Join us for a cup of tea and a chat and take the opportunity to see Herne Bay in Bloom’s work in the town and discuss future plans.
Please bring along your friends and any ideas for future projects.
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The Friends have, in the past, stopped the Museum from closing. Now we have to chance not only to keep it open, but to transform it into the Museum this town wants and deserves.
For the first time, we have the chance to run our own Museum – “we” being the whole town, not just the Friends of the Museum.
PLEASE read the latest Newsletter from our secretary, David Cross. It explains everything very clearly, spells out what we can all do to make this succeed, and has a brilliant piece from Sarah Corn, Kent’s expert on making this kind of transformation work.
We need help with this – no single group can do it alone. Please share this with your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.
We want everyone in town to know that they have a chance to do their bit to make our Museum outstanding.
If nobody does anything, we’ll get what we deserve – nothing.
If a lot of people do a bit, we’ll get what we deserve – a Museum to be proud of.
You can help – CLICK to download the leaflet that tells you how…
Manston’s website:
Manston’s official press statement:
“Following a meeting with staff at Manston Airport in Kent today, Wednesday 19th March, we can confirm we have commenced a process of consultation over the possible orderly closure of the airport. No further comment will be made until the consultation period with staff has been concluded.”
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Said she will be fighting to keep the airport alive, following news of its possible closure. Her statement follows the announcement that staff were called to a meeting this morning where it was announced a 45 day consultation would take place with them. Ms Sandys said:
“This is a great shock to the area and very concerning for the 150 staff. This is a consultation and we now need to ensure that we put a very strong case forward to keep the airport alive. We also need to understand a lot more about what they plan to do with the airport if it was to close.
My thoughts are with the staff who are entering a really unsure period and I know that I and Roger are happy to meet any of the staff at our surgeries. We will be talking to the Minister as soon as possible to ensure that there is ministerial input into this consultation as soon as possible.”
IoT Gazette 19 Mar 2014
“We were told this morning, it came as a huge shock. We knew there was going to be some kind of announcement but we thought it would be positive. They said they had been trying to get Ryanair here but the deal had fallen through.
It’s a very sad day for everyone here, we’re devastated. It’s not just a job, once you work at an airport you don’t want to work anywhere else. We have been told that after 45 days it will be closing but up until then it is business as usual but it’s hard to put your heart into it at the moment.”
IoT Gazette 19th Mar 2014
KLM says it will wait until the employee consultation at Manston Airport is complete before issuing a formal statement. The Dutch airline, which runs a twice-daily flight from Manston to Amsterdam, has operated out of the airport since April last year. A spokesperson for KLM said:
“We have no statement at the moment – we are going to wait for the consultation to take place as the situation is currently not in our hands.”
Customers are still able to book flights from Manston to Amsterdam via the KLM website.
IoT Gazette 19th Mar 2014
Thanet District Council leader Cllr Clive Hart said:
“This is potentially a devastating blow to the local economy with the potential loss of direct and indirect employment in Thanet. The council has been clear that it has supported the future development of the airport.
We have worked with operators to ensure that the economic benefits to the district could be maximised including the council’s direct port of entry service and therefore this is very disappointing news.”
Kent Online, 19th Mar 2014
Cllr Bob Bayford, opposition Conservative leader on Thanet council, said:
“I feel very disappointed. I cannot help feeling that given there is so much pressure on the south east for more runways that it could have had a future. It is a pretty short period in which the new owners have come to the conclusion that it does not have a future.”
Kent Online, 19th Mar 2014
Staff at Kent airport told 45-day consultation period initiated following daily losses of £10,000 under new owner. Up to 150 jobs have been placed under threat following the announcement that a regional airport could close.
The mostly part-time staff at Manston airport in Kent were told that a 45-day consultation period had begun over its possible closure. It is understood the airport has been suffering losses of £10,000 a day under its new owner, making its long-term future unsustainable. An airport spokesman said:
“Following a meeting with staff at Manston airport in Kent today, Wednesday March 19, we can confirm we have commenced a process of consultation over the possible orderly closure of the airport. No further comment will be made until the consultation period with staff has been concluded.”
Scottish businesswoman Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach Group, bought Manston airport for £1 last year. She drafted in a team of experts, including Alastair Welch, to help revive its fortunes and various options were explored. These included holding discussions with low-cost airline Ryanair about possibly bringing in new routes to Manston.
But the plans were hit late last year when Ryanair issued its second profits warning in as many months, as it warned it would be hammered by downward pressure on fares. The new owners at Manston had also held out hopes of pursuing opportunities with cargo flights, but they also failed to materialise. The airport will continue to run as normal during the consultation period.
The Guardian 19th Mar 2014
When Manston Airport was sold for £1 last year, new owner Ann Cloag was optimistic about its prospects. In a statement issued at the time, she said:
“Whilst this is a loss making airport, I hope that with the co-operation of our neighbours and the wider community of Kent, the airport partners and staff, we can capitalise on the opportunities available to give Kent the best chance possible of having a successful and vibrant airport.”
Just three months on comes an announcement that the airport is consulting on closure.
It is undeniably a big shock and appeared to come out of nowhere. Certainly, neither KCC or Thanet appeared to have had any prior notice. The 150 staff affected were told at a meeting this morning and were understandably dismayed. Thanet has an unenviable reputation as an economic blackspot and jobs are hard to come by.
The most significant was that talks with Ryanair owner Michael O’Leary about bringing some routes to Manston had come to an end after the operator signalled it had its own financial difficulties. No airport can be sustained on a long-term basis without using its capacity and it is understood that even with the presence of KLM and regular flights to Schipol, it was haemorrhaging money on a daily basis. There would have been no room for sentiment by the consultants commissioned to investigate whether it had a future.
Add in the uncertainty about what role Manston might have had in the aftermath of the Davies Commission and the ongoing issue about the lack of good road connections and its peninsula location and Manston has been battling the odds for a long time.
And it is worth noting that Manston has also had to compete against the increasingly successful Southend Airport, which has become one of the fastest-growing airports in the UK.
This is not the first time Manston has, in its chequered history, faced the threat of closure. But you sense that this time, it is highly unlikely to survive. Given the hard-headed conclusions of the turnaround team brought in to assess its prospects, it is almost inconceivable that someone else could come in to give it a go.
The fact that the airport is consulting staff over closure – rather than putting it on the market – tells its own story. The airport insists that it is not ruling out that possibility but there is already speculation that developers are circling with an interest in developing it for houses, rather than for planes.
This time, it does feel like it is the end for Manston – at least as an airport.
Kent Online’s political editor Paul Francis, 19th Mar 2014
Ah, the joys of consulting. North-east Kent’s favourite airport is obliged to produce a Noise Action Plan for the Government, and we all get to say what we think. As it says on their website:
It is a DEFRA requirement that all UK airports prepare a Noise Action Plan (NAP) based on 2011 noise maps. These regulations are a result of the European Directive commonly known as the Environmental Noise Directive (END).
The NAP considers whether the current noise control measures are sufficient with respect to Manston’s operations, and also describes other measures that will be introduced over the coming years to further mitigate the impact of the Airport’s operations on the local community.
Bickerdike Allen Partners have been retained by Manston Airport to prepare a Noise Action Plan. In summary this involves the drawing up of a draft NAP for consultation with the Airport’s Consultative Committee and the wider public.
The Airport’s Draft NAP is now completed and we invite you to view and comment on this document during the 16 week consultation period from 14 March to 4 July 2014. Following consultation the plan will be finalised and submitted to the Government.
So Manston have called in their old pals from Bickerdike Allen Partners to conjure up a report for them. Yes, it’s the very same Bickerdike Allen Partners who were caught out under-stating the noise nuisance from Manston the last time Manston hired them.
Have they learned their lessons? Are their facts now crisp, and bang on the nail? Er, no. I only got to page 5 before the red mist rose and obscured the nonsense. Section 1.2.1 – Airport Location starts:
Here’s a map, there’s the scale, there’s the airport, and there’s Ramsgate. Four kilometres? Really? What do you think?
You can download your copy of BAP’s fairy story by clicking the picture right.
There is a prize of incalculable worth to the reader who finds and sends in the greatest number of errors, half-truths and truth-omissions.
They’re still pushing the line that noise should only be monitored between 11:30pm and 6:30am. And they say that the S106 is effective. And so on.
Read it, carefully, and TAKE PART IN THE CONSULTATION. If you live under or near the flight path, please remember that these people do not have your best interests at heart – it’s time to make your voice heard.
It would seem that John Gilbey’s Saturday didn’t improve. Having slain his traffic-related opponents with his mightier-than-any-sword quill pen, he then swivelled his attention to focus on those who simply would not follow orders – in this case regarding the supposedly independent commission he was thinking of setting up to waylay the referendum on governance. (Translation: moving away from elected dictatorship, towards something more like democracy.)
This press release is altogether punchier, even though it has fewer exclamation marks. It may read like a snarky comment on some social network site, but this is actually an official statement from the Leader of our Council.
A few weeks ago, we said that we wished to set up an Independent Commission to inform the public openly and completely about the various options with regard to the governance system of the council. This totally transparent exercise, completed by a wholly independent commission would have enabled everyone with an interest in this admittedly remote subject to inform their vote in a referendum next year. Three of the four parties had agreed in principle to support a Commission.
With appropriate weasel wording, the Lib Dems believe that the public should not be informed until much later, after a petition reaches the required level – which they assure us will be reached. This purely political manoeuvring means that the public will not be provided with information at an appropriate time.
Council decisions will always be made by the party with the majority of seats, whatever the governance system. Decisions with the executive system are better-made, without politics and at appropriate speed and I therefore believe that we should be very wary of a return to the politically-charged committee system. There would also be cost and officer-time considerations to assess under the various systems and I regret that these members have decided to reject the opportunity to inform the electorate. Unfortunately it means that we cannot proceed without the full support of members for an Independent panel. I am not going to support adding costs to the council without cross party agreement.
Finally, I would welcome any of the other Parties coming forward with a Policy rather than purely relying on opposition to anything the current majority group does. This suggests simple laziness or lack of interest? It has been going on since 2005 and perhaps even before that.
News Release – Saturday 15th March 2014, from John Gilbey’s website, and on Facebook
I laughed till I stopped.
Cllr Gilbey’s wariness of a committee-based system makes me wary of the “independence” of his now-never-to-be Commission.
Our Precious Leader didn’t have a good start to Saturday by the looks of it. Someone or something, or possibly everything, had him riled and the solution was to let rip on his very own website and Facebook page.
It may be that he was displeased with the public reaction to his support for the proposed one-way system in Whitstable – some churlish ingrates have drawn unfavourable parallels with the Westgate Towers fiasco, er, trial. It may be that the Barham by-election result irked him.
Whatever the cause, the following tirade was the result. In my mind’s eye, I see it being accompanied by quite a lot of finger jabbing.
Sadly I have to re-open this issue to fully counter accusations made recently about the traffic trial but everyone should be aware that activists and opposition councillors are still distorting the facts and being economical with the truth.
Remember the trial had the full support of both councils and many others and was a joint operation between the two councils.
Remember the decision to close showed exactly who was the dominant partner – as they should be as it is their responsibility.
Remember there were so many positive aspects to the trial and further work around Canterbury would have given us the much better traffic movement we sought.
Remember we could not introduce these additional features because we were in a trial phase.
For the record, we were given no option but to remove Councillor Hirst from the Conservative Group because of his behaviour. He persisted in working as a county councillor to the great detriment of the City and his duties to the City. We could not persuade him that he had also been elected as a City Councillor. He was never, as widely reported, removed because of his opposition to the Westgate Trial, the issues were historic prior to this event.
With the Chairman of the North Thanet Conservative association, we spent six hours in three meetings trying to keep him in the fold. Sadly we failed, but it was never within my power to expel him from the Party.
There was no great dismissal as portrayed in the media and he was given ample opportunity to return to the party and resolve any issues he had. I have seen his written resignation letter to the Party. He was a Conservative on Friday and joined another party on Monday, yet despite many accusations, I have never once smeared this individual in the press or anywhere else. You must judge!
The recent by election saw this continuing accusatory behaviour. No Policies from the opposition, just lies, distortions and negativity. What a world we now live in! What happened to serving the community and the electorate?
News Release – Saturday 15th March 2014, from John Gilbey’s website, and on Facebook
Jolly good question, that last sentence. I’ve been asking myself the self-same thing.
Ian Tittley gave a very interesting talk to members based on his detailed knowledge of the River Thames. After explaining that his main interest was as a Marine Biologist in which capacity he had walked its banks many times up to the extent of the tidal reaches at Teddington lock he went on to select various locations from London to the Thames estuary on which to concentrate his illustrations for the evening.
He highlighted the fact that the river had changed a great deal over the ages, mainly as a result of man’s intervention. Evidence of a Bronze age crossing around the modern Vauxhall area had recently been discovered and the Roman’s first bridge who’s line was in turn traced by the mediaeval old London bridge were constructed when it was still a much wider unembanked waterway. He described it as a “Super Highway” used to the advantage of both human and natural life alike.
Many of its smaller estuaries in the city centre such as the Tyburn and Fleet were in modern times now culverted underground and Sir Joseph Bazalegette’s huge undertaking from 1858 onwards to build the extensive London’s sewerage system and create wide solid embankments narrowed the river considerably making it much deeper and faster flowing.
He described some of the many historical uses that had been undertaken over the ages from leisure pursuits such as water pageants and frost fairs and even using the low tide areas as a seaside holiday beach during the 1920’s, to the huge commercial shipping development of the docks as a result of the industrial revolution.
The building of the Thames Barrier in the 1970’s has been man’s latest contribution to control this mighty waterway. His last natural history comment was that the common seaweed known as bladderwrack, hitherto only mainly found on seaside coastal areas could now be found established on most seawalls and modern built structures right up to the centre of London – an example of how natural history also continues to evolve.
Mike Bundock, the Society’s Curator, Archivist and vice Chair expressed his best wishes for a speedy recovery on behalf of members to member and Raffle Organiser Valerie Birch who was at present incapacitated due to a recent fall and period of hospitalisation.
He also announced that the committee had agreed to arrange a Herne Bay History Day on 23rd August to be held at the Beach Creative premises as part of the Herne Bay Summer festival. He said that the intention was to display some of the history of the town using documents and other artefacts held by the Society and for members to be available to answer questions from the public, identify old photographs as well as to record people’s memories of the area. He asked for volunteers from members to help with various aspects of arranging this as well as manning the displays on the day.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday March 20th at the Lower Hall, United Reform Church, High Street, Herne Bay starting with refreshments at 6.30pm ready for commencement at 7pm when David Birch, Society Chairman will share some his extensive knowledge and memories of the town entitled “Behind Closed Doors” Attendance for members is free and visitors are most welcome at £2 per person. For more information contact 01227 362666.
James Brazier, a founder member of The Western Front Society, gave a very interesting and illuminating presentation to members at our last meeting entitled “Doing their Bit – The Home Front in 1914-18”.
His talk was illustrated with a collection of amusing post cards which were published throughout the duration of the Great War and demonstrated the various very important messages which the government of the day, especially the Ministry of Defence, needed to convey to the population.
He explained that the heyday of the post card era had developed from late Victorian – Edwardian times when seaside holidays and had become a popular pastime amongst the working classes and that the artists involved in their production together with other book illustrators of the day were encouraged to help spread war propaganda and appeals in an amusing and popularised fashion.
James showed examples from artists such as Donald McGill, Mabel Lucy Attwell, Thomas Gilson, George Studdy and Dudley Buxton, which cleverly incorporated amusing captions and comical images to encourage people to “do their bit” in many different ways from the famous “Your Country Needs You” image to recruiting women in munitions work and on the land and as the situation of food shortages became more acute, growing your own, digging for victory, the national egg scheme (often including some very inventive recipes).
To complement the First World War theme, the society’s latest publication by John Fishpool “Herne Bay in the Great War 1914-1918” was launched. In his introduction to the book John says:
“As the centenary of the Great War in 1914 approaches… I have attempted to bring together many stories relating to our town of Herne Bay and its inhabitants during that conflict… caring for the wounded soldiers… enemy aircraft raids, food rationing… and the various War Memorials that were erected in the area in honour of the fallen.”
The book is available at A Bundle of Books in Bank Street and the Demelza Bookshop in Mortimer Street for £7.50 or alternatively write to HBHRS 91 Selsea Ave Herne Bay CT6 8SE email books@hbhrs.org or see http://www.hbhrs.org for more details.
Our next meeting is on Thursday March 6th when Ian Tittley will be taking a Journey Down the Thames with his observations on its history and changing natural history. It will be at the Lower Hall, Herne Bay United Church High Street starting at 7pm, doors open at 6.30pm with refreshments, tea, coffee etc. Visitors welcome for a charge of £2. For more information telephone 01227 362666.
The latest contender to challenge for North Thanet and Herne Bay MP Sir Roger Gale’s seat at the next election has been revealed.
Former Herne Bay Times reporter Ed Targett is the Green Party’s first candidate in the seat since 1992 after helping establish a new Thanet group in 2012.
Father-of-two Mr Targett, 31, grew up in Herne Bay and now works as a energy writer and wants to raise awareness on a number of issues including changes to at Margate’s Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital in Herne Bay.
The Canterbury-born campaigner has welcomed party leader Natalie Bennett to East Kent on a fact-finding visit and wants to raise awareness of issues including the NHS, public transport and town centre regeneration.
He lives in Margate with his fiancée and is a member of the O’Neil’s Boxing Club. Mr Targett stood as a Green candidate at the 2013 county council elections in Margate and Cliftonville.
The Greens plan to stand several candidates in the council elections and Ian Driver is confirmed as the party’s candidate for South Thanet. The other confirmed candidate for the seat so far is retired nurse Frances Rehal for Labour as the main parties seek to shrink a 13,528 Conservative majority.
Canterbury Times 10th Mar 2014
A storming success by anyone’s reckoning – plenty of stalls selling excellent food and drink, plenty of happy punters streaming in, and then streaming out clutching their bags of goodies.
I hope this becomes a regular, and frequent, fixture in the town calendar.
HBM 