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Herne Bay, England, CT6
United Kingdom
Community website for all things Herne Bay (Kent, UK). Covers: The Downs, Herne Bay Museum, Herne Bay Historical Records Society, Herne Bay Pier Trust, Herne Bay in Bloom, East Cliff Neighbourhood Panel, No Night Flights, Manston Airport, Save Hillborough, Kitewood, WEA, Local Plan and much, much more...
Filtering by Category: Herne Bay
#FUCCC The current kerfuffle, which has been christened Guardiangate, was triggered by an ad that Canterbury City Council's Culture & Enterprise bureaucrats placed in the Guardian.
For those of you who were too busy knitting your own ciabatta to pick up a copy that day, here it is - sorry it's a bit blurry, but it's legible when you zoom in.
Tourism bosses have been accused of overlooking Herne Bay after promoting Whitstable and Canterbury in a national newspaper.
Officials at Visit Canterbury paid up to £10,000 for the full-page advertising feature in the Guardian Travel Guide, with a mention for the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival, Whitstable Oyster Festival, The Beaney, Roman Museum and the Marlowe Theatre - but not the Kings Hall or the Herne Bay Festival.
Deesons and The Goods Shed in Canterbury, Jojo's in Tankerton and the Sportsman at Seasalter are also given a plug, but there is no reference to any Herne Bay venue, with celebrity favourite Le Petit Poisson, the top-rated Oyster and Chop House and new restaurant Mushy Peas all left out.
The omission was raised at a meeting of Herne Bay Area Panel by Sue Austen from BayGuide, the team staging a festival to celebrate the centenary of artist Marcel Duchamp's stay in Herne Bay.
She was speaking to support their application for funding to help promote the festival in August and said visitors were expected from America and Europe as well as all across the country.
Showing councillors a one-off design by cartoonist Ralph Steadman, she said:
"What you will get for your money is this, a specially designed poster from an internationally respected artist to promote Herne Bay. What you won't get is a full page Guardian advert about Canterbury and Whitstable that nowhere mentions Herne Bay."
The first paragraph of the advertorial refers to the district's "perfect blend of heritage, culture and coast", and it goes on to recommend a stroll along Tankerton Slopes to savour "Whitstable's beautiful sunsets" - ignoring Herne Bay's beaches just a few miles away.
It praises Whitstable's "picturesque" appearance, the harbour and the retail village there - but not Herne Bay pier, due to have its own selection of beach hut shops this summer.
Jenny Cross, from the Friends of Herne Bay Museum, said she was disappointed with the advert. In a letter to council bosses, she said:
"We have a beach, huts, ice-cream, fish 'n chips, three art galleries, museum, festival, sailing club, yacht club, even half a pier! This summer we have a festival celebrating a hundred years since Marcel Duchamp, the most influential artist of the 20th century spent a summer in Herne Bay. Given all this, plus loads of independent shops and cafes, the least you could do is give us a mention!"
I have no idea where this picture comes from, but it's Janice McGuinness
But Janice McGuinness, head of culture at Canterbury City Council, argued Guardian readers would not be tempted by Herne Bay. She said:
"With all opportunities to promote the district, including articles such as this, we always consider who our target market is. For the Guardian, the focus of this advertorial was on culture, heritage and food. The council's approach here was to focus on the brands most likely to catch the attention of the Guardian Weekend's readers and attract them to the Visit Canterbury website."
She said the website contained information about Herne Bay and the district's villages, and the town would be promoted "on other channels". She added:
"Our Visit Canterbury Team carries out an enormous amount of promotion for the district and Herne Bay features regularly in this work. We will promote the town and the forthcoming Duchamp and Herne Bay Festivals through other channels over the coming months when we highlight the excellent cultural programme happening over the summer in Herne Bay, Whitstable and Canterbury."Canterbury Times 23rd May 2013
#FUCCC
You can email Janice McGuinness on: janice.mcguinness@canterbury.gov.uk or Tweet her on @seahorsebella
The organisers of the Marcel Duchamp Centenary in Herne Bay are holding a public meeting on Thursday 23 May at 6pm at Beach Creative, Beach Street, Herne Bay (the building on the corner of Kings Road and Beach Street).
With only 2 months to go before our first exhibitions open, we are inviting everyone in the district to come and hear more about our exciting plans and find out how they can be a festival Duchampion.
The list of events and activities grows by the week and it will be the biggest celebration of the town in years. It is inclusive and fun and there will be something for everyone, whatever your age or taste in art.
Apart from the International Symposium, about 40 recognised artists are contributing original works inspired by Duchamp’s moment in Herne Bay. As are a host of local artists. There will be chess and music and philosophy in pubs and art bike trails and films and workshops and pop-ups and ready-mades and exhibitions about Herne Bay, both then and now.
So we need people to Duchampion Herne Bay. Lots of people. Perhaps you want to Duchampion the music at the bandstand or the cut-outs on the beach. Maybe you want to Duchampion visitors around town, or pedal the bike cinema for a couple of hours, or put up cartoons in pub lavatories or Duchampion an exhibition or a workshop. We need Duchampions at the station, Duchampions on the phone and Duchampions to organise other Duchampions.
So if you’ve got any free time from now until August come and help celebrate Herne Bay’s unique contribution to the fun of Art and the Art of Fun.
If you can't come to the meeting next week, here are details of how you can contact us to find out more:
The band come to Herne Bay on Friday 5 July as part of their tour to promote their first new studio album in seven years, ‘Forward’, featuring original vocal collaborator N’Dea Davenport and new vocalist Dawn Joseph.
Over the years, The Brand New Heavies have been responsible for some of the UK’s biggest soul and R&B tracks among their 16 top 40 singles, including ‘Dream on Dreamer’, ‘Midnight at the Oasis’ and ‘You’ve Got a Friend’, and have sold more than two million albums.
Support comes from Bassment Project, a collective of some of the UK’s hottest musicians who have toured and recorded with artists such as Wretch 32, Jessie J, Rizzle Kicks, Dionne Bromfield and Incognito, to name a few.
Early booking is recommended as tickets are expected to sell fast. For more details or to book, go to the Canterbury Ticket Shop website or call 01227 787787.
CCC 17th May 2013
Resident marvel Karen Simpson is at it again! Simple, creative fun for anyone and everyone - read on...
Please come along and Decorate a 'Pebble' for Karen's Community Art Installation "The People's Beach" which will be going on display at Reculver Visitor Centre in August.
People will be invited to paint or draw on a Plaster of Paris "Pebble" on the theme "what the coast means to me".
All the Pebbles will form an Art Installation at Reculver Visitor Centre (Reculver Lane Herne Bay CT6 6SS) in August 2013 and Beach Creative (Beach Street Herne Bay CT6 5PT) in October 2013.
To find out more about Karen and marvellous works, visit: www.shoreisaloadofrubbish.com
As part of the Dambusters 70th Anniversary, Herne Bay was treated to this flypast. The plane is older than most of the people who watched, and in better nick.
It's unclear where exactly this development is proposed for.
This is the site just south of Briary School. There isn't (yet) a detailed map, only the dotted pink outline on a larger map. This is shown below, where you can see the Greenhill site in relation to the Golf Club and Strode Farm sites.
Click it to big it
A decision on whether a document earmarking almost 16,000 new homes in the Canterbury district can be put out to consultation has been delayed – because of an administrative error. The document proposes 15,600 new homes on sites in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable before 2031.
Canterbury City Council was today forced to admit it did not advertise the fact its executive committee would be deciding on Monday whether to approve the draft Local Plan for public consultation. When making key decisions, councils are required to give a minimum five days’ public notice – something CCC overlooked in this case.
It means the decision will now not be heard until the end of the month, sparking criticism of the council’s handling of the process. Opposition leader Alex Perkins (Lib Dem) said:
“Let's just hope there is no one waiting in a brewery hoping to enjoy a party in the next few days.”
City council leader John Gilbey (Con) admits the delay is frustrating, but claims there was no need to publicise the upcoming decision. He said:
“I don’t think this is a key decision because it’s consultation – it’s not that we’re deciding to do this. We’re putting it out there for the public to look at and have their say. If there’s any doubt then we will take the safe route and wait a week. I’m not happy about losing the time but I’m not prepared to take any chances.”
kentonline 17th May 2013
A top doctor says extra NHS funding will be needed for local health services to cope with an influx of more than 15,000 new homes in the district.
Dr Mark Jones, the clinical chairman for NHS Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group, says it would need extra government cash to deal with an estimated population increase of 40,000.
Dr Mark Jones
He was speaking after the release of the city council's draft Local Plan, which has earmarked land in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable for 15,600 new homes before 2031. He said:
"We are aware of the development of the Canterbury Local Plan and will work closely with the council to address the opportunities and challenges the proposals present to the health needs of the population. The new health and social care structure enables the CCG to work closely with the council, and other partners, through the local Health and Wellbeing Board. NHS budgets are based on population size so we anticipate an increasing population will be supported by increased levels of NHS funding."
Dr Jones' comments came before a first public debate about the controversial draft plan. East Kent Hospital Trust spokesman Gemma Shillito said:
"The trust has had some early dialogue with Canterbury City Council. We recognise the need to provide additional facilities and housing in the city and now that the plans have been published, we will be looking in more detail to see what impact the plans may have on clinical services delivered at Kent and Canterbury Hospital."
A dozen speakers voiced their fears at a council meeting on Monday, complaining about a lack of consultation and the scale and location of the future developments. The Guildhall was packed for the meeting of the city council's overview committee, where residents spoke against numerous elements of the plan. The document recommends homes are built at a rate of 780 a year, including 4,000 in a "garden city" in south Canterbury.
But a proposal to send the plan back to the council working group to get more input from the community and a reduced rate of house building was rejected. The motion was put forward by Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr Alex Perkins, who branded the draft document a "developer-led plan" which local people had not been consulted on. He said building a vast housing estate in south Canterbury was only being proposed to pay for new roads. He said:
"The working group should work with local residents and associations for their vision of what they want in the district."
Cllr Nick Eden-Green, who was a member of the working committee, said he believed the huge scale of housing planned in south Canterbury was "undeliverable". He argued far fewer houses - about 550 a year - was appropriate and they should be built where there was most economic need, like Herne Bay and Hersden.
The city council's head of regeneration, Ian Brown, insisted the council wanted to create communities, not housing estates. He believed the sites in Herne Bay would launch regeneration in the town and fund relief roads at Herne and the Sturry crossing by-pass.
HB Gazette 16th May 2013
Councillor Paula Vickers and I have sat on the Local Plan steering group for the past several years as Lib Dem nominees. We fundamentally disagree to the proposal to increase the rate of house-building to 780 per annum from the recent level of around 550.
Consequently some of the site allocations are unnecessary, in particular the 4,000 houses in south Canterbury. We have insisted our objections be minuted during meetings at which both Conservative and Labour representatives agreed the higher figures.
This plan has been flawed from the start. It should have taken its cue from the public responses to the earlier and abandoned Local Development Framework. This gave us our best indication of what local people wanted.
We should have first openly consulted with local people about the dilemma between the need to build on greenfield land (we have almost no brownfield left) and the need to build new homes for our changing population. We should have considered the "garden city" option advocated by the government's new planning framework. And we should have done this years ago.
However, we do agree with Cllr Gilbey on one thing. The Local Plan is indeed the most important document ever about the district's future. The population of Canterbury district has grown almost 50% faster than the South East average according to the 2001-2011 census figures. The published draft local plan calls for 15,600 new houses to be built between 2011 and 2031 or 780 a year. For the last few years we've been building around 550 houses a year. This means building 42% more homes a year when we have already grown faster than the south east average. This is unsustainable and a figure of 500 houses a year, or 10,000 over the plan period, is right.
The figures are complex and are explained in the plan. Because we have some sites allocated, because we are ahead of target, and because some new ‘windfall' sites will be found, a 15,600 target will mean 9,916 houses on new, mainly greenfield, sites. On the other hand our 10,000 target will require only 4,316 new houses.
We agree that many of the sites put forward in the draft plan should be considered but that the south Canterbury site for 4,000 houses will risk the historic setting of the city, our main attraction and economic generator. It will cause intolerable levels of traffic and use largely Grade 1 farmland which forms a key green buffer between Canterbury and Bridge. If this site is removed from the plan there is still plenty of choice between the sites left which should indeed be publicly debated.
There is also a major brownfield site in Hersden that was taken out of the plan at the last minute on Cllr Gilbey's insistence. This must be reconsidered together with the Howe Barracks site giving much more choice over where we should build. These two brownfield sites alone could mean 1,000-1,500 fewer houses on farmland.
This plan was promised in November. It was then delayed to January, then February. Latterly we were told by Cllr Gilbey it had to be delayed until May for new traffic modelling data to be included.
This new data has not been given so the reason to delay it for publication late on the day of the local elections does seem extraordinary. It was not a date ever discussed or agreed by any of us on the working party. and clearly a decision he alone made.
Cllr Nick Eden-Green (Lib Dem. Wlncheap Ward)
HB Times letter 16th May 2013
Hundreds of homes at Herne Bay are needed to pay for improvements to roads across the district, councillors have revealed.
As the area's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time on Monday, officials said the developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club, as well as near Briary School, in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.
Developers would also be asked to fund a "relief route" for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:
"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."
The plan includes proposals for 1,000 houses at the Altira park, together with a new doctor's surgery and community facilities.
The developers would have to pay for new links to the Thanet Way, work to discourage motorists from using Heart-In-Hand Road and make a contribution to a relief route at Herne and the Sturry crossing.
The golf club scheme - of 400 homes, business units, convenience stores and a sports hub, plus care home and doctor's surgery - would also bring in money for the Herne relief route and Sturry crossing, as well as a new footpath to the Strode Farm development. That site will have 800 homes, business units, shops, a new parish hall and cash for the crossing and relief road.
The final contribution is from 600 homes near Briary School, in Greenhill, along with allotments, and community facilities.
But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.
Members of the council's overview committee supported more development at Herne Bay rather than Canterbury, where plans for 4,000 homes south of the city, near Nackington Road, were criticised. Lib Dem councillor Nick Eden-Green said:
"Put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."
Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people preferred more developments at Herne Bay then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.] But 70% of people did not support building on green-field sites.
Planned development at Hersden and Broad Oak would also bring in funding for the road network. Lib Dem leader councillor Alex Perkins said:
"Whether we need this local plan is another matter. I would like to refer it back to the local plan steering group."
His proposal was not supported by the committee, nor was one by Labour's Alan Baldock for an extended consultation period.
Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.
HB Times 16th May 2013
Tracey Hunt takes to her sewing machine ahead of the workshop on Saturday
Join Herne Bay's version of the Great British Sewing Bee
Who needs Claudia Winkleman when Karry Johnson and Tracey Hunt are around? While the presenter oversaw a televised competition to find the nation's best needlework in the Great British Sewing Bee, the pair are aiming to prove anyone can create their own clothes.
They will host their own sewing bee at Sew Lovely, in Herne Bay High Street, making the A-line skirt from the first episode of the hit BBC Two show. Owner Karry said:
"There has been a resurgence of sewing over the last few years and the programme definitely helped. We opened in 2011 and it has steadily grown since then. We have been getting more interest, and we are finding people are fed up of buying cheap, poor quality clothes and want to be able to make their own, or customise plainer things they have already got."
If a skirt sounds too challenging, the pair can offer advice and assistance on a range of projects, from changing the buttons on a top to creating bunting or cushion covers. The shop also stocks sewing machines and accessories, as well as plenty of patterns and materials.
The workshop runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and will be repeated the following Saturday. It costs £40 and sewers need to bring a sewing machine, 1.5 metres of fabric and other accessories.
For more information or to book, visit www.karrydot.com or call 01227 368517.
thisiskent 10th May 2013
A 50ft lime tree toppled onto a car in Herne Bay this morning. A care worker has been left distraught today after a 50ft tree fell onto her car during high winds. The woman was working a night shift at Parsonage Lodge, in Herne Bay, when the car was crushed by the fallen lime tree.
Staff said they heard a "crash", but thought it was just heavy wind until they looked outside to see the tree lying across the road. The force of the tree has shattered the car's windows and crushed the roof.
Rodney Belfield, head of care at the Parsonage Road home, said staff had to climb the wall when leaving and entering the home this morning. He said:
"It was about 4.30am when the staff heard this crash, but they didn't think anything of it. It was only when she saw her car under the tree that the tears started coming and she is absolutely devastated, bless her."
Mr Belfield said the woman is unavailable for comment as she is resting from her night shift. Tree surgeon Ashley Harlow said he expects to finish the tree's removal this afternoon after receiving a call in the early hours. Fire crews and police also attended the scene.
kentonline 15th May 2013
This report is for information.
The first four months of the year have been difficult for traders, mainly due to the inclement weather and a national dip in retail sales. The May bank holiday weekend was the start of the tourist season, with lots of visitors to the town and seafront. The retail offer in the town is changing and we have seen two large retail units become vacant, Stead & Simpson’s in Mortimer Street and Odyssey in William Street. There has been a lot of interest in the units, but it appears that high rents are putting off interested parties.
Two new micro pubs have recently opened The Firkin Frog in Station Road and the Bouncing Barrel in Bank Street.
Beano’s in Mortimer Street has acquired Fusions Hair, the next door premises and will be extending the café.
Pizza Direct in Central Parade, have acquired Shore Play next door and will be opening a pizza restaurant.
Mushy Peas Fish & Chip Shop and Restaurant opened in Central Parade; Dolcies have re-located to new premises in William Street and the former Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant is under new management.
Nigel Handcock from Grass Media has formed the Herne Bay Independent Retailers Group to actively promote independent businesses in the town. The TCM is working with the group to offer support and to advise and assist in creating events for the National Independent Traders week in July.
Throughout April the city council trialled free parking in the Kings Road Car Park for cars parked up to 11am, Monday to Friday. This offer attracted more people to the car park, with a 66% increase in cars parked at these times in April compared to March. (1048 cars parked in the car park until 11am for the month of April, averaging 35 cars per day).
Herne Bay Community Group Projects Ltd are taking over management of the existing Christmas Lights. They are currently fund raising and hope to create an outstanding display in Herne Bay next Christmas. Depending on the success of their funding drive they hope to increase the displays in the town to include Mortimer Street, William Street and High Street. Other community groups including: Herne Bay Town Partners, Herne Bay in Bloom, Bay Promo Team and Beach Creative are supporting this work.
Contact Officer: Chris West Telephone: 01227 868515
14th May 2013: thisiskent reported that "Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people's preferred
choice for more developments was Herne Bay, then larger villages, then
Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list."
I haven't read all 3,250 pages of the Local Plan fun pack, but as far as I can tell at the moment, the above quote (which presumably originated from somewhere in Military Road) is bullshit.
The likeliest source of information about who would want what built where would be the Ipsos/MORI poll that CCC commissioned - the report was delivered to them in April 2012. Here is the question that was asked, and the responses:
Click it to big it
... and this is how Ipsos/MORI portrayed that result in their report to CCC:
Click it to big it
So there doesn't appear to be anything that supports the claim that Herne Bay is "most people's preferred choice for more developments".
Herne Bay councillors could give away the rest of their community budget at next week's meeting
Councillors could allocate the rest of their budget for community projects at their next meeting. Members of Herne Bay Area Panel will discuss two applications for their opportunities fund at their meeting on Tuesday. If both are approved, it will take up the remaining £8,000 and leave no cash spare until April next year.
The schemes under consideration are allotments for Broomfield, from Herne and Broomfield Parish Council, and promotion for the Duchamps festival this summer, from Bayguide Community Interest Company.
The panel has already given Herne and Broomfield Parish Council £1,200 for mural painting on the Mill Lane underpass, and £186 to Herne Bay Historical Records Society for commemorative medallions for schoolchildren.
An application from the BayPromoTeam for money to fund workshops for children and other free events was refused.
Councillors will make the decision at their next meeting, at 6.30pm on Tuesday, 21st May in the Salvation Army Hall in Richmond Street. It is open to the public.
thisiskent 14th May 2013
Click the map for more details on the KCC website.
Victorious UKIP members in the Bay are celebrating their success in the Kent County Council elections.
The party wrestled both Herne Bay seats from sitting Tories Jean Law and David Hirst, with Nicholas Bond and Brian MacDowall now representing the town at County Hall. The result was the last declared and the only UKIP win in the district, but took the party's total seats on the council to 17, including seven out of eight in Thanet.
IN: Nicholas Bond (centre, of picture)
OUT: David Hirst and Jean Law (right)
UKIP chairman Jim Gascoyne said:
"We came second in Whitstable so that is next for us, then right on to Westminster. The route to Parliament is along the Kent coast and then up the Thanet Way."
The party polled 34% of the vote, on a 28% turn out. Mr Bond polled 2,048 votes and Mr MacDowall 2,054. Mrs Law and Mr Hirst polled 1,817 and 1,724 respectively.
Mrs Law, whose seat on Canterbury City Council was not affected by this election, was tearful as the result was announced. She said:
"Herne Bay wanted a change and now they have got a change. I am terribly disappointed."
Mr Hirst said he felt shaken by the result, adding:
"That's politics for you."
Mr MacDowall was not at the count as he was on a business trip to Germany. Mr Bond said:
"I feel really good about being elected. It's absolutely great for the party.There's lots of work to do, but I look forward to working with the people of Herne Bay.We've worked very hard nationally, and I'm really delighted we got so many gains."
Labour's Lynn Faux-Bowyer and Tom Mellish gained 1,003 and 948 votes respectively, while Lib Dem candidates Margaret Flaherty and June Raybaud managed 434 and 308 votes.
New England Party candidates Nathan King and Mike Tibby polled 119 and 193 votes, and Green Party candidates Elaine Godden and Michael Coppin gained 204 and 202.
Independents John Moore and Stan Truelove won 484 and 362 votes, while Independent Steve Coombes, who stood to publicise the Duchamps festival in Herne Bay this summer, and handed out awards for absurdity around the town in the run-up to the election, scored 509.
Other seats in the Canterbury district did not change hands and the county council is still under overall Tory control. They lost 27 seats but held 44. Ukip have 17 seats – up from just one – and Labour gained 11 seats and lost one, taking their total to 13. The Liberal Democrats lost one and gained one, giving them seven seats, while the Green Party gained a seat in Hythe. A west Kent residents association candidate also held onto their seat.
thisiskent 10th May 2013Jean Law fights back tears after election defeat
Conservative incumbants Jean Law and David Hirst were ousted after a recount at the Kings Hall this afternoon.
The pair - who had enjoyed a healthy majority at the last county council elections in 2009 - trailed more than 200 votes behind Brian Macdowall and Nicholas Bond.
Lib Dem candidates Margaret Flaherty and June Raybaud also fell from their position as closest challengers to finish 9th and 11th respectively.
The Herne Bay seats were the only ones to change hands across the Canterbury district, despite UKIP winning an impressive 17 of the 84 up for grabs in Kent.
Speaking after the defeat, Mrs Law said:
"I'm disappointed but then I would be because I've worked in Herne Bay. It's where I brought the kids up. I couldn't of worked any harder for the people of Herne Bay and I'm just sorry for all the volunteers along the way. It has been a disastrous day for the Conservatives and they may have to re-think what they are doing."
kentonline 3rd May 2013
13 May 2013** - Explosions may be noticed earlier than usual, 08:00**
14, 15, 17 May 2013** - Explosions may be noticed.**
16 May 2013** - Gunfire and Explosions may be noticed.**
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