Choose how Margate is promoted

Margate is being developed as a brand.

How should it be presented for promotional and marketing purposes? They are running a 'vote for your favourite of three' exercise until Friday the 4th of Feb.

http://www.thisismargate.co.uk/culture/this-is-margate-toolkit.aspx

This exercise has been undertaken by the Local Authority in a series of 'conversations' with the public. A branding agency was chosen from a shortlist of agencies.

I'm not really all too convinced about the exercise of branding a town in general. But I do think it is important to understand who the target market is.

Who is this supposed to attract? If it is visitors to the area, then you have to make sure that this is tested on them.

How will this read on a poster at a distance? Or flicking through a magazine?

To be honest, if I give a monkeys, I'd opt for least offensive, please. And in design, is design by committee, or in this case public consultation ever a good idea? Were any of the great things from Margate's past, designed by committee? Or were they just great ideas that someone with passion put out there?

Should a font be 'fun'? Or should the poster have a striking image on that is fun.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Creative Margate Calendar (private)

Date: 31 January 2011 15:27

Subject: How Margate should look?

To:

Dear All,

As part of the Countdown to Margate 2011, we have been developing a toolkit for Margate, which will be used to promote the town.

The outcomes from the first Margate Conversation event have influenced this work and we now have three draft options for how the typography

within the toolkit could look. We would like to ask you to look at the three different options proposed and choose the option you like the

best.

You can read more about the Margate toolkit and access the online vote

by visiting:

http://www.thisismargate.co.uk/culture/this-is-margate-toolkit.aspx

You can go straight to the online typography choices by using the link

below:

http://www.thisismargate.co.uk/culture/this-is-margate-toolkit/public-vote-for-margate-typogr.aspx

Please can you submit your choice by Friday 4 February.

Thank you for you help and you can keep updated by visiting www.thisismargate.co.uk

Many Thanks

Sharon Sebastian

For Sale: Gate Quays, Marine Gardens, Margate CT9 1RU

Found on London auctioneers Allsop's website:

http://www.auction.co.uk/residential/LotDetails.asp?A=709&MP=24&ID=709000125&S=L&O=A

The awful development on Marine Drive, that ended up loads taller in height than it was supposed to be, and has always stood empty since it was built. Really what is the point of this kind of regeneration development?

Update:

I don't know the planning status on 5-6 Marine Drive. But from this lengthy Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decision (PDF) from February 2010 between a Flat 17 and the freeholder Comehomes Cororation Limited it is supposed to have been built 15 years ago. 12 flats were sold on long leases and the remainder vacant. Sounds like a miserable affair with the leaseholder suffering from unfinished communal areas, no letterbox and no provision of service charge accounts. They were hounded with £25 a pop letters from the freeholder! Nice.

Save Margate Caves / Photo call Monday 31st Jan 13.30

Next photo call with the Thanet Gazette at the Caves site on Monday 31st Jan (that's tomorrow, folks!) 13.30. Please come if you can. Will take a few minutes and you can go on your way. The more people turn up and show their support will really help. Please stop by and support the cause to safeguard the future of Margate Caves.

Margate Caves meeting tomorrow 27th Jan at The Shell Grotto

It was really disappointing to hear about the clearance of the cafe and shop at The Caves site this week. And to have also received a letter from TDC's Doug Brown outlining that the authority would be sealing the entrance and that they were seen as a liability. Many residents had attended the meeting back in September at The Shell Grotto which ended on a hopeful note that some way forward could be found. So if you would like to see Margate Caves saved and reopened, please see if you can attend the meeting tomorrow at 5.30 at The Shell Grotto. It's not over till it's finally over. Not everything that's marvellous in Margate is on the seafront. Especially apt that the meeting will be at The Shell Grotto.

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Dark-days-caves-diggers-roll-action/article-3136375-detail/article.html

Talking of moving to Margate - Kallis Restaurant for sale

I admit to having a little chuckle at this estate agent description of Margate for selling the Kallis greasy spoon cafe just up from the clock tower. A snip at £450k!

"Kalli's Restaurant is ideally located in the coastal resort of Margate in Kent. The business is situated on Marine Gardens, close to the promenade and is surrounded by complementary shops and businesses. Margate is an affluent coastal town with wide sandy beaches and a strong tourist industry. The town boasts easy access by rail and road with the A28 to Canterbury, which lies approximately 17 miles away."

Is there such a thing as mis-selling?

Let's Move to Margate - Really!

After reading miserable Tom Dyckhoff's miserable article on a miserable Margate, I thought I'd have think about moving here from somewhere else. Tom's article had me rolling my eyes at the banality and narrowmindedness. Clear that he came here grudgingly anyway. Unlucky for Margate that he reviewed the town on a Sunday afternoon in early Jan. Everyone knows that loads of seaside town businesses close briefly to take a break in Jan and get on with some admin in preparation for the upcoming spring. Sounds like he didn't really get further than a walk down the seafront, right into the Old Town to a cafe and then some research on property prices on Right Move on the laptop.

But in any case, there are lots of reasons why even in a bitter cold January, Margate still has some pleasant surprises up its sleeve. And besides, is he supposed to be writing as a tourist or as a resident?

As a tourist, there are windswept clean sandy beaches all to yourself. Lovely places to eat. Antique shops to wander around.

As a resident, well, this is where I can share my experience. I have a lovely network of friends, stress free compared to London life, dinners out, vintage shops to rummage through, amazing countryside to walk the dog in, fresh air to breathe, amazing Georgian architecture to enjoy, time to think. So, fuck you, Mr Dyckhoff. Not that I want to be the usual local who moans about a review of the town they live in. But really, was that the best you can do?

As for your tip on property prices. I don't know many houses with a paddock on Margate. Perhaps it wasn't in Margate at all. And those prices seem way out of line. Everyone knows that in Margate a five storey Georgian town house can go for as little as £100k! I don't know where these 6-8 bedroom places are for £800k! Buildings in Margate Old Town sold recently for £50k and £80k. A flat on Hawley Square sold in the summer for £26K!!!

Link to the miserable article: