The first week of August 2011 will see two promenade shelters on the Ramsgate seafront cordoned off in preparation for their complete restoration. This work is a pilot scheme by the Ramsgate Society, the first part of a larger project to restore 14 shelters which has been two years in the negotiation stage but is now nearing fruition. These two shelters will be out of action until early October 2011 when they will be returned to public use in a fully restored condition.
The two lucky shelters are the centre one of three, east of the Granville Theatre and the prominent Westcliff shelter on Government Acre. The remaining twelve are scheduled for works beginning early in 2012, in batches of four, that is four on Eastcliff, four in the Paragon and Nelson Crescent
These shelters are being funded to 90% of the cost by a Townscape Heritage Initiative Grant, jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Thanet District Council. It is up to the Ramsgate Society and people who care about Ramsgate to raise the remaining 10% of the cost of works. The Ramsgate Society already has raised sufficient funds for the contribution towards the pilot scheme, but will require assistance from the many businesses, organisations and people in Ramsgate to complete the whole scheme. It is now up to Ramsgate to take the first small step towards it’s own regeneration. This project will demonstrate how we can take charge of our own environment and make it better for the whole community. Hopefully, it will be the first in a long line of projects to make Ramsgate a better place to live and visit.
For more information and to get involved visit
Look forward to seeing them done we are so lucky here in Thanet to have some real gems such as the shelters, unfortunatly the conservation and upkeep is a drain on resources, plus vandalism is always a problem. Well done or getting funding .
ReplyDeleteThanks Don, your support is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI understand from a Ramsgate resident born and bred that the shelters have looked like they do now for the last 40 years, so no expense has been spared on their upkeep
Peter, there is so much in Ramsgate that needs restoring, a start has to be made somewhere.
ReplyDeleteWinterstoke Gardens is a restoration project in itself, so much of the original features have been lost because of lack of maintenance.
Then there is Albion House, Royal Victoria Pavilion, Clock House, Westcliff Hall, Westcliff lift, Westcliff Chine all historic structures allowed to go to waste.