Leading Light.

On the 19 July 2012, the Olympic Flame will be travelling into Thanet on its way to the Turner Contemporary. The route for the day will start in Deal at 8.27 am and will enter Thanet via Cliffsend and onto Ramsgate. From London Road at 10.13am it will travel via Grange Road, St Augustine’s Road, The Paragon, Royal Parade, Harbour Street, King Street and exit the town via Hereson Road on its way to Margate.

For the full route throughout the UK,  see here.

I am sure it will receive a great welcome from the residents of Ramsgate and let’s hope that it is a bright sunny day to cheer on the bearers for this momentous occasion.  See you there

Richborough Down

Demolition of the Richborough Power Station cooling towers and chimney took place on Sunday morning 11 March 2012 at 9am. There was an extensive crowd assembled on the Westcliff Promenade at Ramsgate to witness the event. A slight haze in the air did not spoil the view and the Royal Esplanade became a linear car park for nearly an hour.

It was great to see such a large turnout early on a Sunday morning, to see this event, which shows that the town’s residents are interested in their surroundings. There was no sign of the expected warning rocket so the first cooling tower falling took everyone by surprise and extensive clapping after all three towers and chimney bit the dust would seem to indicate that the majority were happy to see the end of this industrial landmark or "blot on the landscape", depending on your point of view.

What a difference 100 years makes.

Thanks to a lucky find on the internet and the generosity of Janet and Richard Mason, the owners of an internet site containing historic postcards of Ramsgate. Fine details of the original style of promenade shelters in Ramsgate could be gleaned from the picture taken circa 1912. This has enabled a faithful recreation of ornate ironwork on the restored shelters. The first of which is nearing completion following extensive research into the interpretation of modern materials to provide a building capable of withstanding the pressures of 21^st century life.

These buildings are amongst some of the oldest seafront shelters around the UK and it is important they are preserved for use by future generations. A rolling programme from East to West of the promenade has now commenced to complete all the renovations before the deadline on the grant application of November 2012. Grateful thanks goes to the Heritage Lottery Fund together with Thanet District Council for facilitating the main Townscape Heritage Initiative grant for restoration. Also thanks to all the individuals and organisations in the town that sponsored and donated to the shelters project. Further donations and sponsorship will still be needed for completion.

You may be asking why we do this and the answer is “because Ramsgate is worth it”. Let us hope it is just the start of many good projects for the future of the town