Saturday 15 June 2013

Saturday Ramble, Tesco, Arlington, Ezekiel, Brutalism, Books and the Internet


Tesco in Margate first, my take here is that the fault lies with English Heritage for not making Arlington House a listed building and that any ground floor shops Tesco or other should have been done in the 1960s brutalist style of the rest of the building.
Quite simply Arlington is Margate’s most significant piece of retro and should have been treated accordingly, painting it magnolia, installing plastic widows seems to me to be unfortunate for a town that has recently acquired a significant and iconic modern art gallery. When the time comes can they be trusted not to vandalise their chipperfield.

On to Sandy Ezekiel, as you have probably noticed, not only is the taxpayer paying thousands of pounds to keep him in prison, a total waste of money when someone isn’t a danger to the community, but the public purse only gets £2000 and he gets to keep the properties.

I would have been a lot happier if he had the property confiscated, put into auction and the proceeds given to the council, which certainly needs the money.

Not much of a post here as I am still working on ensuring that the books in my bookshop are cheaper than on the internet, which in the case of most paperbacks and Amazon was less than an Amazon penny, which converts into real money as £2.81 and now means with Amazon Prime a lot less.     

I have done most of the general paperback fiction now with only a couple of bookcases left to go this link takes you pictures of some of the As and Bs just to give you an idea of the size of the task https://plus.google.com/103118335852639233427/posts?banner=pwa

It was easier this time around as already most of the books were cheaper than Amazon et al, where the prices really seem to have crashed is pulp fiction, the books with a history of literary merit seem to holding their prices well, even most of those where the copyright has expired and the e-book or Kindle download is free.

108 comments:

  1. Michael, thank you so much for picturing Tesco in its proposed location, fronting All Saints Ave. This is clearly NOT 'on the seafront' as the assorted friends of Arlington claim ... and with friends like that, who needs enemies?
    Sheerness Tesco is on the sea wall, Hove is on the main thoroughfare and yet neither town has suffered as a result.
    I really cannot understand why a notorious hotelier from the opposite side of town gets so het up about it all. Ego tripping I guess?

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    1. I noticed that even the BBC have been using the campaigners inaccurate pic, either because their research is poor or a "seafront store" makes a better story.

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    2. For me, the above summons up an image of a corpse being buried in an old wedding outfit, which did not fit even on that occasion.

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    3. And what does the image of how it currently looks summon up?

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    4. a haunted wrinkled face with broken and missing teeth?

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  2. I've just noticed that the Arlington House Margate blog is now refusing comments and has hidden all of the previous comments! Surely this has nothing to do with the fact that most commentators SUPPORTED Eric Pickles' decision?

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    1. Peter, that's the left-wing idea of "people power" for you!

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    2. What attracted me to take a passing interest in the No Campaign was the idea that the share price of Freshwater or Metropolitan Property Realisations Ltd would jump on the news that Development would be allowed? Certainly it was suggested that the personal fortune of one property developer's family in particular would be significantly increased?

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    3. I really couldn't give a damn about that either way. My concern is the future of Margate.

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    4. If any capital appreciation has gone straight into the pockets of very wealthy individuals then you should be concerned for all of Thanet. It is usually the case that profits are taken before anything gets built.

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    5. I am sure they wouldn't be that upset at having worked out they have NO support whatsoever outside the small nimby colony, and a hotelier who was utterly rejected by the electorate some weeks ago..

      I did notice with some amusment they have hidden all the comments, which were (as I am sure Peter will confirm) 99% for the Tesco's.

      Lets now just hope that all the delay is now over, and FINALLY the nimbys can be pushed aside, and some progress can be made in Margate.

      Michael, listing Arlington Tower, That is possibly the most laughable suggestion I have ever heard in relation to a building anywhere anytime! Even English Heritage laughed at such a preposterous suggestion, and quite rightly so!

      Notwithstanding listing Arlington would be akin to saving your weekly houshold rubbish, and calling it art, the actual tower would be totally unaffected by the new store as it will be built where the current derelict car park now stands, so the listing, or otherwise, of Arlington Tower really has no bearing.

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  3. I have to admit that I really have no idea if having a Tesco on the site will be better or worse for other traders in Margate, Tesco opening in Ramsgate town centre and then closing did do significant damage to Ramsgate’s economy at the time. Viewed now and with the benefit of hindsight, I think in the longer term Ramsgate may have benefited I terms of more diversity in other supermarkets.

    What does worry me here is, is that the contemporary architect that deigned the new Tesco, doesn’t appear to appreciate or even understand the contemporary architecture of Arlington House, perhaps is scares him/her. Whatever it is they haven’t risen to the challenge of brutalism but have stuffed in an off the peg box as though Arlington didn’t exist, ok I know it’s an aesthetic point, but if Margate’s future partly rests with the Turner Contemporary then perhaps it is a point that should be considered.

    I guess if neither the Turner nor the Arlington appear iconic to you, that’s fine, but an architect designing a significant structure on such a prime site should notice these things.

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    1. Whatever they do to Arlington House, they'll still be just "polishing a turd". The design in that photo is about as good as we can expect without actually demolishing the place.

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    2. Peter, take some monochrome pictures of Arlington preferably with a large format camera, my guess is that when you look at it in that way you may appreciate where I am coming from here. I think you are perhaps judging it in terms of liking it and would respectfully ask you to run the word brutalism across this judgment and ask you to consider if the idea was that it was supposed to be liked. An architect should...

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    3. I've done that Michael, and I still hate the place (and "hate" isn't a word I use lightly!). Maybe you would too if you had to wake up and see that from your bedroom window every day for 15 years.

      If an Architect can't design something that (a) is pleasing to the eye, & (b) is suited to the buildings around it then he's not much of an architect imo, they I'd also apply that to the monstrosity near the harbour (imagine how that's going to look after 50 years)...

      http://nakedinthanet.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Arlington%20House

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    4. The only way Arlington would look good on film is if the lens cap was left firmly attached.

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    5. Whether the final design bears any relationship to that which is currently of offer will be interesting to see.
      TDC have of course been discussing this with Tesco's since at least 2008, so there shouldn't be too many suprises.

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  4. My twopennyworth (for what it's worth).

    Why are residents fighting this? Surely it must be better than having nothing there? I'm guessing as I have no evidence to the contrary but as an "outsider" I fail to see any reason why this isn't a good thing for Margate.

    As for the criminal Ezekial - he's simply the only one that's been caught so far. There will be more.

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    1. Ross, I do believe that the vast majority of residents are NOT fighting it, despite what Oldfield & co are claiming. I only personally know 3 people who live there, and they all support it (perhaps they're the only 3 people who do, but I doubt it somehow).

      I agree regarding Ezekial.

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    2. RossM,

      Big business is seen as the enemy in the eyes the class warrior.

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  5. Ross, You may be right. Perhaps someone could explain why TDC have allowed Freshwater to be so seriously in breach of their lease for so long and done nothing about it. We desperately need car parking but the car park that must be provided for the public as a term of the lease, has remained closed for 10 years and untill recently uninsured. The shops under Arlington House are boarded up, an eyesore and a total disgrace as you enter Margate, and again TDC have done nothing about it. The whole site is an eyesore and TDC have done nothing about it. All of a sudden and despite all the breaches, TDC have encouraged Freshwater to submit plans for a supermarket without seemingly ever having agreed how much Freshwater will pay TDC as Landlords to agree to amend the lease. £1M plus enhanced site value and yet TDC us apparently gets nothing. It all goes to Freshwater. Clive Hart openly opposed the plans and now that he is in control he says nothing. Smacks of another serious out of order back door deal to me.

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    Replies
    1. The car park certainly has NOT been closed to the public for 10 years. Coaches were still using it as recently as 2006 (possibly 2007).

      As for boarded up shops, what are TDC supposed to do with them? They can't force people to use them, no more than they can in the high street.

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    2. Desperately needed parking? When is that then, nobody comes to Margate, it's a BIN! Do you seriously suggest that a derelict car park should be retained for the 1, maybe 2 days a year when the empty Dreamland car park can't cope? What an appallingly wasteful suggestion

      Why would the council be entitled to a higher rent, because someone else built something at their cost, on land that ground rent is paid on? What a perverse suggestion. It's (from memory) a 199 year lease!

      Fact is Freshwater cannot force business to take on shops that have NEVER been viable because nobody has EVER wanted to go there! You whine because nobody has done something about the wanton squalour that Arlington represents, and has done for many years, yet you also whine when someone DOES do something, just because you don;t like big business.

      Fortunately others can see the big picture, and are FINALLY about to give the vast majority of Thanet what they REALLY want, a Tesco's and a development of Thanet's worst eyesore!

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    3. The car park was open to the public all the time Dreamland was still open, so Paul James either doesn't live here or is a newby who hasn't done his research (just like those who claimed that Arlington Square hadn't been cleaned in 10 years when in fact it had been no longer than 5 years!).

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    4. I must admit I am a little disappointed no-one from the No campaign is here debating. I am sure someone could at least talk about issues which do not affect the court case about the Environmental Impact Assessment being overlooked?

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    6. Seems like they all prefer to stick to their little Facebook group and preach to the converted! Maybe they don't like the fact that my little campaign has won and their massive campaign has lost! *


      *They would be the first to claim credit if it was rejected, so I'm claiming the credit that it's been approved! ; )

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    7. Peter,

      I can understand your delight; but in Victory one should show magnanimity. Churchill said that.

      Tesco can only serve to improve the existing concrete wasteland that is Arlington.

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    8. It's notable that not ONE TDC cllr has spoken out against this, not even rent-a-gob Driver (and great to see Roger Gale giving it his full blessing). Mind you, there's obviously no votes in campaigning against something that the majority want, as Ms Oldfield found out.

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    9. I've asked Ian Driver if he'll help us fight this monstrosity. He hasn't replied yet though I'm sure he'll be on our side.

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    10. Anonymous,

      I expect that Tesco are trembling in their boots at thought.

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    11. Driver will attach his name to anything that might end up in the media Anon, so I'm sure opportunist Driver will be jumpin gupon upon your bandwagon anytime soon.

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    12. As predicted, Driver has leapt upon this nandwagon aswell, what a cliche he has become.

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  6. After seeing the Arlington site derelict and abandoned for so many years I find it impossible to agree with the people totally objecting to the development, my only concern was the proposed size of the Tesco store but after seeing the photo above I realise the building is not on the seafront but in All Saints Ave and actually looks pretty good.

    There will almost certainly be more housing development on the Dreamland site in the near future and Tesco will have taken this into account. Upon leaving Margate station in the future let's hope a persons first image of the Town will be a new impressive Arlington site and not the eyesore it is today.

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  7. Talking about Dreamland, which weren't, does anyone know what happened to the wonderful miniature Steam Railway?

    It was my favourite ride as a child. Especially as I often rode free because our pub advertised Dreamland. We lived opposite the station in the erstwhile 'Station Hotel', later the 'Flag and Whistle' and now being converted into flats.

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    1. I didn't know it was being converted into flats (despite living around the corner), glad they're doing something with it though. I only went in the pub (as the 'Flag and Whistle') a couple of times, and it was the kind of pub where you wipe your feet on the way out! A real dive.

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    2. Peter,

      Yes, the developer showed me around last week. It his the intention to give the flats a touch of luxury.

      My parents had the tenancy in the late 40s and early 50s. It did well as a pub and as a hotel throughout the year. They also had a good trade in lunches in the restaurant upstairs. There was one disastrous lunch when the meat pie had a funny taste. This was because I head earlier put some cloves through the mincer. Meat was on ration at the time which made it even worse. I was not popular that day.

      I was only 7 but I discovered that if I stood by the door when the guests were leaving they would often tip me. I would then hurtle off to Dreamland with the money before my Mother caught me.

      In the summer I used to fall asleep to the screams of the girls on the Scenic Railway in Dreamland.

      I have happy memories of that part of Margate and I believe that a Tesco will revitalise the are.

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    3. The typos in my post above are the fault of the spellchecker.

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    4. Always someone else's fault.

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    5. Anonymouse 9:33 pm,

      And whose fault are you?

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    6. Wow, the flag and whistle, a freind of mine ran that in the early 2000's, even then Arlington was a slum that dragged Margate down. It caused such a pervasively cheap nasty and threatening atmosphere over the whole area!

      Tesco's can;t come fast enough. Good to see that when the ACTUAL position is made clear, the benefits of the development become clear Shinguard.

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    7. Louise Oldfield has told Radio Kent the whole town has rallied behind the campaign to stop Tesco and she has received huge support on social networks. How do they let these remarks go unchallenged.

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    8. Those who support it should speak up and tell them (including YOU and ME!). I'm going to Arlington now.

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    9. They've just interviewed me too!

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    10. Anonymous 7:07 am

      She gets away with it because of lazy journalism. All they want is quote before moving quickly on to the next item. There are few of the calibre of John Humphrys and Andrew Neil working in local radio.

      In my observation you can put pretty much what you want on social media and still get a so called huge response.

      It will upset a vociferous minority that Tesco does not intend to build a cultural 'n' heritage centre. Now this angry loosely knit group will just take their placards and move elsewhere. They exist to protest.

      I am no particular fan of Tesco, but their presence will wipe out the existing concrete wasteland.

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    11. She also gets away with it because the "No" mob shout the loudest! So get yourselves to Arlington House now! : )

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    12. She has no support. The "No" FB page, with less than 400 members, of whom many are occutards looking for a cause, and her tragic petition with less than 500 signitures (including forgeries) prove that nicely.

      Where is this gobby northerner's proof of "the whole town has rallied behind the campaign to stop Tesco and she has received huge support on social networks" and where exactly is this social network support?

      0 evidence of it anywhere I can see.

      She was rejected at the election, and she's been rejected again, shut up Oldfield. nobody wants to hear you any more!

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  8. A seafront Tesco is awful and Arlington should be demolished. Too many supermarkets - now a Morrisons in Ramsgate with 6am-midnight booze sales. Let's hope that's changed and no cigarette sales either.

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    1. That's Ramsgate! There's only one other supermarket in the whole of Margate!

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    2. There is a Waitrose in Ramsgate and a Coop/smaller supermarkets and then WC. Margate has a Morrison and smaller shops and WC so much the same. The new Tesco is on the Margate seafront and certainly visible.

      Interesting that new store planning guidelines would be to limit/end booze and cigarettes. The main supermarkets hardly need the profits form these products.

      New supermarkets will of course destroy small traders.

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    3. Shouldn't we let shoppers decide for themselves where they choose to shop?

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    4. No they should not!

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    5. More FairTrade and local produce would be useful planning requirements too. I think in Brighton strong booze is banned/prevented from being sold to street drinkers too. The police need to move Ramsgate's on from the newsagent and boules court.

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    6. Anonymous 11:24 am

      Ramsgate and Margate are not, as you suggest, much the same. In Ramsgate in addition to Waitrose there is an equally large Aldi, plus an Iceland. These are all in the centre of town.

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    7. Anonymous 11:34,

      Why do you say so stridently that shoppers should not be allowed to decided for themselves where to shop?

      With your attitude you would have fitted well into an East European democratic workers paradise under the dictatorship of the proletariat. Where the Party decided where you could shop, what you could buy and how much you paid for it. Is that what you want for this country?

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    8. Yes much the same, as there's a Lidl in Cliftonville and smaller supermarkets. A rather pointless point to make.

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    9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    10. Anonymous 4:32 pm,

      Then why did you not say so in the first place? I suppose you forgot.

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    11. I had forgotten several of the shops and when you pointed out your pointless points I remembered them. And your pointless points became not just pointless but incorrect as so often.

      In terms of your East European diatribe we have exactly the same system albeit - with different emphases - you deride: planning permissions of houses/shops etc, availability of certain products and price regulation. As an elderly civil servant it may be familiar to you as a bureaucrat's paradise. Perhaps TDC should rehire you with another job for life to spout your outdated and foolish views.

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    12. Anonymous 8:27 pm.

      Ah! Now I recognise you - with your signature jumbled reasoning and spite.

      Are you yet able to offer an explanation why you believe that shoppers should not be allowed to decide for themselves where to shop?

      I have reread your post and I still cannot make out what you are trying to say. What do you understand to be my outdated views? Did my irony pass you buy? Did you infer that I was praising East European socialism? Or maybe you were just lashing out?

      I leave you with your socialist workers party confused reasoning.


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    13. John, you forget asda in central ramsgate as well as wilkinsons.

      All us upper middle classes from all of the isle shop in waitrose. We leave the other shops to the peasants.

      I think it laughable certain local politicians are happy to sacrifice margate for the sake of their own little kingdoms. Next time you hear a certain flyer talk up something like the airport as its for the good of the whole isle, feel free to remind him he can only see as far as the end of his nose when it suits.

      And for those saying why isn't there a manston airport supporters club - there is. Appx 30 people show up and pay their subs each flight. It just not a big group, hence you'll struggle to hear about them.

      Whittstable fought their tesco. Westgate did. Margate politicians didn't. I think it says it all really.

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    14. Yet another person telling Margate what is best for them despite not living there.

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  9. If Margate High Street was thriving and the Arlington estate was full of attractive heritage listed bulidings I could understand the protests, the fact is the lower High street is slowly recovering but with a heavy arty/coffee shop/retro/vintage clothing feel, this shouldn't be affected too much by a Tesco.

    The Arlington site has been a wasteland for years and but for a Tesco size investment the only other option would have been a residential development which would have needed a supermarket to support the increased population, oh wait a minute, that's what we've got!

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  10. Will all those on FB please tell the protesters what you think? The only reason they're having any success is because those who agree with it (the majority of people) refuse to speak up!

    https://www.facebook.com/NoTescoSuperstoreArlington

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  11. Why would those who agree with it do anything? It's been given the go-ahead and it's going ahead. It is for the "No" campaign to mobilise enough support to stop it.

    It's the same with the airport. It's there and it has total freedom to operate. If it's failing it's because it's a commercial non-starter. The existence, or otherwise, of a pro-airport group is irrelevant.

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    Replies
    1. They have Driver on their side now, so they're doomed to fail & I can relax! : )

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    2. The extent of Driver's bandwagon hopping knows no bounds. He lives in Broadstairs, represents a Ramsgate ward yet climbs in on a Margate issue because there might be a bit of publicity in it. At times I have found John Hamilton a bit extreme in his witch hunt of Driver, but I can see where is he coming from. The man just cannot stay out of the limelight although the publicity does not seem to have done much for his electoral chances if the county council election was anything to go by.

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    3. This will work in the favour of those that support it, as Ian is now so disliked by every other councillor that they'll oppose him whatever he says (there's no way Worrow will speak up against it now despite saying he would!).

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    4. Driver humiliates himself yet again! I have to laugh at the portly ole clown, but them remember the poor electorate that voted for something they thought he was, that he stopped representing some months ago.

      Thank you for that endorsment Anon 7:43 :)

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  12. Anonymous 6:29 pm,

    My sentiments entirely.

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  13. They're now claiming that building Arlington Tesco is comparable to getting brain cancer on their facebook group, how nice!

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  14. http://arlingtonmargate.com/2013/06/18/breaking-news-high-court-legal-challenge-to-secretary-of-states-decision-to-approve-margate-seafront-tesco-superstore/

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  15. I have asked our great, good and bad councillors why the lease was never enforced, i never ever got a reply, the question remains, all our councillors and TDC officers are colectavly responsable for the state of Arlington house, the slum landlords Freshwater took advantage, and they wonder why UKIP gave them all a good thrashing, maybe it needed to be fitted out in a good quality carpet, but it is the fault of the local councillors that Arlington is in this state.....
    if any one knows who is the person responsible in TDC for enforcing the lease please let us all know, i think answers are required

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  16. I repeatedly read about things that our great and good councillors have not done. They haven't enforced the lease on Arlington House, they haven't enforced the Section 106 Agreement on the airport, they didn't collect the fees due for using the port, they haven't enforced the terms of the contract with SFP etc. etc. We have over 50 councillors in Cecil Square. Do they actually do anything at all? Personally, I detect a pattern. They suck up to and bend to the wishes of anyone who successfully persuades them that they have money, but they are inflexible, intransigent and obstructive to anyone who is struggling to make a living. I would like to see a complete reversal. I would like to see small businesses given help and support. I would like to see large developers nailed to unambiguous agreements with clear penalties for breaches.

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  17. I thought i was dreaming when the Ace cafe came down, no out of town burger wagons, no out of town ice cream vans, no funfair blocking entrances to local businesses, the visitors were putting thier money into the local economy, it was brilliant to see,,,,,, now, the event at manston this coming weekend, it seems to be a rerun of the big event, no local stalls, no local businesses, no money to stay in the local community oh well i for one will not be supporting someone who is more intrested in lining thier own pockets

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    Replies
    1. How do you know they're not local? Do you have a list of the names of the businesses and where they come from? Thanks.

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  18. As there's no actual shops in Manston, ALL businesses are going to come from out of town... DUH!!!

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  19. you are of course correct, but burger wagons traveling a round trip of 500 miles where our local burger van co's dont even get a sniff, ice cream vans from coventry, the local business was never invited to attend or give in a tender

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  20. If the business people of Thanet waited around to be invited along, then that illurtrates perfectly why Thanet is dying on it's arse!

    You get out there and chase business, you sit there and wait for it to come to you, and you shouldn;t be allowed to run a business!

    We need people of the calibre of the guys driving a burger van 500 miles, not of the calibre of those sitting at home whining about them driving that far to do business!

    What a joke Thanet has become!

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  21. My Dear Mr Hamilton, Thanet has been a joke for too many years, we have slum landlords, we have corrupt councillors, we have corrupt tdc officials we have mealy mouthed locals, we have alf garnets, [please look in mirror raves and rants but nothing useful[ we are a sin bin of many things, we can all rant and rave, but amongst it all we have people who care about our area.i for one would like to know where you have put your weight behind and truly believed in a cause, acted upon it, won, draw or lost. i have read your attacks on people, i have seen a similair thing at tdc on the bbc news, critisism is very good, we all need to be brought down a peg or two at times, but leveling abuse is something else. i hear your your views yet i hear nothing constructive, nothing to back it up with, no figures, no nothing, do excuse very bad typing, a bad education and having to make dinner speeds me along

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    1. I'm struggling to take anonoumous posters seriously, but I shall for now, inspite of your obviously lacking education.

      I support wholeheartedly progress and wealth creation, and giving people the opportunity to improve their lives. It seems that Thanet is pretty much unique in having pretty much the epicentre of nimbyism rooted in it's midst, along with well meaning busibodies who THINK they are important and have value, when in fact all they really are is an annoyance for the VAST majority of people in Thanet who want to see progress.

      I have listed of examples of these net curtain twitching Hyacinth Bucket worshiping nimbys "achievements" elsewhere, and on my own blog. For my point, I point out their BS and outright lies where ever possible, and continue to run my business in Thanet, employing local people, and bringing wealth in from outside the area. I wonder how many of the nimbys can say the same.

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  22. I would like to know how much Louise Oldfields actions and appeals have cost the tax payer. Her friends at The Gazette aren't interested in investigating, so perhaps John Hamilton can make some enquiries (FOI requests perhaps?).

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  23. Hi anonymous (5:46 pm)

    John Hamilton isn't a real person. He (or less likely she) has invented this pseudonym to allow him to abuse other people on the internet without fear of retribution. There are various theories about his true identity. Some believe he is the alter ego of John Holyer, another poster with whom he shares many unpalatable views. I tend not to side with this view because John Holyer is quite happy to post unpopular views under his own name. Others believe that John Hamilton is a councillor who would scupper his chances of re-election if the electorate were to find out what he really thinks. I can think of a few candidates and the obsession with Ian Driver is exactly the kind of behaviour we might expect from a party hack. Another view is that he is just a nasty, bitter old troll who spends his life seeking out excuses to attack other people. Thanet is awash with potential candidates for this category. So, take your pick, but don't waste your time trying to engage or reason with John Hamilton. He has only been invented to tweak the tiger's tail.

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  24. He most certainly hates Ian Driver, some of the vile comments on his blog wouldn't be allowed on Michael's. He has some odd ideas about what to do with old people "hose then down as they smell of wee" makes you believe he has had some bad experiences. I do draw the line at him calling someone a "monkey" however I doubt he cares and others shouldn't encourage him however funny they think it is.

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    1. Does it matter whether he's "real" or not? Eastcliff Richard isn't a real person either, but few people comment on it.

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    2. depends on how vile the comments

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    3. Anonymouse 8:40

      And who are you? Do you know? I doubt it. You are a lonely old man who knows so little and knows it so fluently.

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    4. Anon 7:02, I would think that she has cost Margate a GREAT deal more money than the no doubt substantial legal bill that TDC and Freshwater will have to pay. I sincerely hope that she, and the nimbys of Arlington are made personally responsible for all the legal costs associated with yet another suprious legal adventure.

      Anon 8:40, you'll forgive me if i don't take the daubings on the subject of fake profiles from someone hiding behind a fake profile seriously, The people I have been accused of being, and the employment I have been accused of carrying out is long and laughably inaccurate. Name at begining of post, not difficult boy ;) ...

      Oh James, will you ever post anything factual, or will it always be baseless inuendo? Tell me James, what have I said about Driver that's inaccurate? I would ask you for some proof, but as I know you have no clue what constitutes proof, I don;t think i'll bother, you will only humiliate yourself trying to reply. (You are at least right in one area, I really don;t care what you think, you and your "research" really are of no worth to anyone who deals in facts. To Walt Disney, you might have some worth, to the rest of us, nah).




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    5. Barry : Because Michael carries links to Hamilton's blog then Michael is, in fact, publishing Mr Hamilton's comments.

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    6. And vice versa!

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    7. Michael carries links to several Thanet blogs, mine included, doesn't imply he endorses what hammy says. In fact I doubt the hatred published on hammy's blog would be endorsed by many people hence the lack of commentary. I ask you would you endorse putting old people up against a wall and hosing them down because they smell of wee!!!!

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    8. Personally I believe everyone who smells of wee should be hosed down, young and old.

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    9. Not what you posted on hammy's blog. maybe you should correct your original post and then agree or disagree with hammy's assertion that people should be taken off the dole to man the hoses.

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    10. The should also hose down NIMBYs.

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    11. So to clarify you want young and old people who smell of wee and people who object to developments to be stood up against a wall and hosed down. Is there any other groups of people you would like to be subject to this rather brutal treatment?
      photographers who cycle perhaps!!

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    13. Keep up james, the unemployed should be made to work for their benefit by hosing down anyone smelling of wee (no wall standing required, you made that up ;) ) and nimbys (not people who object to developments) should be lined up with them.

      Perhaps amatuer Inspector cluesou's should be included, mind you, they are funny enough on their own.

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  26. Well finally hammy crawls out from under his rock. Strange that you have failed to notice my blog but then “never let the truth get in the way of a story” springs to mind. Not thought of leaving a comment hammy!!! Bit like the money man who offered £5M towards building the hotel on the Pleasurama site back in 2009. That was also an illusion.

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    1. What's the point James, you wouldn't have the balls to publish it, and you have yet to publish any kind of evidence of wrong doing anywhere, let alone Pleasurama. Your blog is as pointless as your comments anywhere else.

      When you say “never let the truth get in the way of a story” that is clearly the ethos you use for each and every post you make, as proven by the fact they are utterly untroubled by any evidence of any kind.

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    2. So hammy you have finally acknowledged that you have read my blog, scared of posting on it are you?

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  27. I have read it with great amusment James, no question of finally, it has amused me since the first unsupportable daubing you made. I think my previous post was quite easy to understand for anyone with even a double figure IQ, though I'm not sure how to dumb it down any further to help you understand.

    Perhaps simple repition will help...

    hat's the point James, you wouldn't have the balls to publish it, and you have yet to publish any kind of evidence of wrong doing anywhere, let alone Pleasurama. Your blog is as pointless as your comments anywhere else.

    PS it seems to be SG's blog not yours, is a simple thing such as creating a blog beyond you, bless.

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Comments, since I started writing this blog in 2007 the way the internet works has changed a lot, comments and dialogue here were once viable in an open and anonymous sense. Now if you comment here I will only allow the comment if it seems to make sense and be related to what the post is about. I link the majority of my posts to the main local Facebook groups and to my Facebook account, “Michael Child” I guess the main Ramsgate Facebook group is We Love Ramsgate. For the most part the comments and dialogue related to the posts here goes on there. As for the rest of it, well this blog handles images better than Facebook, which is why I don’t post directly to my Facebook account, although if I take a lot of photos I am so lazy that I paste them directly from my camera card to my bookshop website and put a link on this blog.