And as the whole of Ramsgate waits on tenterhooks to learn the outcome of last night's Duffer cabinet meeting to decide the fate of our Royal Pavilion (will it be Wetherspoons?), it's got me thinking about the devastation that has been visited on our lovely seafront over the past decade or so. One name keeps springing to mind - Latchford!
For it was none other than Colonel Sir Roger Latchford OBE (pictured above in happier days with his former chum John Worrow) who, in his capacity as Regeneration Supremo and Chief Ezekiel Toady under the previous Tory administration, presided over most of the crap decisions that have blighted the Millionaires' Playground, and continue to do so.
Pleasurama, for example. Wasn't it The Colonel who was the chief flag waver for SFP and Tiny Terry's Royal Sands development? And look what a pile of steaming whatsit that turned out to be! I understand the Duffers' legal eagles are even now going through the paperwork with an electron microscope to try and discover why The OBE-ed One insisted there was no 'long stop' date built into the contract. I suspect, though, they won't find the Holy Grail of a get-out clause. The Pavilion's woes also stem back to his time in the driving seat, when his hands were clearly on the steering wheel that was up Ezekiel's backside.
(By the way, where is our Sandy? He must be out of chokey by now. Has anyone spotted him? I'm offering a crisp tenner to the first person who emails me a recent photo of the ex-con!)
Of course, Latchford is now head of the Kent contingent of the Purple (Foreign) People Eater Party. So he can now presumably lord it up in Maidstone, without having to get his hands mucky with all this Ramsgate mullarkey. In fact I'm told that he's ordered his Ramsgate contingent to desist from the previous protocol of regular chinwags with the local great and good. That's democracy folks!
Anyway, the Dom is on ice and I've got some of that nice duqqa dip waiting. Before I go, I'd urge you to sign this petition. No, silly! It's not the one to save the airport. It's the one to save that skatepark in Cliftonville that the Duffers dug up last week! Thus demonstrating that, no matter which side of the island or what colour banner is flying above Cecil Square, the Duffers will always be, er, duffers!
Moustache!
93 comments:
Cripsy Tenner !!! cheers guv you are a toff, is your name Dick Barton by any chance
I'd rather spend the evening with Latchford than Worrow!
I saw him in Aldi Ramsgate recently. Do I get a fiver?
Maybe Ezekiel is with Higgins?
Have you seen this? Went up online on the day of the cabinet meeting (3rd April). The only decision they've made is that they agree with the expert opinion to accept the valuers advice and continue with the process.....
http://democracy.thanet.gov.uk/documents/s35952/Disposal%20Royal%20Pavilion%202.html?CT=2
Any truth in the rumour I've started that Farage wants to stand in Thanet because he likes flying and thought he'd be able to park his plane at Manston? The closure of Manston is a ploy to stop Farage.
Maybe we could turn Manston into a massive church set up for thousands of gay marriages to happen at once.
That should please Rog.
Farage probably wants to stand in Thanet because of the high proportion of immigration-blaming pensioners that blight our sceptic isle. And that's just the councillors.
Now, ECR, don't start something with Latchford that will embarrass him publicly. He'll announce that he isn't standing for election again for personal and family reasons and then change his position completely when an enquiry (supposedly) clears him. Just like he did when he was accused of circulating a racist email some years ago. Mind, he is about 132 now and always looks half-asleep or half-cut in pictures.
As the Rabbi said, 'Thanks for all the tip-offs.'
Meanwhile it would appear that I've been blocked from the Broadstairs! Facebook group, the one where all the xenophobic airport hoo-ha about 'bloody immigrants' took place last week, for re-posting this item on their page. Apparently they don't like politics. Or anything to do with Ramsgate, it would seem.
It's just yet more proof of how insular and barren Boredstares is, if you ask me. Wouldn't want to upset the builders' wives, would we?!
Word is that Theresa May this week was exasperated and she shouted "Well who the hell is this Hamilton"
It appears to have been a report codename identity to conceal the real identity of a senior Kent detective.
In January 1985 Kenny Noye rottweillers found a ski masked combat suited man lurking in the garden. In what was described as a vicious fight Kenny stabbed the intruder in self defence. It turned out to be Dc Fordham of the Met Police.
Then arose a turf war as Kent carted off Kenny and Met could not get the murder their jurisdiction under their Brinks Mat inquiries.
Met with their noses outa joint have a look at what might be bent in Kent policing and they come up with lorry hijackings and the 1981 1 million pound Bluebell Hill cash van robbery.
And an outside force is called in to investigate one particular Kent senior CID officer who became referred to in confidential reports, Theresa was told, as "Hamilton".
I do recall that Northumbria Police were called in to investigate Margate's DI Ken Sainsbury (Cyril Hoser forgery case officer I seem to recall) but I have absolutely no reason to suspect a link. Perhaps there was another and quite separate inquiry into Kent Police by an outside force at that time ?
Of course the question for our Theresa is the extent the name David Norris was associated with police allegedly on take. And as you know just six days before the 1993 Stephen Lawrence killing, the trial started of the Margate based UDA hit team who killed David Norris (No relation of Clifford Norris)
One month after Stephen was killed the Norris murder trial collapsed. A success for defence barristers like Michael Mansfield QC who had become Doreen Lawrence's barrister?
Anyway Theresa getting her hair off. "So are there any other funny Thanet tories I should be aware of ?"
Sir Humphrey cleared his throat "There is Cyril's mate arrested for paramilitary activity 1987 ... and exempted from charges and inquiries re UDA paramilitary collusion. Which is rather the genre of the Margate based UDA hitmen in the David Norris murder"
"So Humphrey Thanet tories obviously expelled this man ?"
"In a manner of speaking they in fact promoted him to tory Assn Vice Chair"
"Oh cobblers ....."
"Yes minister"
Nothing wrong with builders ECR, not that anything ever gets built where you live!
"Wouldn't want to upset the builders' wives, would we?!" PMSL!!! Sorry about them booting you out of Broadstairs old bean, but what can a rake from Ramsgate expect, eh? You are not alone in being booted out - have heard it happen lots lately. It is ran by a liberal though so..... And I tend not to run into those issue on In Touch. But I think the direct reply to comment threads helps on the Facebooks. And *ahem* i am going through about 40,000 feeds a week at the moment and In Touch deals with some BIG political issues... but I do like the naughtyness of your work. Anyway. The 'dark ages' of when 'he who shall not be named' was in power. Thats the stuff that seems endemic in TDC
Not a word...
40 years ago Broadstairs was a quaint, gentile seaside resort. Now it's just a slum full of beer-swilling, vomiting loudmouths who think they are more important than the other people who live in Thanet. I know there isn't any shale gas under Thanet but I'd still allow fracking in Pierremont Park, just to p*ss the old codgers off.
8:19, pleased you remember the Broadstairs of 40 years ago. Perhaps you would be so kind as to tell those of us that don't, all about it.
By the way, ask the local plod where they are more likely to be spat or pissed on a Saturday night in Thanet and you will find it is still Ramsgate. Ramsgate has not been peaceful since the USAF Air Police left!
Oh dear Richard you have got the wrong man, It was Richard Nicholson when Labour were in control pre 2003 who signed the contract. Still let us not let facts get in the way of a good story
It was indeed Richard Nicholson who signed the original agreement. However, this was updated in 2007 by the Ezekiel administration. In other words, both parties have been involved in this cock-up No wonder they're closing ranks to try to hush up what went wrong.
DRIBBLE
Well said 4:11 neither TDC nor RTC nor BTC are about improving things just protecting the salaries and position of McGonigal and Hart etc.
The Broadstairs Community Centre and EKO and Pleasurama farce are just three examples from these clowns.
Latchford - and UKIP's Old Tories - has proved as irrelevant in power at UKIP/KCC as before and not dissimilar to Gale.
On airports: reports of Ostend Airport also closing. A few charters and even less cargo planes: a report on gunrunning form Ostend into Congo etc: http://www.cleanostend.com/
MK and Silverback featured recently: both banned and MK planes now destroyed.
And air pollution: if only TDC was reporting the Manston pollution accurately rather than removing monitors under Latchford's regime and still not replaced...
Was Manston not even discussed at the TDC Council meeting? And what's happening with Pleasurama? The duffers seem to be doing nothing at all.
Was Manston not even discussed at the TDC Council meeting? And what's happening with Pleasurama? The duffers seem to be doing nothing at all.
And 1:42 and 4:11 the Manston agreement was also agreed by Hart after Ezekiel/Bayford were removed from power. Both Bayford and Hart still say they support the airport.
As does Gale and Sandys - the latter the only one of them to oppose night flights - which is the only viable route for Manston.
None of them mention the water supply or removed monitors of course.
Bouncy ball bags Batman
Roger Latchford also organised those brilliant air shows at Palm Bay, which were quite fantastic. He also organised the wheels bins, which have improved the sanitation in Thanet.
So, he's not all bad, and let's face it, you hear racist jokes on the radio and see them relayed on TV too. Tons online, if it comes to that, so let the hypocrisy drop.
This might change things! https://www.facebook.com/MargateHistory/posts/656947081007186
What's happening with Pleasurama? The Bank Holiday is next week and the place is a dump still.
The site was cancelled on 28th February.
The Port is 12 months derelict?
The Duffers have simply given up - we need a clearout.
Just found out that save Manston lot have started this group “why don’t the council do something”
Why won't the save manston lot understand people are being laid off and the public sector has had no pay rise for years there closing centres all over the uk roads aren't being fixed we have the largest public debt in Europe all most the world. But yeah lets spend £10,000 of public money (if she sells) on it a day instead of sorting out the real things that public needs
shame on anybody who thinks that public taxes should be used to prop up this failing business
Meet at Manston cafe 10am Wed 9th April to wave off last KLM flight & show solidarity with the staff!
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.
As Mayor I will introduce daily drug den raids to secure our towns and prevent drug abuse and burglary. And a no-shame-no-blame policy for addicts.
If you are on illegal drugs now is the time to get off them or onto legal medication.
As Mayor I will ensure the drug den raids and arrests increase.
Go to your doctor, chemist, hospital, police or a friend. Ask for help now: it is no-blame-no shame and the the drug dens will be closed.
Drug dens will be identified and closed and the drugs network rolled back.
No more Junky Towns in Rape Nation in Failed Kent.
Frontline Kent faces 85% of illegal drugs seized on the Continent. And rogue airports like Ostend leaking like a sieve in dealing in arms, blood diamonds and drugs to African war-zones.
And pandemic zones like Ebola in Guinea or TB in Romania or London.
All Kent drug dens raids and arrests and drug seizures will be publicised. The drugs will be torched, and the money and cars and jewellery returned or placed in a community fund.
Kent's coastal towns will reverse the seachange of failure in drugs. With benchmark policing with Switzerland and Holland and Japan.
A crackdown on crack dens. Smack down on smack dens. No heroin, cocaine or crack in Kent.
No dealing or growing of marijuana or skunk or hash.
Time for Change.
A 24/7 arrest warrant from the Courts for drug den raids: a Judge will get out of bed and sign the raid warrant. No more drugs dens or drugs stashes.
No junk Judge's like Glick and his Bar cronies and liar-lawyers.
Drug dog searches in suspected drug dens in tower blocks, barns and warehouses and ships and ports.
Police raids on illegal flights and late flights at Kent's airports and shippin gin ports or illegally berthed off Margate.
Drugs dealers cautioned and Special Branch surveillance.
International criminals abroad on the Costa Del Crime and Asia will be targeted: no hiding place and no drugs routes.
A crackdown on crack dens. A smackdown on smack dens. No heroin, cocaine or crack in Kent.
Time for Change
As Mayor every day I will be asking of Kent Police how many drug dens raids and how many arrests and how many drugs seized. And asking of the NHS Ambulance paramedic teams how many registered junkies and drugs use. And paramedic pub kits.
Day after day. How many drugs raids. Day after day. How many drugs arrests.
No white powder and no horse in The White Horse County.
Invicta on drugs in Kent.
The waiting is over.
The pensioners have failed us.
The Toxic Three of Carter, Gale and Wild have failed us.
Gale and Sandys have failed us.
Garbutt for Mayor in May 2014.
Time for Meiji Kent.
Time for Change.
I dont wish the staff ill will but just cant see why the save manston lot would rather prop up a failed airport instead of a better NHS or something?
8.34
I do see your point in being tough but its a bad policy and it has been tried over many years there are better ways. Dont force up the price of drugs by cracking down. It will only increase the amount of drug dealers coming to get a better price. If drugs could be free there would be no point for them to be imported or sold
8:30 meet there to wave off the KLM flight as good riddance, and hopefully Buchanan and Pedro are on it.
Sympathy for the staff is minimal: get another job or retire like the rest of us. It's not RAF Manston tax-funded for national defence and hasn't been for 10 years which is why it keeps failing.
Rather, the banned aircraft like Iran Air have been extemely dangerous and we need a Police investigation as to who allowed that.
Hart was meeting Buchanan every month and never said anything? The RTC/TDC councillors never said anything?
Good riddance to Manston and a better future as a cleaned-up field.
8:54 putting up the drugs price through seizures/reducing supply increases drug dealing? How so?
And drug use declines by providing free drugs?
You're toking on a fat one.
Surely reducing the illegal supply while providing prescription drugs for existing users is the way forward in reducing both drug use and dealing and illegal/contaminated drugs? Along with reducing HIV and burglary etc etc?
Why is TB such a problem?
8.54
you would think that wouldn't you but its the reverse the more the crack down the worse the problem gets 3 home secretary's now say making drugs legal and free is the only way forward
So going to a shop and buying heroin (or being given it?)is what you're saying 9:56?
If we're paying £2bn to KCC in tax how much are we paying to TDC as well?
8:56 banned aircraft like Iran Air?????? Last I looked IR711 still goes into LHR, quick shut that airport.
Hasn't been tax funded for 10 years?????? Bit longer than that when I checked........troll alert.......try google before you post utter crap.
10.24
its not me talking crap save manston wants tax to keep it afloat it should close read what people have written before commenting
10.14
has being tough on drugs ever worked in the last 50 years when there was no law you either took them or you did not its down to information how to stop people taking them
most of the drugs taken in Victorian times did not make a problem its the crime to fund the drugs that causes the problem if people want to die taking drugs let them
take the money out of it
Read up on it when you think if its not worth it to the barons to import or to the chain underneath them the chain breaks down it would take only a few weeks to see a major slump in crime if you wanted to go further make alcohol a prescription drug then you would not need hardly any police at all 90% reduction in crime in total the NHS also would have enough money to treat all and give their workforce a pay rise
I think this would be to sensible to ever go though :(
Hey, if you want to go and see the impact legalising certain drugs has had, jump on a KLM Cityhopper to Amsterdam. Better hurry though.
Who's the idiot at 10:24? IranAir was banned form airports except LHR that's why it was stopped at Manston. Try other banned aircraft like AfghanAir too.
Not tax-funded for 10 years? You're kidding. Take a look at the SEEDa funded car park for a start.
Then add in the tax breaks and business rates we'll eventually find out about and the missing fines. Manston has cost us all a fortune in tax.
Well manston is truly finished unless tax payer funds it ill be the first to start the "close manston and save tax" campaign
10:24 has also forgotten EUJet and all the millions of tax. or the KCC investment for KLM via Visit Kent. And what a Parkway would cost...
Close TDC and save even more tax?
So many vans and cars on the promenades - many of them TDC - can they not stick to the roads?
It cant be true can it? KLM have announced that they wont be coming back. There was me believing all the hype that KLM from Manston was a great success story.
What happens after the last KLM flight tomorrow? The gates are padlocked?
Infratil have even sold off Rotorua airport: only Wellington left and Clarke and Fitzgerald there. The Directors must be worried about the corporate manslaughter and monitors...
From Twitter:
@SimonMoores 30m
I'm feeling a little more optimistic about #ManstonAirport today. On @bbcsoutheast at 6:30
But according to the news report (on the BBC SE lunchtime broadcast) Moores would not give any detail as to why he feels optimistic. It begs the question why say anything at all if you're not prepared to provide supporting rationale. It is also very reminiscent of his game-playing on Thanet Life - dangling little nuggest in front of his readers so that they beg him to tell more. Coquettish or what?
He's been clutching at straws ever since the 0% fraud and his council career fell over.
"Today at 1330 on BBC South East - The Dutch airline KLM confirms it won't be returning to Manston even if the airport can be saved."
Hardly reason for Moores to be optimistic. Gale and hart come out with the same foolishness. These sorts of idiot councillors do nothing but harm to the area.
I agree anon. Time for change. Time to vote for a new mayor for Thanet.
After the last KLM flight 10am tomorrow we need a clearout of our councillors and servants.
Sandys has resigned and more need to go.
Gale is useless and most of the rest are the same or corrupt.
Time for a clearout.
If only it was time for you to go somewhere else, Tim, and save the rest of us from your prattle.
Interesting fact: Southern Water £331M profit. A £200k fine for polluting Broadstairs. A fine of 0.12% of profit.
They tried to appeal but it was noted they had 160(!) other similar offences.
Is there really an election for Thanet Mayor? Who are the other candidates?
Let's hope it's not Hart and Bayford again we've had enough of them.
Buchanan vs Welch? They've been running things.
Whatever the failings of the current Labour administration and the previous Tory one, why do some think Thanet would be better off with a single politician - a directly elected mayor - in charge? Given the local history of corruption, nepotism and malpractice - and the allegations of even worse activities - , I should have thought investing trust in just one person was a very high risk strategy.
Gee whizz 5:30 how bad can it be compared to the idiots we have?
And we have one person in the Leader at TDC. That said i don;t think a Thanet Mayor is any different form that role and negates the fact of three towns.
TDC is consulting on creating a Margate Town Council so it looks like even they have had enough of The Duffers.
Do we need TDC with 3 towns?
Already on the market in East Kent, a 765 acre farm can be yours for only £5million.
No not Manston but a portfolio of land and property overseen by the Prince of Wales who says says the land boasts “possibly the finest grade one and two land in Kent”.
It currently grows salad and arable crops.
So can Manston become a grade one farm?
No, anon, Manston cannot be a 'Grade 1' farm as this is a designation which is determined by a soil survey. Much of Thanet is Grade 1 or Grade 2 under the Agricultural Land Classification, but being as Manston has not been agricultural for many years, it would not be possible to give it an ALC grade.
In fact, turning an airport into any kind of agricultural land would be a monumental task, and would probably be impossible.
I'll be having. Hamlet at 1031 tomorrow
That's the last fumes we need to put up with 6:37. Good riddance to manston and we need a police inquiry.
Joe Turner, plenty of WWII airfields in East Anglia and Lincolnshire are now farmland so it is not impossible.
Greed and £ signs may make it unlikely though.
Why is Moores optimistic what does he know?
Farmland for an airport is possible but it depends on the contamination which is easy to verify. Converting a WW2 airfield after WW2 probably wasn't too bad but Manston was used for decades so is brownfield land. The barracks area may not be though?
have Cargolux stopped flights as well as KLM now?
Cargolux have been using Stansted since Sunday, but as with any business they will go where the best price is. Normally with cargo aircraft the airport is determined by the shipping agent not the airline, if the shipper wants to stay at Stansted then that's where they will stay, if the shipper wants to return to Manston for any reason they will return.
I still say we should declare war on Europe and Russia just to keep it open. It will be less expensive than TDC's, KCC and our useless MP's ideas. So 'Why Not Manston' as forward operating base for the RAF.
Some of the bizarre ideas being put forward by the so called great and good beggar belief, i bet if it was their own money they would be less inclined to use it to save a dead duck!!
Why hasn't there been an official spokesperson for the anti-Manston group since Steve Higgins (quitely) stepped down? Surely one of you 100's of anons are willing to debate this on radio and TV?
Why not you, 9:44, and it could help high profile your mayor and MP campaigns.
Because I'd rather hide behind anonymity on blogs, just like all the other anti-Manston losers.
All those that complain on this blog about anonymous posters just remember that this blog is run by the anonymous ECR. So if you don't like being part of an anonymous blog then go elsewhere to complain.
I'm not complaining about anonymous posters, I'm complaining that no-one will front the anti-Manston campaign for the good of all the people against it.
Anon 10.39 tell us why a anti Manston Airport campaign is now needed? The one run by Anne Cloag seems to have been very successful and that's the only one that counted.
I saw a comment made by gale about if they try to develop the land he will make it hard as he can for them saying that archaeology is there and theres a big clean up if anybody wants to build any houses he also called them clowns
WOW me thinks he gone to deep :(
If your were to bulid an estate there it would employ 1000s for years and they would have a good view
10.06
10.39
still being a wind up hows margate
ECR is not anonymous to all of us and I have no problem with anonymous comment normally. What puzzles me is why someone would say things on his on blog site, on twitter or in electioneering leaflets under his own name, but then hide behind his anonymous tag when saying the same things on here. We all know who you are Timmy old fruit so live with it.
http://www.kentbusiness.co.uk/
This is what gale said
That option is hard to stomach for those who have tried to support the site through thick and thin. Sir Roger Gale MP also gave a warning to developers.
He said: “I’m not entertaining that at all. I’m concentrating on Manston being kept open as an operating airport.
“I have a willing buyer, and it depends whether the owner wishes to strike a deal.
“But anyone who thinks they are just going to buy Manston and develop it into a big housing estate has another thing coming.
“There is a lot of contamination on the land, and there is a significant archaeological site underneath, which will need to be excavated.
“It is as not straightforward as one or two clowns think it is.
Which leaves me wondering why Gale wasn't campaigning against the contamination when it was an airport given that it is on the aquifer. No I am not aquifer man, just an interested commentator who hates hypocrisy.
Gale worried about the archeology beneath Manston? Ironic, seeing as he is a relic himself.
Who said politicians are focused on self-preservation?
Is the significant archeological site a reference to the knackered old freight crates that use the airport?
Well it seems as though the tax payer is going to foot the bill for manston airport keeping ramsgate down. Seems to be 1st on the list for gale and co no matter how much money it loses. When will these MPs understand its not what this area needs why should the tax payer pay for the airport when if the money it receives was spent on a little TLC on doing up the 3 towns for tourism. That would bring so many more jobs and prosperity.
SHAME on all the people that have pushed the olds in power to bring this to Thanet its all lies it will never employ the 1000s that Thanet needs. Now there will be less public money for the things that would make a difference. It has never worked as a private airport while tourism is booming in the uk its so sad.
Old windy bag forgets the big dig up at RAftracyland prior to its sale for pipe bombs and the like. As for archaeology its a pity not one dig took place when any infrastructure was paid for at public expense because of dodgy planners at TDC.
Casting my mind back to the old local plan the chief planner of TDC misled the planning inspectorate?
If we have pollution problems old windy its Nitrates unless you and the EA have hidden things such as lead (Pb) deposits.
I am always amazed with the lack of knowledge in our so called democratic field of the great unwashed, research is everything and its very obvious the MP's are out of touch with that ability?
Poor old 7:09, thick as two short planks but trying to make out he is clever. If you were really clever it would be you that were the MP, not just a pretend candidate for elections that never happen.
The only clever thing Gale did was fiddle his expenses. And even then he wasn't that clever, he got caught.
Seems what with all this hullabaloo about Manston, we've overlooked the news that lease negotiations are going ahead with Wetherspoons....
http://thanet.gov.uk/the-thanet-magazine/editorial/ramsgate-projects-list/royal-pavilion/
Bang go Emma Irvine's great plans....does she even know? There's nothing on her twitter feed or facebook page....
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