Having just posted the press release about the opening of Harvey’s Fish Market & Oyster Bar on Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour at http://thanetpress.blogspot.com/2009/06/kent-hotel-restaurant-operator-bucks.html Richard Martin also intends to develop the Royal Victoria Pavilion which is very good news.I am pretty sure this isn’t a new press release, as I believe I read it somewhere else the other day but I only just received it and put it up as it is illustrative of the revival that is going on here in Ramsgate.
Here in King Street we have seen a quite a few new shops opening recently the latest being a small supermarket due to open next door to my bookshop on Sunday.
Quite why Ramsgate is bucking the trend at the moment is beyond me, I am not talking about the plethora of middle of the road eateries and gift shops that are replacing the real shops in Broadstairs and Canterbury at the moment.
These are real quality shops in king street alone a fishmonger who catches his own fish, a cycle shop that does repairs, a domestic appliance shop that also does repairs.
Then today I heard a rumour, from a usually reliable source, that Tesco are considering returning to the town.
Talk about 'good news bad news' - I wonder how excited your new neighbour will be about a Tesco Direct opening up?
ReplyDeleteMichael, it may be, that, Shock Horror, a certain Sandy Beach has been pursuing the correct course.
ReplyDelete14.52 Bit hard to say really as I would imagine it would make the town a lot busier, the only other supermarket in King Street is Iceland which is normally so busy you have to queue for ages.
ReplyDeleteMy new neighbour has got other general store shops with an emphasis on a large variety of groceries and going by his other shops stock both in terms of price and quality there’s not much difference between him and a small Tesco
Ken, any success that comes ramsgates way will be in spite of the councils best efforts to ruin the town;
ReplyDeleteWeswood
Threat of manston bound planes at low level all day
An undredged harbour
Ramsgate not signposted from the port
Museum shut
Pav empty, unloved
Pleasurama wasteland
Marina restaurant rubble
Perhaps you should ask harveys, age and sons, bike shop, eddie gilberts what they see in the town to want to invest. It will be nothing to do with the council.
Perhaps Ken Gregory could explain what his council's policies have done to attract new business to anywhere in Thanet other than out of town developments. I suspect it's more to do with the optimism of some business folk coupled with low interest rates. There's always someon willing to have go so good luck to them. As we all know most businesses don't survive past their first year so let's see before we give credit to any politician.
ReplyDeleteLook, just because a rumour has started that some local would-be has an idea of what to do with the Pavillion it doesn't mean he will deliver. We've had too promises from too many sharks not to be sceptical. A town like Ramsgate is vulnerable to anyone who flashes some cash.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone thought to check Mr Martins credentials formally? Or is the right kind of handshake enough? Either way, we'll find out soon, and possibly the hard way.
Ken, Ramsgate is thriving in spite of your council's policies. Admittedly Margate needs help, but your adminstration has consistently and deliberately diverted resources from the south to the north of the island, because that's where your Tory powerbase is.
ReplyDeleteYour leader's stated view in his vision for Thanet is for Ramsgate to be a port and landing strip. Hardly the stuff that would attract new businesses like restaurants.
I'm afraid smallminded individuals like Sandy Beach, whose eye seems to barely stray from where the next carpet contract might be coming from, will never have the insight to grasp Ramsgate's unique selling point, viz one of the most attractive natural and built environments in the South East. That's why people are still making their homes and building their businesses here.
Either that, or they've believed three years of BS from me about it being the new Millionaires' Playground!
11.37 he did the Dog Inn at Wingham the Blazing Donkey in Ham, Ivy House, in Tonbridge as well as just finishing off Harveys they are all very high quality.
ReplyDeleteNot so high quality. I'd recommend you check out reviews for these places on trip advisor!
ReplyDeleteHello all Ramsgate and Margate lovers everywhere. I have lived in both areas for a total of 20 years and have just returned having been abroad for 15years to retire. Yes to retire. I have never lost the rosecoloured glasses for these fascinating places.
ReplyDeleteHow can one not love the cosy comfort of having the sea, shops, entertainment, quaint back streets, coffee culture, rail links, artistic pursuits, good schools and parks within a mile in every direction. Over the years I have understood the scaremongering that goes on and a lot of it from budding rhetoric enthusiasts who would find a lot to discuss positively and negatively in any town in any county. Unless one finds oneself in a remote village somewhere, where diversity isn't paraticularly diverse within its own quarters, most areas have gone through great changes over the last two decades, with our ever changing economical, environmental and european policies. The joy I see with Thanet is that bygone gems have the chance of being restored due to our new found love for these treasures. I await enthusiastically to Dreamland in Margate rising like the phoenix to provide a bygone joy to all. Left to wither a little perhaps in the past but consider fashion, the styles that come and go and then of course those that come around again. Thanet is a playground for all that can be restored seriously with the foundations and culture already set in stone. With the new fast rail link which beckoned and made my decision to return more favourable, it also proves attractive to those moving in from London to enjoy cheaper housing, the healthier coast environment for children and adults alike. Thanet will continue to prosper and move while you can before the property prices become prohibitive.
J'adore the ever remaining period heaven of the architecture in all of the locations - the way properties have been lovingly restored, not with demolition but ever increasing refurbishment. These property and building styles will be anethema and totally unappreciated by some but to others lending that ever wistful joy to the artistic avant garde bent. Over the years I have lived next door to people elsewhere who I hardly ever saw and of course to some extent in the Thanet area. My point is that pockets of crime exist everywhere and one particular area a mile from a residence of mine hadn't affected me at all. But from a distance, whether by word of mouth, bad press and as I say for the scaremongerer amongst us these pockets will always be a threat. The reality is less so.
I look forward to what is left of my future here.