Back To The Future

Mooching through some of the Thanet films my old factotum Mr Ceaucescu (no relation) used to throw together in between masticating in the ensuite, it struck me how much improved Margate Harbour Arm is these days.

Only three years ago it was derelict and vandalised, as this grab from Margate - The Last Resort demonstrates:

Mooching along the East Pier in our lovely Ramsgate Royal Harbour the other day, it struck me how derelict and vandalised it is these days, as this photo demonstrates:

Only three years ago, these lights were a twinkly feature of the harbour after dusk. Now the pier's dark of an evening, and you'd be lucky to find a single light that hasn't been knackerated.

Of course, the council will blame the scallywags.

Of course, I will blame the council for not installing vandal proof lighting in the first place.

And the moral of this tale? Well, despite being unsurpassed at playing with their spheres while Thanet burns, it would appear that the Cecil Square duffers can only cope with juggling one ball at a time. Find a grant, do it up, let it rot. Find a grant, do it up, let it rot. No wonder I'm getting a horrible feeling of deja vu!

Blue Tracey Makes Sandy Turn Red

Phew! It's good to be having a quiet night in after all the Eminent shenanigans of the past couple of days!

One of the things I've noticed about hobnobbing with the Margate arts set is that you don't half meet a lot of Tories, property developers, and Tory property developers. Her Traciness herself declared she'd be voting for the Bullingdons this time, which seemed to make outgoing Thanet Tory chief Sandy Beach all puffed up, until she let rip at the council for having allowed her home town to get into such a parlous state over the last three decades. As she called for a public inquiry the poor Chief Duffer turned about as pink as a man of his complexion can get! Still, he must be used to it by now as I gather Mrs Beach, the lovely Cheryl, is a staunch Labour supporter.

After last night's turning on of the illuminations (which went out again around 10pm - you don't get much for your 50p these days), Thanet's finest gathered at Margate's Rokka bar to schmooze with the self-styled 'f***ing brilliant artist'. How she must have been charmed by the likes of diminutive developer Tiny Terry, looking very dapper in a dark suit and red tie (voting Labour this year Terry?), and Gargantuan Graham, looking, er, less dapper in his habitual Man at Wilkinsons get-up.

Still, perhaps it wasn't such a bad mix as virtually every 'artist' I talked to boasted of having made a killing on the property market, presumably backed by some kind of Arts Council grant. Luckily there were bouncers and a strict guest list to keep any real Margate oiks out, but they proved insufficient to deter a true Ramsgate blogger-blagger like me!

Click here to read today's interview with Trace in the Times
Click here to read Tracey moaning about Margate in the Sun
Click here to watch Tracey's Droit House speech on YouTube

KCC Win £6m Back Over Turner Cock-Up

Good news for supporters of Margate's Kunstbunker which is currently rising up on the Rendezvous site. Kent County Council have won £6m back from the architects of Turner Center Mark I, which was going to be built in the North Sea as an extension to the harbour arm (or pier as it used to be called until about a year ago).

According to the magazine New Civil Engineer, Norwegian architects Snohetta, cost consultant Davis Langdon and consultant Ramboll have agreed to pay the council the £6m inclusive of interest and costs it spent on the project that was abandoned in February 2006.

Now all KCC have to do is get our £50m back from Iceland! And more good Margate-related news the delightful Fiona Sherriff, proprietor of the Harbour Arm/Pier thingy, has emailed me to say she is putting on those lovely old folkers Fairport Convention at the Theatre Royal next January. They were a big draw when they played at Margate's Westcoast Bar in May, and Fiona says she is also working on getting a 'special act' to support them. The gig is on 30 January, and tickets are available from the box office on 0845 130 1786. Sxx.

Start Of The Pier Show

I do hope everyone will be trundling over to the Arsonists' Playground today for the official opening of the newly-revamped pier. Although I'll admit to some resentment that the Ile's finest gallery, IOTA, which used to be based here in the Millionaires' Playground, has brazenly gone over to the other side. And I'm not sure some of the hard-pressed traders in Margate High Street are that struck at having subsidised competition on their doorstep. Still, all part of the masterplan to turn Margate into the arts capital of Kent, and Ramsgate into a truck stop and runway, I suppose.

Later on I'll be inviting some of my celebrity chums round to the old cliff top mansion for a Eurovision party. After last year's woeful UK effort, in which Skooch cheesily impersonated the cabin crew of British Airways, the world's most patronising airline (how on earth did they think that was going to win over the continentals?), I think we're in with a better shout this time. And there's always Sir Terry Wigon's commentary to chortle at. Unfortunately, though, the turkey that should have won it has already been, er, stuffed at the semi-final stage (listen out for the classic line: 'Eastern Europe we love you, do you like Irish stew?'):

Reading Between The Lines

Margatonians might be forgiven for thinking that all roads out of the town now lead to Reading in Berkshire.

Of course, we all know that one of Margate's prime eyesores, the Dreamland site, is owned by Reading firm Waterbridge. And that Head Dreamland Saver, Nick Laister, who wants to put knackered old rides on the site, is based a few miles up the road in Wantage.

Now the council has given the contract to renovate the pier to a company called Pineapple. It's been quite a trek finding out who Pineapple are, as there's more than one company of that name, but the old Eastcliff mincers eventually alighted upon Pineapple Property (Kent) Ltd. Who, despite having the word Kent in their title, have their registered office in? You've guessed it, Reading!

To be fair, four out of the six shareholders do live in Thanet, according to the latest annual return filed at Companies House, with the other two living in Oxfordshire (not far from Reading).

Oh well, that's what attracting investment is all about, I suppose. Just as long as Margate doesn't end up as, er, attractive as Reading!

Paint The Whole Pier With A (Rather Expensive) Rainbow

One of my moles in the tawdry north of the Ile informs me that the recent artistic paint job on Margate pier cost £56,000. Of course this figure would, in all likelihood, have included the one blink-and-you'd-miss-it evening that a light and sound show was put on for the great and good, the only people who were informed that it was happening. So, terrific value for money I'd say!

Meanwhile the director of Margate's yet-to-fruitate Turner Contemporary, Victoria Pomery, was spotted at last month's Venice Biennale (arts knees-up to you and me) giving a speech as a guest of the British Council and Engage, the, um, National Association for Gallery Education. If you recall, there was a lot of fuss regarding the attendance of Our Lady of the Soiled Bedsheet as the British representative at the fart-fest, but apparently Ms Pomery bravely flew to Venice (all expenses paid one presumes) and upheld Margate's honour by explaining all the benefits the Turnip has brought to the area by importing European artists to tart up the paintwork, and getting the crayons out for the kiddies.

Don't get me wrong. I'm an art lover myself. Indeed several limited edition Jack Vettrianos grace the walls of the old cliff top mansion here in the Millionaires' Playground. But you have to wonder whether the money that's being spent is benefitting the ordinary bloke in a track suit tugging a pit bull on Margate High Street, don't you?