Bun Penny: progress at last

Bun Penny pub sold for development

The burnt out Bun Penny could soon rise from the ashes after it was sold for redevelopment. The derelict building - one of the town’s most complained about eyesores since it was gutted by fire in September 2011 - was under offer last month and the sale has now been formally completed.

Estate agent Peter Goodwin, from Wilbee and Son, handled the deal and said it was the start of a new era for the building. He said:

“The new owners are local but they do not want to be named for the moment. But they are very pleased it is now completed and they are hoping it will not be too long before work can start.”

New hoardings are due to go up on the site, on the corner of William Street and Central Parade, on Wednesday and a planning application has been prepared. The proposed scheme would see the former pub demolished and a new building in its place, with luxury flats on the upper floors. Mr Goodwin said:

“The idea is to have commercial on the ground floor, ideally a family restaurant. That is what the new owners will be targeting and I think it is something that Herne Bay needs. The council have been very supportive and everyone is now hoping they will be able to rubber stamp the application so it can go through quickly.”

The site has attracted complaints since it was first burnt out, and councillors have insisted since July 2012 that it was “a priority”. Business leader Nigel Hancock, of the Bay Independent Retail Group, set up a petition calling on Canterbury City Council to tidy up the site and officials were discussing taking action to force the owners to act. Mr Goodwin said:

“The owners have been very helpful in making sure the sale goes through smoothly and they pleased it is all finalised now. It has taken a lot of work and a lot of negotiations and I want to formally thank the old owners and the council for their help and support. Everyone is keen for the site to be brought back into use and we are all now hoping the council will feel able to continue to support this so work can start soon.”

HB Times 6th June 2014

How can Herne Bay find its voice?

Will Scott's logo for Herne Bay

Town council or Herne Bay Society: what does the town need?

Does Herne Bay need its own council, or would a Herne Bay Society be better? Is it time to reclaim our Bay? That’s the question campaigners are asking this week after another Canterbury City Council council decision was met with fury in the town.

This time, it was the decision to block two-hour parking bays in the town, even though it was supported at a meeting of Bay town councillors and by business leaders. Members of the joint transportation board voted to go back to the drawing board, raising fears traders would suffer.

Nigel Hancock, from the Bay Independent Retail Group (BIRG), said:

“The fact is that we, as a town, are being stymied time and time again by Canterbury City Council. With every move made by us, and other community groups, to improve Herne Bay for its traders, residents and visitors, the current council seem to dish out another blow which knocks us back.

The policy-makers in Military Road seem to think that one size fits all and policies made for the city of Canterbury will somehow work in Herne Bay. They are deluded.”

Mr Hancock questioned whether it was time to reconsider the idea of setting up a Herne Bay Town Council, to give the town more effective representation and control.

But long-time campaigner Phil Rose, who is part of the Campaign for Democracy in Canterbury District seeking to change the way the city council is run, believes said there may be better options. He said:

“When people talk of a Herne Bay Town Council they are often thinking of the old Herne Bay Urban District Council but it would not be anything like that. It would be a layer underneath Canterbury City Council, that would decide how to set it up and what powers it has. The solution for local people who are unhappy with things as they are is to get involved but at the moment there is no vehicle for them to easily do that.”

He suggested a town-wide community group could be set up, with representatives from existing clubs and organisations. It would be non-political and could reach hundreds of people under the same umbrella organisation. Mr Rose, who runs the Herne Bay Matters website, said:

“A Herne Bay Society would be a good move, representing all the existing groups, as the people of the town, without a political axe to grind. We have the BayPromoTeam who do fantastic work but they are more about arranging events and promoting the town. I think there is a need for a group to represent people’s views and provide a platform for serious, formal debate with the council.”

The group would be similar to the Whitstable Society and Canterbury Society and council spokesman Rob Davies said those groups worked well. He said:

“They work effectively to represent their towns and we would be interested if Herne Bay were to create a similar society. We would work with them in exactly the same way we work with the two existing societies.”

Herne Bay Times 6th Mar 2014