Let's set up the Margate Conservation Area Advisory Group

Thanet Council has had a bit of a hard time finding people to come together to form groups to go alongside the designated Conservation Areas. There is a requirement for there to be an advisory group comprised of lay people, i.e. not council officials, to fulfill a number of functions. TDC put a list of the possible role of the groups:

- Help formulate proposals for the enhancement of Conservation Areas.
- Help seek and support funding opportunities for agreed schemes for enhancement and
maintenance of the Conservation Areas.
- Help develop stewardship by raising public awareness
- Comment on planning applications within the Conservation Areas.
- Comment on issues which may affect the Conservation Areas.

So far, it was put over to the Margate Civic Society to see if they could drum up interest in setting up a Margate CAAG. However, much ringing and writing of emails to the Society, what I got in return was that they don't know anything about the CAAGs. So back to TDC. There I was informed that it might be a good idea me to try to organise one myself and take it from there.

So, here it is. The call for anyone interested to join me in setting up Margate's Conservation Area Advisory Group. Please email me and lets see if we can get this ball rolling. Designated Conservation Areas require management and the involvement of the communities living in them.

Ramsgate got Paxer we got Nasty Nick

I'm still catching up with the Thanet blogosphere (is there anything else?). I notice that ECR spotted Jeremy Paxman at Peter's Fish Factory in good old Ramsgate. Well, would you believe it, but I spotted Big Brother's Nasty Nick enjoying a glass of vino at the Harbour Cafe on the newly renovated "piazza" as it's threatened to be rebranded at the Parade in Margate. And that's next door to Peter's Fish Factory, so one wonders if there is some kind of promotion going on bringing grumpy old blokes to town.

Yikes! All fall down!

Wandering around over the weekend and I came across a couple of structures falling down. First a large portion of a tree crashed to the ground at the Thanet Road entrance of Dane Park. Narrowly missing the chaps on community service who have been painting the railings. Hope the tree wardens have it all in hand.


Then the fire service were out removing scaffolding at the lower end of the high street that had partially collapsed.


Never a dull moment.

"Mr Turner gets steamed up!"

I was glad to have stumbled across Robert Poulter's New Model Theatre on the Harbour Arm this weekend. I hadn't realised it was on. We caught the showing of "Mr Turner gets steamed up!" which was a jaunty piece about Margate's most famous visiting artist and his liason with a certain Mrs Booth who had a house at what is now the Yacht Club building.

Robert advises signing up to his mailing list to keep up with his latest works as he doesn't get time to update his website.

Twinkle twinkle little boat

The Celestial Radio boat came to Margate on Saturday. Just at the right time, in the sunny slot before the clouds came.

The rest of my Margate travels saw that there doesn't seem to be visible damage to the Arcadian building on Fort Hill. So not sure where the reported fire was. And talking of fires, The Today Programme reported a fire in Westgate this morning, but I have so far not found reference to it in the news channels.

Thanet's dog accessible beaches

As a new owner of a four legged furry friend, I was interested to know which beaches I could take the pooch to over the summer. TDC's dog guide on their website unfortunately doesn't have a map or illustration of the various bays and beaches where I can take my canine friend. They have a list of beach names, but some are so small or local that they don't come up in google maps. As a newcomer to the area, I've no idea where Fulsam Rock is and neither will other tourists.

I called TDC who offered to post me a leaflet. I declined in deference to saving on paper and time. But would be nice to have a map on the site, please, TDC. Should be simple enough.

We apologise for the interuption in service...

Sorry folks, well, the small amount of readers of this little blog. I've neglected this blog over the last few weeks. But on one of my last trips out to survey the progress on Cliff Terrace, I noticed the bargain price of £139,000 has been literally scribbled out on the hoarding.



Is this indicative of a price hike or a price drop?

Hopefully, with the credit crunch biting someone will buy the job lot of them and reconvert to shops. Hopeful? No, but you can but dream.