Council fights bid to turn Downs into Village Green

Canterbury council bosses were this week racking up a huge legal bill battling to keep control of picturesque land in Herne Bay. A five-day public inquiry to stop the Downs being granted Village Green status opened on Monday 28th November, with top London barrister Richard Ground fighting the city council’s corner against local campaigner Phil Rose.

Mr Rose wants the mile-long stretch between the Kings Hall and Bishopstone Glen to be made a Village Green – taking its control out of council hands and protecting it from development. He made the application in September 2009 after plans surfaced to build beach huts on the eastern side of the site.

The council refused to support the bid, but independent inspector Lana Wood will rule on the case after the inquiry ends on Friday. It is expected complicated legal issues about what the land is actually owned for will play a huge part in her decision.

Mr Rose has collected more than 1,000 questionnaires from people backing his fight, making it the most strongly-supported application for a Village Green ever made in England and Wales. To qualify for the status, land must have been used by locals for “lawful sports and pastimes” for at least 20 years.

Mr Rose told the inquiry those who answered questionnaires had used the land for as long as 86 years. He also listed more than 70 sports and pastimes the land is used for, including dog walking, football, sledding, sunbathing and bagpipe playing. He said:

“We have met every single one of the tests required to register the application land as a Village Green.”

Barrister Mr Ground said most of the Downs has been owned by the city council or previous public authorities since the Second World War – large parts for longer. He added the council had no intention of developing the land or stopping anyone from using it for recreational purposes.

HB Gazette 1st Dec 2011 joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Road casualties

Britain has one of the best records in the world for road casualties. However, hundreds still die on the roads every year. In 2010, the police recorded 1,850 deaths, 22,660 people seriously injured and 184,138 who received light injuries.

Using official data recorded by police in Great Britain between 1999 and 2010, the BBC has plotted every road collision in which someone died. In all, 36,371 fatalities are marked on this interactive map.

As with any large collection of data, there will be errors that are reflected in this map. These arise as all details of these incidents are generated by the police who fill out a paper form that is then transcribed into a computer database.

Click the picture to find out more...

The finest public art

For your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, here's the loveliest piece of public art I've seen in a long time. In the middle of the Chicago, a long strip of land near the coast of Lake Michigan was reclaimed - it used to be railway sidings, but was converted into a Millennium Park. (It was finished four years late and over budget, but that's another story.)

Anyway, amongst the many attractions of this welcome green space in the City is this stunning piece of public art. Entitled "Cloud Gate" - but everyone calls it The Bean - it is made of highly polished stainless steel. And it is lovely. I want one in my town.

Parish councillors hope to derail Tesco Express

Village councillors have vowed to fight plans to build a Tesco in Herne "every step of the way". They were unanimously defiant this week against speculation of the supermarket giant taking over the empty Upper Red Lion pub.

Tesco is believed to be in talks with brewery Punch Taverns to turn it into an Express store, but the idea was given short shrift at a parish council meeting on Thursday. Cllr John Nicholson said:

"I would fight it every step of the way. I feel very annoyed at the prospect of a supermarket there as there are already plenty in Herne Bay. This is a village and we want to keep it a village."

Cllr Jennifer Taylor fumed:

"It's an historic village and that site is right in the centre, next door to an historic church. I'd be the first one down there with my placard if it happened."

Cllr Ian Sargeant added:

"My grandad had that as a pub and it should remain a pub or a restaurant."

Tesco has so far remained tight-lipped about the possibility of coming to Herne, but a number of sources claim there has been interest. Cllr John Moore said:

"Somebody who works for one of the utilities says they've worked on plans for the possibility of a supermarket on that site. I thought no, this can't be serious. Obviously there's loads of speculation, but nobody's admitting anything."

It's thought traffic issues surrounding the site will be a stumbling block to any possible move for Tesco. Cllr Andrew Brealy said:

"The highways issue will knock any application like this on the head immediately."

The Gazette revealed earlier this month that St Martin's Church vicar Rev Elaine Richardson had looked at the possibility of turning the pub into a vicarage but rejected it. Cllr Robert Jones said:

"It would have been great if it was used as a vicarage, keeping parking for the village. Let's put pressure on her [Rev Richardson] boss to reconsider it. It would be the perfect answer."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 joewalker@thekmqroup.co.uk

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The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

Council refuses to back village green status bid

A campaign group will not have the backing of the council in its efforts to have The Downs in Herne Bay certified as a village green.

The Save Our Downs group has been urging the council to support the application, which if successful would mean that the area would be open to the public for free forever and that any development which takes place would have to be in the interests of the public.

A public inquiry is due to take place at the end of November to determine whether the 72-acre seafront area will be designated a village green. Kent County Council is the registration authority which will decide The Downs' fate, but Canterbury City Council owns the land and will not be backing village green status.

Members of the council's ruling executive met last Thursday and rejected the idea of turning The Downs into a village green. A report before them stated:

"If the land becomes a town/ village green then, whilst the inhabitants of Herne Bay may have special rights over it, the rights of the council and public in general are diminished. Herne Bay is a seaside resort. The council manages this land not only for the benefit of residents but also for the visitors the town seeks to attract. The interests of the two groups may often coincide, but sometimes they will not."

Peter Lee, the council's member for finance and the councillor for West Bay, spoke against village green status for The Downs. He said:

"It's important that this land is retained for the whole community. It's up to us to make sure that this area is available to the general public in perpetuity."

And council leader John Gilbey added:

"This application is wrong and should never have been put in the first place."

The week-long public inquiry into the village green application starts at St Andrew's Church Hall, Hampton Pier Avenue, on at 10am on Monday, November 28. It will continue at St Andrew's on Tuesday before moving to Christ Church in William Street for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week.

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Phil Rose is the applicant for village green status and a founder member of Save Our Downs. He believes the reason for the Council's rejection of the application is largely financial.

Part-quoting the Council's report during his speech to the Executive on 13th October, he said:

"If the Downs get village green status the Council will be unable to 'lease the land, offer a concession, charge for use, and build on it'. Herne Bay residents have long suspected that this kind of asset-stripping was the real reason for the Council's objection."

Mr Rose added:

"Village green status has not and will not stop you doing coast defence work. It will not stop visitors from enjoying The Downs. Village green status is what residents and tax payers want."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 aclaridge@thekmgroup.co.uk

Save Hillborough

The Save Hillborough campaign is fighting Kitewood's proposed development of 1,300 houses on farmland at Hillborough. Click the logo to visit their new mini-website and find out more.

Artists' Open Houses Trail in Herne Bay

Now in its 12th year, the popular Artists' Open Houses Trails, features 53 houses with over 182 artists, offering a rare opportunity to experience a diverse array of high quality work in a relaxed setting. With so many venues to choose from there should be something for everyone, so plan your trip and prepare to be inspired and surprised.

For further information on each individual trail, please contact:

• HERNE BAY Mandy Troughton 07890 065046

• CANTERBURY Tessa Mangiavacchi 07729 156953
• FAVERSHAM Anne MacLaren 01795 591555
• WHITSTABLE Paul Elliot 01227 282462

DOWNLOAD THE OPEN HOUSE TRAIL LEAFLET

Select the link above to download the full trail leaflet with details about each house included in the event along with maps of each trail. All houses are open weekends during the Festival 15th/16th, 22nd/23rd, 29th/30th October 2011 11am - 5pm (unless stated).

Here are the details for the Herne Bay Trail. Click the pictures to enlarge them...

EKOH

Kitewood Hillborough Extension: expert opinions

Those nice people at Protect Kent have given us the benefit of their wisdom...

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Stand against the new homes

In a time of climate change and food security issues one has to wonder what kind of organisation would submit a proposal to build 700 houses on grade 2 agricultural land. Yet this is exactly what a developer is planning to do on a 77-hectare site at Hillborough, just outside Reculver (“Developer's anger over MP's criticism" Times, September 15).

The developer has had the site included in Canterbury Clty Council's Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments and is now attempting to push it quietly into the district's Local Plan.

Once included in the Local Plan, the chances are heavily in favour of planning permission being granted. There are many reasons to fight this development. As mentioned it will take place on agricultural land which will be a valuable resource in the future.

Equally as important is the lack of current infrastructure and the fact that detailed plans on how services such as schools, hospitals and the police will expand has yet to be addressed. The inadequate sewage infrastructure is likely to be costly and difficult to upgrade and the transport infrastructure would need to be radically altered to deal with the increase in traffic that 700 new homes would create.

It is incredibly worrying that in times of rising food prices and a growing UK population we would even consider building on grade 2 agricultural land. If we are to develop Kent in a truly sustainable way then these proposals must immediately be ruled out.

We held an excellent and well-attended public meeting on September 26 to discuss the issue with residents who were unanimous in their opposition to the development and showed real passion for the protection of their beautiful countryside.

Jamie Weir (CPRE Protect Kent), Ashford Road, Charing: HB Times 6th Oct 2011

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Farming land should be safe from development

Plans have been published by builders to cover 77 hectares of Grade two agricultural land at Hillborough with residential development over the next 15 years.

The land has been continuously farmed for very many years. The builders have already persuaded the city council to include the land for potential housing in the draft Local Development Framework. As everyone is aware, the price of our food, the most basic necessity of all, has greatly increased over the last two years, mainly due to over-reliance on imported food, and lack of support for the retention of valuable agricultural land, to provide food security for Kent and the UK now and in the future, when the cost of imported food will rise still higher and our population increases.

PROTECT KENT has been urging local authorities to refuse planning applications for development of agricultural land in order that Kent can produce more local food, both to its own, and to national, advantage.

Kent used to be known as the Garden of England, but this already misleading description will be further diminished if the city council’s suggested use of farmland for development goes ahead. There seems to be a general consensus that we should be consuming as much home-produced food as we can, but at the rate our farmland is being diverted into the pockets of developers, this ambition will not be realised.

We held a recent meeting for the residents of Hillborough and Heme Bay. Not one person who attended was in favour of any development of the land, nor could anyone see a reason to build houses save for speculation.

It will now be many months before the council produces an amended local plan, but hopefully, although the consultation period has passed, it will still be possible for comments to be considered.

We ask that everyone with an interest in retaining our vital farmland should write to the council and ask that the plan should state that there will be a presumption against all proposals for development of agricultural land involving changes of use.

Barrie Gore, chairman Canterbury district, PROTECT KENT (CPRE Kent), Ashford Road, Charing. HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

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Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Public meeting: Kitewood development at Hillborough

A public meeting next week will discuss plans to redevelop land between Hillborough and the Altira Business Park. Residents and stakeholders living around the site, which has been earmarked for more than 1,300 homes, are being urged to attend to have their say and learn more about the proposals.

Reculver and Beltinge Community Hall, Reculver Road, hosts the meeting from 7pm next Wednesday, the first of its kind since the scheme was first confirmed in August.

Laura Calder will speak on how people can get their views across as the planning process progresses. The 47-year-old IT business consultant, from Sanderling Road said:

"I want to try and help residents articulate their concems. Should something like this get the go ahead, it needs to be done in the right manner with the local community being consulted on what they want to see."

The £240 million scheme has been drawn up by Kitewood Estates and would be delivered in three phases. Facilities would also include a primary school, shopping centre and a long-awaited footbridge across the railway at Blacksole Bridge.

The first phase of the development, costing £60m, would build 375 homes and extend Altira Business Park. Work could begin by the end of 2012. The primary school and shopping centre would be built in phase two alongside another 500 homes, while phase three would see the final 500 homes constructed.

Kitewood director Mike Dolan welcomed news of next week’s meeting after a public exhibition at Reculver Primary School last month - www.hillboroughextension.com. He said:

"We’ve put forward our own ideas but if people have their own views, we’re keen to work together on a package that allays some of their fears and moves the development forward in a positive manner."

HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

Click for more: Kitewood

 

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Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Holy Trinity pipped by Unholy Monopoly?

Herne turns out to be an unsuspected hive of activity. It transpires that the local vicar thought it would be a neat idea to re-establish the centuries old symbiosis between Booze and Pews by nabbing the defunct Red Lion as a vicarage.

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A vicar has revealed she asked her church to purchase a rundown pub and turn it into a new vicarage. The Rev Elaine Richardson tried to persuade the Diocese of Canterbury to buy the empty Upper Red Lion in Herne.

The vicar, who preaches at St Martin's Church next door, says it would have been the perfect spot for a vicarage with rooms for public use. But the Diocese considered the move "uneconomical and unsuitable" - paving the way for Tesco to start talks with brewery Punch Taverns.

The Rev Richardson said:

"It would have been ideal. It's right next door and is perfect for access and parking. It was looked at, but wasn't thought to be suitable. I would have loved to have bought it, but it needs a lot of work doing to it. The diocese didn't like the idea of having a Vicarage where half of the rooms were for public use. I may have put up with it, but I think the diocese didn't think they would find another vicar who would. Obviously, expense was an issue as well. The brewery put it up for sale of offers of more than £250,000, but I think they want a lot more than that. By the time you've bought this, done that, done this, it's not feasible."

Tesco is understood to be negotiating a move to buy the pub and turn it into an Express store, but a sale has yet to be confirmed.

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The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

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Don't want Tesco, do want pub!

Following up to last month's hoo-ha about Tesco bidding for the Red Lion pub in Herne, and one of the ward councillors being the only person who didn't think it was a disastrous idea, we now have some more local feedback...

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NO. We do not want Tesco in the village of Herne or Broomfield for that matter. ('Tesco always just muscles in and takes all the trade', Herne Bay Gazette, September 29).

I am on the planning committee of the parish council and would not support any plans that involve the Upper Red Lion for anything but a pub.

I am having the subject put on the agenda of the parish council meeting on Thursday, October 13, starting at 7.30pm, so if you want to hear the debate come along and even have your say.

As for Peter Vickery-Jones, well he does not live in the parish, he lives in Grand Drive so it won't affect him. These are my comments as a parish councillor and resident of the parish and of Herne.

Cllr John Moore, Canterbury Road, Herne.

I gather that no planning application has yet been made by Tesco. In my experience, as vice-chairman of the city planning committee in the early 90s and chairman of Herne and Broomfield Parish Council for many years, if I was still in office I would recommend refusal. I am afraid, however, I would have to declare an interest; I hate Tesco! It is far too big and invasive, with its fingers in every pie.

Just a few months ago I reckoned that the Murdoch empire was in line to take over Great Britain in the next decade or so with Tesco just behind. Thankfully, Murdoch is now a busted flush but we still have Tesco's to contend with.

JC Baylis, Lower Herne Road, Herne, Herne Bay.

HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

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Don't forget to visit Tescopoly

War tribute at Bay Art Gallery

Artist pair's 30 years together

Two artists who met more than 30 years ago are celebrating three decades of working together. Clive Soord and Patrick Crouch held their first show together in Canterbury in 1981. They remained firm friends and now have taken over the Bay Art Gallery. The exhibition in William Street, Herne Bay, runs to this Saturday although the pair are hoping to get this extended.

Sculptor Clive, 53, a Canterbury College lecturer, specialises in bronze statues and ceramics. He said:

“Visitors will see there is a bit of both humour and satire here. One of the pieces is an anti-war memorial.”

One exhibit features a column made of skulls with the “Dogs of War” - men in grey suits selling arms - around the bottom.

Both artists will be opening their houses as part of the annual artists’ open house weekends on October 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30. For details of the open house scheme call Mandy Troughton on 07890 065046 or Tessa Mangiavacchi on 07729 156953.

HB Times 6th Oct 2011 ed.targett@KRNmedia.co.uk

Historical Records Society: new season

HBHRS Programme 2011/2012

OCT 6	A.G.M. followed by:	Images of Herne Bay from the Air: from the Collection, and refreshments
OCT 20	Frank Turner	Harold Gough Memorial Lecture: The Dambuster Trials at Reculver and Lady Stardust
NOV 3	Bob & Neil Lawrence	Antiques in your Garden Shed
NOV 17	James Brazier	Women At War 1914-1918
DEC 1	Helen Allinson	Life in England 1900-1918
FEB 2	Mike Bundock	80th Anniversary Founder's Lecture: Herne Bay's Public Buildings
FEB 16	John Fishpool	Raiders & Invaders: The Defence of Kent from Iron Age to Cold War
MAR 1	Derek Butler	Sturry & Broad Oak
MAR 15	Peter Meiklejohn	Dickens in Kent
APR 5	David Birch	Lead Kindly Light - The South Foreland Lighthouse
APR 28		HBHRS Wine & Wisdom evening, at Christ Church, entry by ticket. Details TBA.
TBA		Walks Back in Time

Trust proposes economic vision for future of Herne Bay pier

It was the end of the pier show this week as wreckers finally moved in to start demolishing Herne Bay's Pier Pavilion. But the big question now is: what will replace it?

Members of the town's Pier Trust were given a glimpse into the future at its second annual meeting at Herne Bay Junior School. One of the few suggestions was a marina. Trust treasurer Jason Hollingsworth told the gathering of more than 100 members:

"The original pier, almost a mile long, was built to accommodate steamships. Any replacement must have an economic purpose and be able to provide a long-term revenue stream for the future. A deep water marina is one possibility, but everything is being considered and nothing has been ruled out."

But the marina idea held little water for businesswoman Carol Chance. The health and safety consultant admitted:

"I am a little disappointed, frankly. What's the vision? I'm astounded that there are still only 400 members of the Trust."

She rejected the idea of a marina saying the town could not accommodate larger yachts. Even city council leader John Gilbey admitted:

"Marinas are not famous for making money. And you only have to stand on the end of the current pier to see how shallow the water is. The pier trust is taking exactly the right, methodical approach for the future. We'll see what happens."

The meeting started with a slick video explaining the importance of the pier to the town. Regeneration of the pier is expected to come in two stages. The first will be finding things for the "pier stub" which will be left after the pavilion is knocked down. Heron Conservative councillor Joe Howes said:

"We could have dancing. The town is full of dance schools. We could also pitch a Big Top circus tent there with a Ferris wheel, helter-skelter and stage 'birdman' competitions. This could be a vintage, retro pier with a farmers' market."

The trust is still raising money to carry out another feasibility study and has £15,000 in the bank. Accountant Mr Hollingsworth stressed:

"We don't want to present a half-baked cake and then have it collapse!"

Trustee and original founder Andy Newell said:

"There are a range of funds available. We are hoping to get rent from the windfarm from the Crown Estates. There are EU regeneration funds available. But first we need a very clear business plan and that's what we're working on."

thisiskent 19th Sep 2011

Village Green: how you can help

Two years ago, I applied to Kent County Council to register the Downs as a Village Green. In November this year, Kent County Council will be holding a public inquiry to decide whether to register the Downs as a Village Green.

If we’re successful, Canterbury City Council will have to continue maintain the Downs, but they won’t be able to sell the land, build on it, or use some of it for car parking as was suggested for the King’s Hall end.

Village Green status will protect the Downs as an open space for Herne Bay people to use for freely and free of charge forever… just as we use it today.

To succeed in persuading Kent Council to register the Downs as a Village Green, we need people like you to come along to the public inquiry to tell the independent inspector about the use you make of the Downs.

Can you help us?

The Public Inquiry will run from Monday 28^th November until Friday 2^nd December, and will start with hearing evidence from people, like you, who have used the Downs. The 28^th and 29^th of November have been set aside for hearing evidence, although we may need longer if lots of people want to have their say. We would like to hear about:

• how long you have been using the Downs;
• what use you may have made of it in the past, particularly if your use of the Downs has changed over the years;
• how frequently you use, or have used, the Downs.

The idea is that the inquiry will be pretty informal. You can bring along with you anyone you like. Indeed, if you know anyone else who would like to talk at the inquiry about how they use the Downs, do let us know!

Your “slot” should last a maximum of 30 minutes. We would need you to be there a bit before you’re due to speak, simply because some people may take less time to have their say than we had imagined and so we might need you to do your bit before the time we originally had booked you for.

We particularly need to hear from people who use the eastern half (i.e. the half nearest Reculver) as Canterbury Council is claiming that people don’t use this end of the Downs.

If you can help us, we can help you to write a short statement that you can read out at the hearing in November. We need to get the statements completed by late October.

Please help us if you possibly can. Despite the fact that we produced 1,181 questionnaires proving that local people have used the Downs for over twenty years, Canterbury is challenging this and is insisting that we produce people at the inquiry to testify that they actually use the Downs.

Without a convincing number of local people willing to come along and do that, we won’t be able to register the Downs as a Village Green, and Canterbury will be free to do whatever it likes with our land.

If you can help, do let me know by:

• emailing me on SaveOurDowns@gmail.com
• or phoning me on 07970 405678 or 01227 365942
• or writing to me at Phil Rose, 56 Beacon Hill, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 6JN.

Thank you in advance. We’re now in the home straight of a process that we started over two years ago. Please help us with this last bit if you can!

Herne Bay's political future

The boundaries of the electoral wards are being redrawn, in the hope of making the constituencies more uniform in size. As a by-product of the exercise, we'll end up with slightly fewer MPs. Our beloved Roger Gale will find that his consituency has been cut in two: here's what they have in mind for Herne Bay end:

 and here's what will happen at the Margate end:

Curiously, Canterbury will include Faversham:

Here's what the Boundary Commission for England have to say for themselves:

The 2013 Review of Parliamentary constituency boundaries will introduce substantial changes. It will reduce the number of constituencies in England from 533 to 502 and make sure that each constituency has a similar number of registered electors.

Why do we want your views?

The final shape of the new constituency boundaries will be informed by consultation. We encourage you to comment, whether in support of or objection to our initial proposals – we will consider all representations fairly and may revise the constituency boundaries as a result.

How can I get involved?

You can have your say in one of two ways: in writing (either by using the online form, by emailing us at reviews@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk or by writing to the Boundary Commission for England); or by attending a public hearing in your region.

All representations will be published on this website in spring 2012 for further comment. Any revisions will be published in autumn 2012 and may be subject to a further consultation before we make our final recommendations by 1 October 2013. You can find more details about the conduct of the 2013 Review by reading A guide to the 2013 Review.

Friendly fire?

Across Herne Bay there are arched eyebrows, knowing looks, thoughtful "hmmm's" and I-told-you-so's.

The very thorough fire that gutted the Bun Penny in the small hours of 1st September was no accident.

The Kent Fire experts have decided that "an accelerant" was involved, so Kent Police are treating it as arson, and are asking for witnesses... see below for details.

What next for The Burnt Penny? Clearly it's a shell, but it's unclear whether the shell is solid or unsafe. Is it worth keeping or restoring? It's a prime location, but hadn't (apparently) been very successful as a pub for a while. Any and all suggestions welcome.

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Kent Police has confirmed that it is treating a blaze which severely damaged the Bun Penny pub in Central Parade, Herne Bay, as arson. The building was empty at the time and no-one was injured in the blaze. The fire was discovered at about 1am on Thursday 1 September. Detective Inspector Nick Greenan said:

'Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s fire investigation team have now completed their report and we are satisfied the fire was started deliberately using an accelerant.'

Were you in the area on Wednesday night?

'We are appealing for anyone who was in the area on Wednesday night and saw someone going to or leaving the building to contact us immediately. Because an accelerant was used to start the fire it is likely it took hold fairly quickly so the crucial times are between about midnight and 1am.'

Can you help?

If you have information phone Kent Police on 01622 690690 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting crime number EY/14335/11.

Bun Penny PH, Herne Bay

As it was

Toasted Bun

Apparently the Bun Penny burned last night.

The emergency services were still there at 6am. Hopefully nobody hurt - I think the upstairs was residential.

I'm told the place is now a windowless, roofless shell. And this is after spending months and £,000's refurbishing. Hope the insurance was up to date.

More anon.

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As it is

Struck by lightning or struck by matches?

Nobody was hurt.

Currently being treated as suspicious...

Apparently the building is "locally listed", presumably because of its age, history, and being in the conservation area. Local listing doesn't, however, offer the same level of protection as being a Listed Building.

As others have noted, there's a real risk that this could be a boarded up blot on the townscape for some time (years?) before anyone gets round to doing anything about it... Car park? Flats?

Hospital Fête

Good news - the QVMH Fête is going ahead as planned, despite CCC/Serco trying to rush them hundreds of pounds of charitable donations to advertise themselves with a banner across the High Street. (Apparently Serco are a bit red-faced about this over-enthusaistic charging. Good.)

Anyway, here's a copy of their poster. Just click it to enlarge it. Better still, print a copy and pop in it your window.

Oooh, look - we're on telly!

The BBC have been doing a video survey around Britain's coast, and arrived at Herne Bay:

Larger seaside resorts in the South East such as Hastings, Eastbourne and Margate have attracted significant investment with millions of pounds being spent on the Jerwood, the Towner and the Turner Contemporary galleries. How are smaller resorts such as Herne Bay holding their own and keeping tills ringing?

A pretty upbeat and optimistic piece - have a look and see for yourself.