and the tourists will be flocking!
Haha, no, only kidding. Ramsgate is a great place to visit, and this will be the first Easter for a century during which the happy holidaymakers won't be deafened by knackered old jumbos dive-bombing their barnets.
Still, the powers-that-be have done their best to put the mockers on it all, what with giving us concrete piles and now a burst main poo-drain down on the port, near, appropriately enough, the fart farms. It's not the first, and almost certainly not the last time Southern Water has treated us to this shower of proverbial during the summer season. Crimminy!
Right! I'm off to stuff some carbs in ahead of the Planet Thanet Beer Festival, which kicks off tomorrow. It'll be the ninth year in a row that I've sampled the delights of 180 real ales, then suffered the torture of beer-a-rear for the following week. To be honest, it's not been the same since it moved from Thanet's premier town to Margate Winter Gardens after the first year, but with Wetherspoons now looking like the faves to revamp Ramsgate's Royal Pavilion who knows, next year we could be welcoming the beardy beer imbibers back - to the biggest pub in Britain! Pip pip!
165 comments:
The Visit Kent website has improved but unfortunately tourist numbers have not.
KLM never produced the millions of Dutch tourists forecast - and won't now.
The Turner Centre figures are simply made-up to justify the jobs and immense costs (it was rebuilt twice costing at least £50M remember).
Dreamland is zero tourists and for at least another year.
So is the Port.
Southern Water are doing their best to destroy the area again.
What has RTC/TDC done in terms of events yet again?
Pleasurama is still a building site after 2 months of being cancelled.
Tourist centres closed and run part-time by pensioners.
Xmas decorations year-round.
The WW1 display next to the Granville is quite good though - but what are the main events for that?
Hart and Everitt and the RTC Duffers need to resign.
And if the TDC Tourist Teams can't organise events in tourist towns etc then they need to be sacked.
Seems as though the LGA Review report into TDC has been witheld for about a month now.
Clive and his crew trying to suppress/change it like the corruption report by the Scrutiny Committee who then resigned en-masse? Or Macgonigal refusing to provide it to him?
Well done, I know over the years it becomes hard to maintain a dairy of great local things going on.
To your list I would add Broadstairs Folk Week, which is an annual highlight of the year for us.
Also the open days at The Grange.
Thanks for the tip off about the Computer Museum - I didn't know about that and it certainly sounds interesting.
Southern Water are shit and have been described as criminals by the High Court when they tried too appeal the previous fines.
The Duffers just seem to accept it and do nothing or actively cover things up like Thor mercury or the 0% Macgonigal-Moores corruption.
Hear-Hear re: Turner C's invented visitor numbers.
Whatever system they claim to use it's an old trick of free admission local authority run museums and galleries to boost numbers to justify their existence.
It was ever so, but when dear old John Prescott was deputy PM he introduced best value performance indicators - which were neither best value nor indicators of quality, simply bums on seats, all the freebie venues claimed zillions of visitors.
Honest, un-subsidized, fee-charging places told a more realistic story.
That being said, Turner Contemporary certainly does attract many thousands of visitors who otherwise would not come to Thanet and offers some quality exhibitions amongst the London Luvvie tripe which is the normal offer of such sheds!
I bet the Micro Museum's visitor numbers match it's name - but good luck to them.
Tim Garbutt there, first out if the blocks with his usual rubbish!
I know. It's making me sick. Which gives me an idea... How about I toddle round to his restaurant and give it an honest review over the weekend? Ha!
7:58 nothing wrong with free arts, it is as you say though the problem of madeup numbers. Supermarkets have the click-entry system that's fairly accurate and simple to do.
1M vistors is complete cobblers and agree the quality of exhibitons tends to be excellent.
Will the slum landlady not object to the picture?
Pleasurama not being ready for the Bank Holiday is terrible. What are they doing at RTC and TDC?
Richard, an idea to review his restaurant, but do not forget it is his long suffering wife who has to run it to keep him free to bombard the www. Perhaps, more appropriately, do a literary critique on his blog site.
Kent has the highest rate of air pollution related deaths in South East England at 745. Neighbouring Surrey had 527 deaths, East Sussex 294, West Sussex 429, and Hampshire 294(2).
Out of the 12 Kent District Councils, Thanet had 90 air pollution related deaths, the largest number in the county. Canterbury was in second place at 81. The lowest numbers of air pollution related deaths were in Ashford with 50 and Tunbridge Wells with 46
Not a scientific survey but I spent five minutes counting people going into the Margate Turner at lunchtime today.
Quite a few came out but only 3 went in. One was a guy going to the loo. I know this because I overheard him telling his wife that, plus he came out two minutes later.
So at the busiest time on one of the busiest bank holidays of the year, Good Friday, the place is getting 24 genuine visitors an hour. In an 8 hour day that's around 200. 6 days a week, that's 1200 a week or 62400 a year at best. Nothing like what KCC and the Turner claim.
But there were a lot more people going into the cafe so what we have got it seems is a £25m publicly subsidised cafe with an art gallery attached. Put that up against a commercial attraction like the Beer Festival, which costs us nothing and which attracts something like 2000 people a day, it's pathetic.
Spot on, 6.18pm. Then deduct the weeks it is closed because of preparations for new exhibitions, rainy November days when sensible folk won't be tempted to be blown along the seafront, etc etc. What I find astonishing is that once someone claims a million visitors, the figure is repeated as fact and unchallenged in newspapers, on television and by the tourist types who earn a fortune talking unsubstantiated gibberish. Has anyone found out whether visitors are double counted (once in, once out)?
Completely agree 8:56 and c.60k pa visitors sounds more realistic - even double or triple it and it's nowhere near 1M which would be the whole population of Kent visiting it!
Sales of cups of tea in the cafe would be a revealing statistic too!
Whatever happened to the Scrutiny Committee who resigned over the corruption report before the LGA report? Were they replaced?
That Leopold Street car park is a cesspit. The smell is gag inducing. and people pay to go there?
TG is right in that those armchair warriors so willing to vent anonymously on internet blogs are conspicuously absent at RTC public meetings.
The prevailing local culture reeks of CBA and leave it to someone else to sort out.
If there are any bright sparks their enthusiasm is quickly doused by pearl clutchers calling for 'protocols' instead of direct action.
What a fookin mess :(
Well done 6.18 for providing some figures that are actually based on something.
Of course they are nothing like a representative sample, but seem better supported than any of the official figures banded about on television and in the local press.
It is also my view that Margate needed some new clean public toilets, and these have now been provided with the added attraction of a cafe which has an enormous concrete windbreak behind it to keep the cold NE wind off your back. Apparently there are some low-skill pictures and a lot of expensive staff inside the windbreak, though these are not needed for it to function.
If the number of people moving around because of the toilets and cafe was stripped out of the official figure it would look pretty sick especially when you consider the windbreak is free to enter.
9:22, having seemingly won your battle over Manston you now turn your jaundiced attention to the Turner. You should visit Broadstairs where you could stand on the seafront alongside someone of Red Hall fame brandishing a banner proclaiming Thanet is the pits, or words to that effect, right in front of the tourist information centre. What do such people think they achieve other than turning tourists away.
The only way Thanet is going to revitalise is to get rid of Thanet Watch, the Red Hall Mob and you.
9:40 - tell me, how does keeping schtum about artificially inflated visitor numbers help "revitalise" Thanet? Also, I would be interested to know how many visitors you think Manston ever brought to Thanet. If you ignore the Spitfire Museum, which I have to say is an attraction that really is worth visiting, it can't be more than a dozen, surely?
Margate has its Pop Up shops and what it now needs are Pop Up Toilets where the wall can be used to display works of art.
Yes Richard Wetherpoons are running a guest ale period. That Australian ale Young Henry (I think) seemed to do well. They have won awards for their support and co-operation with a Pub Watch police scheme (I think Market Drayton) so I am now thinking they can do a good job at Ramsgate. I was against them because of EDL using their Stoke on Trent pub as a base for a rally. Their speakers went out to their platform wearing masks so police could not identify them and then railed against Muslim women covering their faces. But having seen other Wetherspoons in action and the roaring trade in pensioners having cheap good lunch wine by the glass or a good ale. They invested half a million on a beautiful building at Portsmouth. Which is now grand for a meal and an ale. Very good staff. But it is an area where police work with the licensed trade as opposed to Kent where they police the licensed trade and cop out by leaving licensed trade to police the public.
Enjoy the Spitfire museum while you can, 11:47, for it will go with Manston along with the RAF Manston museum and garden of remembrance. That is the trouble with you protestors, you never think it right through.
4.33
You don't know what you are talking about
4.33
That's the trouble with people that don't do their research and it wasn't protesters that closed Manston it was losing lots and lots of money.
4.33
Go and ask the staff. If they are closing they will tell you.
4:33 Explain why you think the Spitfire Museum is closing. I am sure you recognise though that Manston airport's operations were separate to the museum.
Neither bring that many visitors to the area although the museum is excellent and the airport awful and Infratil including the volunteer staff in the jobs forecasts laughable.
If it is closing and you think it worthwhile go fund it or volunteer there!
OK, smart man, the two museums and garden of remembrance are on airport owned land, not MOD property, and, as such, are owned by the Stagecoach lady. Why would she let them carry on rent free on land she could develop. Like you said, it is all about money.
On top, 5:20, the people at the museums are not staff but volunteers. They do not even have to be given a consultation period, only such notice as is required by their lease.
There are many sites around here that could be used for the museums. If they cant renew their leases. They are a trust who run the museum so they would have of thought about moving before as its been such a money losing airport.
Just because people in Ramsgate want to see the back of the flights and the continuing threats form MPs and the airport that would ruin the lives of the people of Ramsgate it does not mean that we want to get rid of the good things
And as someone has already said its not about Ramsgate people protesting against Mantson its because they can not make enough money.
9:39, you are either thick or deliberately miss the point. Manston was a Battle of Britain RAF station so it is appropriate that the two museums, directly linked with the airfield, should be there along with the garden of remembrance. Furthermore, elsewhere the museums would have a pay the full commercial rent and the draw for vistors would not be the same. Where it is, alongside the airfield and opposite the old RAF Manston guardroom, is part of the attraction.
Also, stop kidding yourself that the hostility shown towards the airport in some quarters, particularly TDC over night flights, has not contributed to its financial difficulties.
I go back to where this started, there are an element in Thanet who exist simply to protest. They are about destruction and anarchy, not progress and revitalisation.
those who protested did not help only hinder the owners from attracting new flights so yes thand hart &co must take a fait share of the blame for the losses
they and hart take a fair
So in your opinion Manston's failure is down to no night flights not for any other reason?
And if being on the same site means so much to the Museum and there's a strong feeling about saving the site where the museum stands then why not start a save the museum fund. I am sure that many people will contribute me included
But you are the one that's thick or deliberately missing the point if you think that people of Ramsgate had anything to do with Manston's demise.
The No to Night Flights Campaign and the attitude to the airport by Thanet Labour did inhibit the owners in attracting airlines to Manston. End of! As for the musuems, read the letter in this week's Gazette written by the former commandant of the MOD Fire School in which he points out these extra losses. I am sure he knows far more about the airfield leases than you and I.
I am sick of people saying the Turner Centre is just a very nice toilet to use. My 2 children who have visited several times to use the toilet, have informed me the lift is great fun to.
To suggest that the constant negativity shown towards Manston airport by certain quarters in Thanet and, in particular by the Labour administration at TDC, did not inhibit the attraction of new customers would indicate a mind on a par with Garbutt's. Just read his blog for a constant thread of anti-Manston rhetoric, calls for arrests and allegations of corruption. No wonder the place failed with support like that.
I hope the 'No Night Flights' campaign did play a part in the demise of the airfield, but as other contributors have stated, it was simple economics and poor management that have brought about it's end.
I once thought of aviation as a free-wheeling, swashbuckling kind of industry. The behaviour of all the pro-airport campaigners over the years has put paid to that. This airfield has more in common with British Leyland in the 70's, complete with it's begging bowl for tax-payer subsidies and bail-outs.
Those of you who want to live near and work in a thriving airport should move now. Let the rest of us enjoy the peace and get on with the future.
Is it peace or deathly quiet, 1:25? First Pfizer now the airport, the job losses not only mount but the potential for expansion shrinks.
The only industry likely to flourish in your kind of Thanet is that of the undertaker. All else must fail so you can enjoy your silence. Do you have no thought for our young people who have to leave the area to find work or who never return from university because there is nothing to bring them back.
Incidentally, don't bother to tell us about tourism because you are already dismissing the Turner, the biggest pull in years, as a public convenience. You make me sick yet some would make excuses for you while you and your ilk destroy their prospects.
The area will improve without the airport so good riddance to it and the proManston bleat about jobs that never existed or RAF jobs that left years ago.
In your dreams, 2.00 PM, although I suppose for the unemployable like you, jobs are unimportant. Clearly you care nothing for other people for, in your case, it is not just the jobs at the airport you would cast aside, but those at the Turner and the MOD Fire School as well, all of which you condemn in your rants. We are not all mindless twits sitting at a computer and some would like to see some prospects for the area.
Well said 2:07 for he goes on all the time about the pro Manston lobby, but what about us pro Turner and pro MOD Fire School. I have a business in Margate Old Town, very dependent on the Turner whilst my son is a civilian employee at the Fire School. Likes of 2.00 would have our businesses fail and our jobs go just so he can enjoy his peace.
1.42 are you playing guessing games?
For your information, I have supported Turner since I bought a large house down here 7 years ago. I commute to London, earn a London salary, then spend much of it down here.
Now, try sticking to the facts, not the fairy-stories.
Is that the large house in South Eastern Road which you have on the market with Gibsons and is your commuting to see the Vietnam Ambassador. There are bells on the other one, chum, so trying pulling that.
You must even be boring yourself. I only buy Georgian Houses and I believe that South Eastern is generally Victorian /Edwardian.
ECR - can you give 2.19 a yellow or red? They're obsessing again.
2:12 you make me laugh. How is your business dependent on the Turner unless you supply paintbrushes? And why should we fund it to support you? And why should we fund the MOD Fireschool - and put up with the fires and pollution - to support your son's job?
And all just because you say so.
And if your business went bust as Manston has does then get another job instead of bleating.
Your idea of wider improvement for Thanet seems to revolve around you. Hopefully your son has more sense and will already be looking for another job for when MOD closes.
ECR - 2.19 here. Just to help you identify me, I sent you the P....e stuff last week by email. Perhaps now the trolls can be dealt with.
8:45/10:06 it's been explained to you by 9:39 why the Spitfire Museum is under no threat from closure by the airport. Your fondness for the Old RAF Guardroom is irrelevant to the museum.
The Guardroom has gone and so has the airport.
1:42 you are right the area is declining with Pfizer etc gone. Why is that? Let me guess: idiotic investments and foolish business plans wasting huge amounts of tax.
Who is responsible? Those highlighting that fact or those that carried it out? Even now Hart and Bayford and Gale think the airport is wonderful when even Gloag says otherwise.
While few of the public (apart from yourself) wanted the airport to succeed if it meant the reality of air pollution and night flights that was repeatedly ignored then hidden by TDC and now being detailed.
I support the Turner Centre - but on the basis of the real costs and visitor figures not some waffle to preserve the taxjobs of those in it.
£50M to build twice, £1M pa to run and c.60k visitors pa seem the real figures. As opposed to £17M, zero/unknown and 1M visitors claimed by KCC etc.
The gallery opened on 16 April 2011. Over 14,000 people visited in the first weekend and 500,000 in its first year. In August 2013 the gallery received its millionth visitor.
2.47
So you'll agree that that the continual '10'000' Manston jobs waffle was just that? You prefer quantifiable hard-data obviously.
That's what KCC claim 2:54 and 500k visitors each year it seems. How did they get those figures?
There seems a discrepancy between that and 60,000 a year. The latter seems more realistic given the Turner is largely empty.
2.47
But your 60,000 is based on an old duffer writing his snapshot observations on the back of what he probably refers to as a 'serviette'. Let's not give the 60k figure any traction in this debate.
You're no statistician are you?
There are no planes landing at Manston next week?
3.30
Only the McAlpine, Barratt, Persimmon and McCarthy & Stone Lear jets I'd imagine!
No need to trouble the ground crew, just a few minutes flying over the land to work out where to start the building programme. Luvvly Jubbly!
3.30
Don't planes that land have a need to re-fuel? Oops.
Could always try the garage at Tesco Manston.
Think of the Club-Card points!
Lets face the facts Manston is going to close as a airport. But that does not mean that other things on the site will also close.
If the turner centre brings some tourists to Thanet its a start. We all need to build on that as tourism is the only way.
The whole of Thanet will prosper.
Some will say to get a good/well paid job people will have to leave there will be so many chances to start small businesses to cater of the tourists Lets get back to what the 3 towns were built for.
The three towns were built in a different age and what they were originally built for, fishing with a bit of smuggling thrown in, will not support a 21st century economy. Frankly, anon alias Garbutt, you are a nutter, you do not buy Georgian houses or commute anymore than you entertain the Vietnam Ambassador or have business interests in SE Asia. You are just a joke whose humour has long since become pathetic.
3.05
I am the 'old duffer' you refer to who made the original comment about spending five minutes counting visitors into the Turner. I deliberately prefaced my comment with the caveat that it was by no means a scientific survey. In fact I would be very surprised if there were only 60000 visitors a year. But then again I was also very surprised to see only three visitors enter the gallery in a five minute period on a lovely, sunny, bank holiday lunchtime, one of whom was heading for the wc. The truth, as ever, probably lies somewhere in between, which makes me think that KCC's figures are inflated, if only by perhaps a third, that being the probable number who use the Turner as a massively subsidised loo.
By the way, I'm 43. And you're probably the type that refers to bog roll as 'bathroom tissue'.
Re 4.59
ECR - put him out of his misery. Let him know I'm not his long-lost son, lust- object or whatever else is eating him up. Many thanks!
4.59
Are you saying that tourism is not a prospect in Thanet?
As for me I cant see why it cant be the best place in the uk we have it all apart from enthusiasm.
5.07 Actually I use swans necks not Andrex.
4.59
Do you hear voices as well? Hahahahahahaha...........
3:30 - what's going to be your come back this time next week after 3 747s, 2 MD11s and GA traffic have all landed? Nothing I bet.
3:58 - Fuel still being delivered and available for all aircraft, do you need some? Why try and lie about what is going on at Manston? If you don't know what the truth is, pop up and ask us, happy to help you iron out the truth from the BS.
5.29
Wow! I make that 1,2,3,4 ... 5 planes plus whatever GA is.
Ever thought of trying to sell your available capacity within the airline industry?
They have tried, for 15 years.
The result? 5 this week.
Oh, plus GA.
5:07, accept the fact that everybody knows who you are, but you are certainly no ones love lust and, if you were ever anyone's son, they have probably long since washed their hands of you.
If you think people are obsessing about you, stop posting your ridiculous comments which we all recognise whatever you claim. London commuter with a Georgian house for example. Oh, and how would you know what period properties there are in South Eastern Road?
6.25
Delusional as well?
It's only you that's lusting. You know you want it.
Just pointing out that those of you spouting about no planes or no fuel available are wrong, never said it was busy......what's GA? You crack me up........
2:35 PM, evidently you have not been to Manston otherwise you would know that the old RAF Guardroom is still there, still has the RAF Manston crest over the door, is still a guardroom and is still manned by military personnel. It is directly opposite the Spitfire Museum.
If you do not believe me, go out there, take a look and try getting through the Fire School gate without checking in there.
6:29, want what? Have you not looked in a mirror lately, wrong sex, too fat and too ugly.
6.33
None of that description applies to me, but you are protesting a bit too strongly little-fella. Talk to your GP, priest or your home-help. Mwah x
6.32
Sounds like a fun day out for the whole family ;-)
6:31, how do you know the wrong sex does not apply to you or are you bi-sexual? Last time I looked you were a bloke with heavy jowls and glasses. Definitely not my scene, but your other half was probably alright a few years ago,
6.44
Re-read your last one. You appear to be confusing gender with sexual-preference. Tsk! Your generation. Who have you been looking at anyway? You'll get a name for yourself.
Try typing with two hands and give the other one a rest. You're getting yourself all worked up again. I'm really not who you think I am by the way but carry on, I've got all evening to play with you!!
You humour does not work, who do I think you are, and you are just making yourself look silly, which of course we know you are, as well as a bit of a perv.
...are you nearly there yet?
Still remember your tasteless comment about your wife giving you a Tom Hanks, so careful who you call a wanker.
7.05
You've got the wrong person. Sorry, but there you have it.
None of what you're saying is having the slightest effect. I'm asking ECR to put you straight (ooeer!) and you will realise then that your spleen has been vented over the wrong person's keyboard. Still, probably not the first time eh? Lol x
7:12, how do you know I have got the wrong person? Just who do you think I am having exchanges with when we are both supposed to be anonymous? Likewise, how is ECR supposed to know who is who. Only someone with a jumbled mind could come up with such a notion.
The only reason the Turner Centre is shaped like 3 packing cases is your can not get that amount s*** in a shoe box!
Anons 7:12 & 7:20 and loads of other anons before, will you please knock it on the head. One of you is obviously Garbutt and I would guess the other is one of the three stooges, and since its not me, that brings it down to one of two.
Whatever induces people to debate with an idiot.
7.12
Sweetie. You're struggling. How do I know you've got the wrong person? Because, my little stalker, last time I looked, I wasn't married, have a Georgian house blah, blah, blah. I couldn't give a toss (calm now) who you are.
Now, if I send ECR an email and tell him what my next post is going to be and it duly appears, he may be prepared to put you out of your self-induced misery by confirming that I am not the person you think?
What will you do with yourself then eh?
That's you out of the loop then Allan!
Probably send him an email telling him you don't own a Georgian house for starters.
Hi Allan, 7.12 here.
I believe the other one is accusing me of being Garbutt and now after your post, it's looks like I've potentially been poking a stick at the person I've been accused of being.
Must be a quiet news day!
7.31 That would be right because I own two.
7.12 Here.
Anyone up for a few drinks, put a face to a name etc?
I'm off to the Harbour for a few drinks.
As ever, it's been a pleasure.
Play nicely y'all.
7:34, we are all still waiting in anticipation of your email to ECR to prove you are not who we know you are. How very exciting.
&:39, as you are off to the Harbour say high to the little lady on the way or is the restaurant not open tonight?
How jolly entertaining! You're all as silly as a bum full of Smarties! Ha! Hmm. That might be because I've had a few sherberts. See y'all down Shanty Town later?
Nice to see the Whitehall Warrior Mallinson pop up here to keep order. I want to read one of his books on boy buglers but maybe that's just me...
3 747's at Manston next week? What are they?
GA means Ground Air.
Why did the Manston Fire commandant write to the Gazette? I didn't see the letter?
I like it when Garbutt's nutter-stalker at 4:59 talks dirty about Garbutt. Phwooaaarr!
GA means Gone Almost!
On the basis of his Manston views I hope Mallinson isn't one of Britain's foremost military experts. He's just an idiot who failed to make Colonel and was pensioned off to write fiction on wars he never fought.
6:32 you are telling us that they haven't changed the RAF crest over the Old Guardroom after 10 years - and we are paying for soldiers to guard a Fire School? One for the budget cuts surely?!
General Aviation - light aircraft, helicopters etc......
WOW
love the new plans for Ramsgate Maritime Museum!!!!!!!
What are the 3 747's?
10:47 the only thing worse than the crap plans is Michael censoring the comments.
TDC and KCC have failed us. A council of corrupt pensioners scurrying around to hide the removal of the Manston monitors by Infratil and TDC. Simply denying the pollution at Thor mercury and the economic collapse of Kent whether Dreamland or Medway or Dover. The disgrace of Airlines such as Saudicargo or KLM or Cargolux or My Cargo or MK flying in at night with Manston closed and Ostend gunrunners to Africa or banned EU aircraft. The destruction of Kent is complete. There is no Kent economic policy. We have junky towns on the scrapheap while we fund our councils to the tune of £2BN. The town centres taken over by tramps, junkies, Special Brew yobs and stagnant pensioner-councillors. Time for Change.
11.09
do you live in Ramsgate?
And if so whats not to like?
11.09
do you live in Ramsgate?
And if so whats not to like?
People that post twice, and crap plans for the Maritime Museum are things I dislike 11:32. Or do you think a corrupt council bound to developers is ideal?
Why were these plans not announced at the recent Ramsgate Town Council meeting just last month? Did they not know or they decided not to tell us until now?
A vote of no confidence would be as valid.
11:20 Priceless......you prove the point some are making.....lack of knowledge!!!!!!
11.46
Had a drink have we?
as for showing the plans at a meeting I don't know anything about that I am not that involved but just think it would be good for Ramsgate
This blog brings a new meaning to care in the community and puts ECR in the frame for an OBE.
Spot on, 7:40, as a demented being talks to himself late into the night. At least he is not out in the community scaring children and pensioners.
9:58, your lack of knowledge knows no limitations. The Allan Mallinson, author of military books, you refer to is not me, for I am just a guy who used to live in Broadstairs until I moved to Sturry last year.
That Allan Mallinson went above Colonel, reaching the rank of Brigadier, or for those whose knowledge of ranks is cleaned from Hollywood, a one star general no less.
As for the Fire School, it is still a military establishment where they train firefighters for the three armed services. As such it has the usual security of entry vetting and armed guards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4297XZdQsM
Hello Alan
As you know Thanet was a right little hot bed of paramilitary and collusion activity. Perfectly decent cllrs would even give evidence and spare Judges from learning about this. Sometimes referred to as perjury.
But I run with your theme and vaunted expertise on Manston security.
To whit the IRA fraud on the benefits system caught 1975/76 based in Thanet, recruiting Thanet single mother claimants and then setting up addresses across UK for the Thanet claimants to raise multiple simultaneous claims.
In the course of this inquiry (which was only detectable by information received and diligent inquiry conducted by people with bottle hence it was done by DFLs) a Manston security flag was raised.
When it was found that a suspect, a consummate con man including of benefits system, was recognised by a Kent Plod. Who had prior to his plod career worked at ? Manston (Alan you rascal you were ahead of me)
He recognised said con man and turned a whiter shade of pale.
Because this man had conned the UK eyes only plans for Msnston in event of transition to and actual war with Soviet !
An MI5 man was heard to say "F-cking Thanet"
If you have a little old shufty at the Untouchables linkie and note the name of the Met officer who made the arrests of the UDA men in Margate.
Ruddy heck you must be thinking. Those arrests occurred just as Kent Fraud Squad was investigating TDC ! How crowded Margate nick must have been perhaps some of the local plod actually got forced outside to patrol !
And of course (Thankyou Michael Child for blogging a news broadcast video of the time) you will have spotted that Fraud squad made a warrant arrest of the leader of council Cllr Leadbeater who lived next door to ?? Yes indeedy the 6th Thanet Gun Range.
The Met arresting officer came under inquiry and appears to have left police and set up a private inquiry company in the Croydon area employing allegedly an International Bodyguards Assn man who had some knowledge of training activity at 6th Thanet Range and at Stone Lodge Range.
The IBA as you know was created by use of Deal Barracks from 1976 to 1983. Are we enjoying this Alan ?
The Head of the IBA, allegedly, was working for Clifford Norris associate Charlie Kray. And of course the now named Det sgt John Davidson came under disciplinary in 1995 with four other Regional Crime Squad detectives. For bodyguard moonlighting on police time. Three of the detectives developed rapid onset mental illness and left police presumably with a nice old pension.
In 1997 the Kent Police Authority called for a wide scope inquiry and report. And sitting on the KPA was Alan's perfectly decent mate a tory Cllr.
In May 1998 there was a libel case. What did Alan's perfectly decent tory cllr mate say in evidence ?
And now we know that the tory cllr for whom Alan's perfectly decent tory cllr chum gave evidence was an associate of ??? Alan ? Yes allegedly the Head of the IBA allegedly working for Clifford Norris associate Charlie Kray.
Our lovely Ann Barnes PCC is a tad embarrassed because she failed to deal with this history through KPA Standards when she was Chair. And appears now to be following advice to put nothing in writing. Although a cynic may suspect she wasn't averse to a fishing expedition inquiry on the back of a wee complaint made by Louise .....
Hope this was helpful
Thank goodness you aren't involved in military issues or airfields Mallinson and are just an elderly proManstoner complaining at its closure.
As for the Fire School it is as you say although duplicated with the Hampshire Fire School and the Fire Brigade and could be easily closed to save tax and prevent the pollution fires.
As for armed guards on patrol, presumably again completely wasteful except to prevent the IRA nicking a fire extinguisher?
I doubt Sturry Mallinson was a colonel. What rank did he gain?
Why do the Maritime Museum plans include a Frank's Cafe and building large extensions onto it?
Why there are plans such as the Maritime Museum when the Pleasurama site has not been cleared for the Bank Holiday does not inspire confidence in RTC.
And the Maritime Museum would be yet another seafront building site...
Far be it for me to suggest that you desert these jottings, but it's a lovely day here in the Ms' P. Ever thought of getting out and enjoying it? Just a suggestion!
10:22, you might just as well argue that Kent Police officers, along with those of all other constabularies, should all attend the Defence Police College in Hampshire for training alongside the Royal Military Police and RAF Police. It is a different role, chump, and civilian and military do not train together. Likewise with military and civilian firefighters.
10:19 - I rather think you have your wires crossed, old chap, for you appear to be addressing me yet clearly have me confused with someone else. I have no Tory councillor chums and what you write all sounds a bit far fetched for a little old beer drinker like me. I do pub lunches, not conspiracies.
12:40 what nonsense. Why shouldn't normal police and military police share training etc? The roles are hardly that specialised and probably mainly pub fights for the military police, and then calling in the normal police for more difficult crimes. Just look at the mess they made of Deepcut for example!
While for firefighters it's even more of a shared role - and you seem to have overlooked that the civilian and military firefighters do train at Manston anyway!!
Presumably you're ex-military/police trying to justify the waste of tax with separate facilities? And all the more astonishing and wasteful there is a separate RAF Police.
Manston MOD could easily be closed to save on money and pollution and the roles if any transferred to Hampshire MOD or Fire brigade
12:40 - I reckon 8:20 is a failed copper or firefighter, sounds very bitter and doesn't understand what the differences are, don't waste your breath biting on this mate.
12:40 sounds the failed copper or firefighter - and happy to waste tax - and neither he nor 8:39 can explain the differences between the different roles at all.
The civilian fire brigade and police would run rings round the military versions.
Without the airport, there really is no need for the MOD fire school to be there and we could do without the training fires and pollution.
Astral Cargo/Atlas Air and Magma/MyCargo are still flying 747s in .. And Nordic Global MD11s are still using the airport.
MOD fire school will continue with or without the airport. It does not need it.
What is the cargo on these planes usually? Fruit and veg? Yes, the Fire School could be based anywhere.
"The civilian fire brigade and police would run rings round the military versions."
There, there 8:55 of course they would, of course they would and don't you let those nasty people tell you any different.
Fruit, Veg and Flowers etc in..general cargo out.
The post at 9:15, along with numerous others in the same mode, are by that chap who describes anyone with a differing opinion as a pensioner or old duffer yet is in the Guinness Book of Records for developing senile dementia 25 years before anyone else.
Why don't you ask the civilian police if they fancy a stint in Afghanistan.
Quote from 10:47 "The Fire School could be based anywhere." If so, why not leave it where it is?
Thank you all for your comments. That was ten minutes of my life i will never get back. Was there any substance in there or just anons trying to point score?
Mainly, Duncan, there is one anon in particular, certainly not the brightest mind in Thanet, who trundles out the same old rubbish and others who rise to the bait.
What relevance the abilities of the Military Police in comparison with the civilian police have to Thanet is of no consequence. Equally it does not matter that it has nothing to do with the thread of the post. Chummy has his jaundiced say, makes his usual reference to duffers and pollution and his stalkers counter attack.
Most blog administrators now delete his rantings on sight, but he still has a playground here. Enjoy it while it last because even ECR must surely tire of it eventually.
10:47 the training fires leak chemicals in to the water supply
Oh no Little Willy Epps is back. Does he do nothing but go from blog to blog being rude and stupid? he seems to have a bee in his bonnet about Manston going bust and now prattling about the Military Police in a fairly interesting discussion on the MOD Fire station and Museums.
The value of the Military Police also seems relevant at Manston given the illegal flights they missed? Thank goodness the Russians didn't attack and wake them up!
I love this place. It's positively SURREAL
ER why don't you add a chat widget and kick it up a notch?
Epps' finest hour is perhaps justifying the air pollution from Manston on Driver's blog. Give him a medal for trying.
I LOVE the chat option!!!!! Possibly a skype thing? Or would that offend the anons? Would they have to reveal their identity? Would it be a human rights violation for them to reveal their identity? And to the anon having a go at William - switch your hatred towards me. I love chatting to trolls. Used to love chatting to Hammy. :)
9:05 the civilian police are statistically in far more danger than most soldiers. And civilian police will service in Afghanistan etc without the benefit of helicopters and missiles! You are typical of some of the ex-military types in Thanet who only denigrate other roles. Several regiments are unnecessary such as the RAF Regiment and due for merger at the military's own insistence. Why there are several Military Police services/regiments or firemen is complete waste.
Looks like Tony "Chippy" Flaig has finally come out as a fully fledged UKIP supporter!
Tone's OK and not really UKIP: more LibDem. More concerning is what KCC UKIP/Latchford's old Tories have actually done in 18 months?
7:41, a far higher proportion of military police have been killed on duty in the last two decades than civilian police. Just where do you get your statistics or do you make them up.
The RAF Regiment were formed in 1942 because the army could not spare the manpower to defend forward airfields. With a now much reduced army it would be even less likely today that they could take on that role. Presumably your information comes from the Beano!
9:12 of course soldiers are killed in wars but police face that danger every day and every incident. The statistic is widely known: the highest risk is for fishermen. Try Googling.
You could even see how the Army invariably fails then blames kit or has to call in civilian recruits to do their job for them?
1942 was Total War but why haven't the cooks or payclerks done routine patrols since? Why hire Securicor to guard airbases? Why would the RAF itself want to get rid of it?
The military couldn't guard bases in WW2 and they still can't do it now in your opinion?
An Alsation and CCTV could do the job of most of the RAF Regiment except for service bloat. (Bet there's loads of Army bands too?) They didn't do very well at Manston did they?
You've been reading your Army payslip and pension for too many years rather than a P45.
I have friends in the polcie who would be disgusted at being compared to the military police or RAF regiment. Kicking a fewe drunk squaddies around or walking around a fence is not polcing!
Soakaway water from the fires are treated through a drainage system and tanks, fires are carried out in a controlled area.. no water runs to the ground.
You can book to go watch this in action if you want to.
9:36, insulting those that make up our armed forces is not going to get you many supporters and your lack of knowledge is very evident. The RAF do not wish to get rid of the RAF Regiment and its role has once again been reaffirmed by the Chief of the Air Staff in his annual statement.
Military policing involves an operational element not performed by civilian police. There are many special to role police organisations in the UK in addition to the more evident metropolitan and county police forces. Presumably in your jaundiced get rid of everything view, you would see no purpose, say, in the British Transport Police.
In some garrison towns, like Catterick and Aldershot, military and civil police work alongside of each other. You may also be interested to know that there are also Royal Marine Police and Royal Navy police.
You should read more if you want to comment as, most often, you come over as pig ignorant.
9:47, it was you that made comparisons between military and civil police. The original comment, arising out of the guarding of the military establishment at Manston, merely highlighted the difference in role.
Perhaps it would make sense if this country used the Canadian model where all police, city, RCMP, military etc are all trained at the same college and can each perform the same roles. In large military areas in Canada, one is just as likely to be arrested by military police as by the mounties they work together.
Tim, alias 9:47, I am sure you know police officers having got previous for having your collar felt and being incarcerated. Whether they are actually friends is another matter.
Anon 7:41,
You are talking uniformed nonsense. You opinion owes more to your bigotry and spite than it does to any representation of the truth.
Anon 9:47,
I do not accept that you have as you claim friends in the police; but I would accept that you are known to the police.
Mr Smithson, your prejudice against anonymous bloggers does you no credit. Offensive and troublesome contributions frequently come from named players - you included. And please don't label all Anon's as "trolls".
10:04 why do you say the fire chemicals do not go into the water supply - when the Commander of the MOD Fire station himself confirmed thousands of litres of chemicals entering the water supply?
Point me to his quote and a date and I will then show you my evidence in return.
you go first 8:33 because I think you have no evidence at all.
Well said 10:38 on policing: 10:26 wants to have wasteful separate divisions of Military police when Canada has shown the cost savings in working together. Old corporals stuck in the past is what it looks like.
My FOI application about Thor Margate was answered by Environment Agency. There is a previously secret remediation project at site as Thor contaminated aquifer with mercury and mixed solvent.
My FOI application re Sericol was answered by Environment Agency. Massive contamination by cyclohexonone had occurred for 30 years before its 1993 discovery. A previously secret remediation project had recovered 470 tonnes of cyclohexonone at Poorhole Lane from chalk layers beneath the site. The contamination will be an aquifer problem for the foreseeable future. The FOI response was published by Michael Child and ECR.
I am not the anon contributor who raises Manston issues.
As I understand it in 1993 an anonymous letter reached a TDC labour cllr saying that solvent spillage had stained the chalk red. The EA response to my FOI application 15 years later was that red staining is an effect of the remediation process.
12:40 is about pollution from Thor and Sericol but there must be similar from MOD Fire station? Certainly the Environment Agency raised concerns at Manston itself.
!0:58 is very obviously Timmy's little minder who, on the strength of a little bit of service as a squaddie, is an expert on all things military. Guess you were one of those loud mouths who criticised the tactics at section level without having a clue about the overall strategic plan.
Anyone who thinks the military police just sort out drunken squaddies has never seen active service and has no concept of provost ops.
So why cannot the military polices be merged
Merged with what 6:46?
Each other
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