The new shop “Saltworks” in Albert Court is partially open,
they are still working on the old cells and I gather this part will be open
early in the New Year.
The pictures, mobile phone shots and not really much good as
one needs a wider angle lens for inside shops.
Good to see work starting on Albion House, the main thing
that will make me consider voting Labour at the next TDC elections will be the
number of council owned Ramsgate properties that come back into use. Frankly
when it comes to TDC it is a case of actions speak louder than words, with
Pleasurama speaking louder than anything.
About fifteen years of trading in a seaside town with the
main seafront leisure site derelict gives little room for other considerations
beyond how much in terms of sales I have lost over that period due to this
situation.
Looking at the other big seafront monster “The Pav” I do
wonder if the various local councils got their act together, or had got their
act together, taken back the lease, got some grant funding and produced
something that would give people an hour or so of all weather leisure
attraction in the way that the Turner Contemporary does it for Margate, just
what the effect would be on Ramsgate businesses. Much as bars and cafés or
places to have your nails painted help, there needs to be something to get you
to go to a town in the first place.
On the blog front I have to admit that the anonymous comment
aimed at trying to take posts over to publicise various agendas is making me
reluctant to bother posting. Even ECR has put comment moderation on and whereas
I make time to take a few pictures and type out a post most days, I just don’t
have either the time or the inclination to moderate comments.
I have, over the last couple of weeks, tried to reason with
some of these individuals by replying to comments that I wouldn’t normally
bother to, the bloke who thinks the bubbles in his beer are poisonous, the
bloke who thinks Pleasurama is an ongoing success story, the bloke who thinks
local councillors are hatching a terrorist plot and so on.
I noticed that The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has/is
appearing at the cinema and would recommend that before commenting here you
take a moment or two to watch the trailer.
Anyway I would say the bog is in the last chance saloon, I
am taking a much less relaxed attitude to bonkers comment, general rudeness,
low level bickering and will only be turning on the anonymous comment facility
when I am in the mood to deal with it.
My bookshop has now gone all festive as my children put up
some Christmas decorations in it yesterday, they did this with blue-tack so
there are stability problems particularly for taller people, which in this case
is most people.
I guess it’s a bit early for a blog Christmas card but I
will endeavour to do something on Christmas day.
A new cafe has opened in the end of Westwood Cross Tesco where the old Tesco eatery was, I haven't tried it yet and will report when I do.
The view is a bit pedestrian for sketching
Here is an article on DECKS at Tesco http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/companies/supermarkets/tesco/tesco-hits-the-decks-in-south-with-latest-hypermarket-extra/349738.article
looking inside but not having time to try it out, it was certainly fairly busy,
which the previous Tesco 1960s school dinner arrangement wasn’t.
We occasionally use the McDonalds at Westwood which is often
so busy that getting a table is slightly tricky, while the adjacent 1960s
school dinner arrangement at Sainsburys always seems to be virtually empty.
Frankly I find the whole business of getting a quick cheap
meal when shopping there with the children to be pretty much impossible, so I
hoping that this one will fill the bill.
I may ramble on her if I think of anything else to say
I agree with Peter, Michael, on the quality over quantity bit, but I would add that I do really appreciate what you are doing by affording us this forum, the high quality photographs and the interesting historic background to many topics. I think debate could become increasingly desirable next year for, in addition to our local issues, we have the European elections and, once those are over, we are into count down for the next parliamentary ones.
ReplyDeleteMost of the undesirable comment comes from anonymous sources, with one such source very evident on the insults front, and by eliminating those you will be well on the way. Those who want to join in can easily open up an account and even use a pen name if they prefer.
Anyway, thanks for some interesting posts this year and all the very best for next.
Oh do tell us Peter!
ReplyDeletedid you view this whilst imbibing your Ovaltine?
DeletePeter, [your 3:16 pm]
DeleteThere is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are you now afloat. And you must take the current when it serves, or lose your ventures.
Good luck.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBarry,
DeleteIf that's what ovaltine can do for you then mine's a flagon.
Peter
DeleteAh, perhaps one should aspire to end their days age 90, in bed, shot by a jealous husband.
I would add, mounted at the time on the adulteress wife, to bring things to a dramatic climax. I recall such an end, albeit well short of 40 let alone 90, befell some Flight Sergeant with a femme fatale in Ayios Dhometios during the EOKA emergency.
DeletePeter I haven't banned them, just taking a tougher line, the only one I have deleted on this post so far was an LTP Deal 1989 one, although to be fair it may have been related to Walter Mitty
ReplyDeleteThanet Watch is running a competition for the area's best blog comments. So if you've spotted a comment or maybe a sequence of comments which for you mark a spectacle peak (or deplorable trough) of blog comments, send it to us at inmeds@yahoo.co.uk. We'll announce winner at the Thanet Watch party on Jan 8 next year.
ReplyDeleteKim Jong-Un probably, Peter.
Deletethought top photo great as it flickers on my screen. very xmassy
ReplyDeleteSince the design of Arlington House is almost certainly of N. Korean origin under the 'density of people per square yard of building space' programme, I would say for.
ReplyDeleteThanet Watch
ReplyDeleteI suggest that you award the prize to Dave Spart. He is the recognisable voice of the Red Hall Massive.
The sale of Albion House is a concern. How much was it sold for by RTC/TDC? If we're not careful we'll end up with council properties not being repaired then being sold off cheap to fund council salaries and pensions to not repair council properties...
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:25 pm,
ReplyDeleteI wish you a happy and spite free Christmas.
Thanks for your extremely interesting comments. The prize for the Best Blog Comment will be a subscription to Thanet Watch.
ReplyDeleteAnon, relax and enjoy Christmas. You can go back to all your corruption theories in the new year if you must, but, for the moment, it is peace and goodwill to all men, including you.
ReplyDeleteHave a good one.
A shame that anonymous comments are being censored. Whenever this happens the blog is taken over by the narrow unrepresentative views of Epps, Checksfield and Holyer. If you read through the postings above it really is the most boring inane tripe. Moreover, much of it is off-topic - a crime for which anonymous posters are regularly slated.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:24, you do not have a vestige of festive spirit in you. Anonymous comments are only being moderated, not banned, in exactly the same way that named comments are if they stray off the rules. Most of the comments above are people wishing each other well for Christmas whilst Thanet Watch have come up with a competition.
DeleteI do not want to engage in an argument with you at this time, but please do tell me, why do you consider your comment in any way on-topic and what makes it so enlightening to the reader. How many times in the past have you told us that others views are unrepresentative, presumably meaning that only yours are worthwhile. That being the case, why don't you start a blog where you can air your views and ignore those of others, whoops, silly me, you already have!
doesn't he already have a blog that no one reads?
DeleteYep he does. I wish you a happy and spite free Christmas, Tim
DeleteThe first prize for the best blog is one year subscription to Thanet Watch, and the second prize is a two year subscription.
DeleteMichael's view on potentially voting Labour at the TDC election seems incredible. Aren't TDC and RTC Labour for the last two or three years and have done nothing other than attempt to develop Pleasurama and then cancel it? Or allow FerryGate secret investments? Or ban filming at TDC meetings? Or allow Infratil to leave Manston without paying fines? Michael is simply perpetuating the failure at our council: we need a clearout of these failed councillors not re-electing them to continue their disastrous policies.
DeleteNo Barry, you're thinking of your own blog.
Deletewhich one anon?
DeleteDenis MacShane MP jailed for 6 months for £13k expenses fraud. The corruption at TDC is far worse: the £24k labour Chiangate bung or 0% fraud of c.£15k or more for civil servant payrises, payoffs for silence and pension increases and EKO and FerryGate and Manston fines and so on.
DeleteWhy have the Police not been called in to investigate? More councillors and civil servants should be jailed and sacked.
Peter, he already has a blog but doesn't accept ANY comments, anonymous or otherwise. The guy's a hypocrite.
ReplyDeletewho you talking to!!
DeleteYou, peasant, who else!
Deletepeasant?
DeleteI wonder which blog doesn't accept comments?
DeletePeter I was asking the anon "Peter, he already has a blog but doesn't accept ANY comments, anonymous or otherwise. The guy's a hypocrite."
DeleteI wondered who anon was calling a hypocrite
up to a point. when a blog becomes "old" then all posting should become monitored. where that point is, is open to debate.
DeleteBarry,
DeleteMonitoring comments is simple. Providing the blog administrators can spare the time to do it.
I find some blogs are open but they are more read than commented on
DeletePeter,
DeleteNot even the occasional comment of oops I gotta go, the wife's coming.
Speaking of Mayors what has Mayor Gibson done after 7 months? We have RTC simply passing the Mayoralty around fro Party loyalty without the Mayor being properly elected.
DeleteAnon I suggest you hurry down to Ramsgate as the Mayor organised some ice skating
DeleteWell spotted Barry the Xmas Fair again with an ice rink. What else has the unelected Mayor done in 7 months?
DeleteCensored comments and Anon-prevented comments simply reduce posts on this blog making it a non-read.
ReplyDeleteIn effect the Holyer and Epps dull duo now have their own blog produced by Michael.
7.20, you are anonymous and you are commenting. I am anonymous and I am responding to your comment. Where exactly are we prevented, unless we say something that breaks the blog administrators rules, which seems fair enough. I think you just like moaning so you can have another dig at Holyer and Epps, but what happened to Checksfield this time. You are frightfully tedious.
ReplyDeleteThere are 9 comments on this post so far by Peter, 6 by William, 7 by John, 1 by Michael, 3 by Barry, 2 by Thanet Watch and 8 by Anonymous contributors. Who exactly is dominating it and isn't exchange of comments what it is supposed to be about?
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blog and my name isn't Tim. All of the postings in which you make this false accusation need to be removed because you don't have a shred of evidence for your unfounded pithy allegations. More importantly, if you are wrong about this (and I have just informed you that you are) why should anyone listen to anything else you post. It could all be just as false and inaccurate. As for Mr. Epps and his demand that I justify why my comments are on-topic, what the h*ll IS the topic? If you read through the comments you lot have made they range from European elections, Checksfields fantasies, and Tesco at Arlington House none of which were featured in Michael's original ramble. It seems to me that you three stooges think you have the right to talk about whatever you like, but that others are then criticized for being "off-topic."
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the postings above illustrate that it would be a bad mistake to turn the blog over to the narrow views of three self-appointed experts. Better by far to close it down altogether. Of course, this is what certain people in positions of authority would like. Whatever their motivation, the three stooges are doing a fantastic job of ruining Michael's blog.
7:58, I do not have a blog and my name is not Tim either, but that is not to say one of the anons on here is not called Tim. How would we know. I just find it rather strange that someone posting anonymously should find it necessary to deny who he might be unless he is, if you follow my drift. As far as I can see, apart from 7:58, only one person has referred to a Tim, but several have mentioned some anon having his own blog. Strange what?
ReplyDeleteSo, did any of you explain what the topic was?
DeleteAnon 7:58 pm & 8:10 pm,
DeleteOf course you are not Tim. Who has been saying that you are? I like Tim, but I don't like you.
Merry Christmas, Tim.
Holyer obsessed with Tim again and accusing all and sundry of being Tim or not and even writing to him in public now as though he knows him, and after using Tim's face on his blog posts. Definitely weirdo stalker territory and sad really. Let's hope Holyer gets another hobby over Xmas instead of blogging.
Delete"shut up Holyer" is the required term for John's posts now.
DeleteLet me help you folk out a bit here. Anonymous comments about Holyer, Epps, Checksfield, three stooges, corruption or Michael's blog being ruined by banning anons are by a bloke called Tim, but much of the time he does not know he is Tim. He also, in his sad little world, thinks that because he posts anonymously no one knows who he is or anything about him. It is really rather pitiful, but if you check out his blog, or his twitter, you may well come away with a better understanding of what his problem is. If you don't, then I recommend you get a check up yourself.
ReplyDeleteCllr Epps at 8:28 being Anon and obsessed with Tim and his blog and twitter again. Why doesn't Cllr Epps do some council work?
DeleteTim,
DeleteYou have got over excited. It's late and time for you to rest. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow you can tell everyone all about it, once again. Goodnight and a merry and peaceful Christmas to you.
Sorry to disappoint you, Tim, but I was out yesterday evening until about 23.30 and I certainly did not start blogging at that time of night. Thus 8:28 was not I and I doubt whoever it was is obsessed with you. If they are like me it would be no more than a certain sympathy.
DeleteOnce again, Holyer, Epps, Checksfield. I am not called Tim. You are ruining Michael's blog with your ya boo sucks postings and your petty name-calling. Why don't the three of you grow up?
DeleteTheir obsession with Tim is unhealthy. Let's hope the Police take an interest from a web stalking/bullying view. And Epps is a Councillor(!). What trash we have elected. And the corruption etc at TDC goes unscrutinised with the ridiculous EKO of TDC and KCC suing TDC(!) now with our money. What are the EKO quango costs?
Delete3:26, who exactly is going to call the police? Can one harass an anonymous, since nobody knows who he or she is? In order to establish harassment has taken place, the police would need to trace the offended anon and obtain a complaint from them. They might not want to be involved which is why they are anon.
DeleteJust a thought, but have you tried a brain transplant, 3:36, for I hear they can do wonders these days.
All very good points, Anon 6:57, but not sure they will sink in.
DeletePeter, sounds like you are going to be busy with your blog and camera in the new year. Best of luck with that, but how about some scantily clothed models that leave the essentials to the imagination. Appreciate your work is an art form, but then so is a touch of mystery. Just a thought.
Peter,
DeleteI recall having seen one wearing a smile.
Egads! This blog has become appalling.
DeleteAnon 9:50 pm,
DeleteSurely, you meant appealing.
"Shut up Holyer": you are ruining this blog.
Delete"shut up Cllr Epps" too and a merry xmas we will all have!
DeleteAnon 5:33 pm,
DeleteSo's mine, must be the weather.
"Shut up Holyer"
DeleteBy your figures, Peter, Epps and Holyer are dominating this blog by almost 3 to 1 other comments. And almost none of them are on-topic. A few of the Anon comments sound like Holyer and Epps too. Both of whom are notorious for repeatedly posting on other Thanet blogs and moaning/whining, usually about the good old days or the RAF or there being no Manston pollution and Manston a great success etc.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they set up their own blogs or be restricted to one post per blog per day as they have little worth saying and are ruining this blog as your figures show.
Does anyone know the Albion House sale costs to TDC?
ReplyDeleteYes, someone probably does know.
ReplyDelete7:50 Michael's new blog rules prevent discussion of TDC corruption or failure such as the (redacted) fraud and (redacted) pollution or (redacted) bung. As you can see it then makes for dull reading and allows the (redacted) pollution to continue.
ReplyDelete£345000
ReplyDeleteWhy has Albion House been sold for only £345k? It has massive historical/listed status. And TDC has a budget of £30M?
ReplyDeleteIt needs bringing back into public ownership. Nobody has ever voted for the sale or approved it in a manifesto in any way shape or form. A scandal by RTC Labour.
And here's a simple question or two for you Peter. Why do you spend so much time over here when you have your own blog? Could it be that you crave the attention that comes from posting on a more widely read blog? If so, why do you think that others might not do likewise?
ReplyDeleteClearly Holyer and Epps are crowding out debate through petty insults and posting, they should be limited to one post per day on this blog. Multiple comments should be ignored/removed or have "Shut up Holyer" etc appended to them as in real life. Sad pensioners with nothing to do and nothing to say.
ReplyDeleteToo late. Anon if you want to raise this I would suggest a lawyer not a blog
ReplyDelete"And all in the best possible taste" I seem to be stuck in the past. still was a good program at the time
ReplyDeleteBlimey, Checksfield to post on his own blog every day. Knowing what a weighty contribution he makes this blog, I imagine everybody must be looking forward to that almost as much as I am.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your blog comment dilemma is this. Comment should be limited to those who have an action, taken in the public interest, to report. FOI, legal process, letter to MP or Cllr, report or submission to a public inquiry, crime complaint for example.
ReplyDeleteAt this time that would restrict comment to Ian Driver, Louise Oldfield and Richard Card.
Interestingly this approach would better enable Michael's ostensible concern with the law. There are laws of mandadtory reporting of knowledge. And also offences of undermining an inquiry. An example might be a gun range. And say a cllr blogged to imply that no inquiry is meritted. Conceivably the blog comment could be a criminal offence.
Supposing another blogger knows, for a fact, that the cllr blog comment about the gun range is untrue then that would imply that the bookshop blogger has a mandatory duty to report his knowledge. And failure to report would be a criminal offence.
There are certain current inquiries in Kent, of an historical nature, at Dungeness A nuclear power plant. Raised, in the public interest, by yours truly Rick. Merry Christmas fans
Get back to your own blog you nutter!
DeleteAnon 11:48 am,
DeleteI take your point. I know for a fact that you are a nutter. Have I a duty to report this and to whom?
Rick, Merry Christmas. Long may you ride your hobby horse and long may it give you pleasure and bring you peace.
. . . "Perhaps this will refresh your memory." The District Attorney suddenly thrust a heavy automatic at the quiet figure on the witness stand. "Have you ever seen this before?'' Walter Mitty took the gun and examined it expertly. "This is my Webley-Vickers 50.80," ho said calmly. An excited buzz ran around the courtroom. The Judge rapped for order. "You are a crack shot with any sort of firearms, I believe?" said the District Attorney, insinuatingly. "Objection!" shouted Mitty's attorney. "We have shown that the defendant could not have fired the shot. We have shown that he wore his right arm in a sling on the night of the fourteenth of July." Walter Mitty raised his hand briefly and the bickering attorneys were stilled. "With any known make of gun," he said evenly, "I could have killed Gregory Fitzhurst at three hundred feet with my left hand." Pandemonium broke loose in the courtroom. A woman's scream rose above the bedlam and suddenly a lovely, dark-haired girl was in Walter Mitty's arms. The District Attorney struck at her savagely. Without rising from his chair, Mitty let the man have it on the point of the chin. "You miserable cur!" . . .
DeleteIn some ways anon comments are getting sillier than normal I wonder if there is a way that anons can be forced to utilise at least a nickname of some sort so that the conversation can be followed.
DeleteThough it is good that one named poster has dropped offline which removes a lot of the sarcasm.
Merry Xmas all
Barry seems too stupid to understand that Anons can't be forced to use a nickname. Is he for real?
DeleteMichael seems to have unwrapped a large present of waccy baccy for Xmas. Why bother quoting large - and dreary - passages of Walter Mitty unless bonged out of his gourd? The price tickets in his shop will no doubt need to be redone and photos of his meals out of focus.
DeleteIt's Xmas Peter go on post some porno shots to cheer us up as we watch this blog decline. Nobody too fat though. I can't decide if you've been specialising in porkers or just turkeys! Not the Showaddywaddy cocks n' socks one either. Make up your own chipolata/stuffing/roasted chestnuts/festive stockings jokes if you want.
Deleteappearances can be deceiving but then so can anon posting
DeleteBarry's ruined the festive fun again with inane comments.
Deletetoo much vino methinks
DeleteA Daily Mail article today on airport cancers: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-17419/Now-living-airports-cancer.html
DeleteThe Police should investigate the removal of the Manston monitors by Infratil and TDC: presumably it continues under Gloag?
Not at all 4:37 the council can cancel the sale and/or planning permission. But you are right it is illegal or at least on dodgy ground if it is not in a manifesto?
ReplyDeletePerhaps as a Xmas present to us all we could try and unravel Rick's concerns? Having read his posts over the year I haven't a clue what he is worried about.
ReplyDeleteThat said, the Deal gun range seems to be some sort of unlicensed or after-hours shooting practice in c.1988. Involving Cllr Bill Hayton? Presumably it stopped around then too?
There's an IRA plot separate to that- for the Marines barracks, or just generally? In 1988?
Sericol, and Thor, are accurate in terms of the volumes of pollution.
An accurate summary?
If Albion House is sold for the pittance of £345k why were not repairs carried out by TDC under their ownership? They have a budget of £20M per year? I doubt the new owners will be paying anywhere near that and the RTC lot sit on TDC so could have voted for repairs easily. We seem to be ripped off by our council. Expensive, corrupt liars and incompetents.
ReplyDeleteAlan Mallinson was my favourite Tim obsessive categorically/randomly proving Tim wasn't in Vietnam and was therefore a liar etc - and even then denying The Times newspaper article that proved he was in Vietnam(!). What a jerk but it has to be one of the funniest posts of the year.
ReplyDeleteThe Three Stooges just seem bitter at Manston closing. Or more worryingly with Cllr Epps attempting playing the Party denial and smear game to randomly deny their corruption or Thor pollution that has been extensively detailed. Their friends and neighbours and colleagues must be worried in bearing the pollution cost of these strange views and deliberate inaction.
Why has there not been a TDC review of Thor or the missing Manston monitors? Just coverup again: all councillors in it together against the public?
Anon 6:30 pm,
DeleteAnd a Merry Christmas to you too, Tim.
Just a passing thought, Tim, why do you not allow anonymous comments on your own blog? If you did then you could spend a happy hour talking to yourself.
Holyer is trying to groom you Peter. Just say no. Unfair on Mallinson a bit but the other hilarious blog post was when he and Epps were trying to groom young James Maskell in Cliftonville as a Tory hopeful. And James then denied having anything to do with them or even being in the Tory party anymore! Priceless and you just couldn't make it up.
Delete8:08 "Shut up Holyer"
DeleteAnon 8:08 pm,
DeleteI realise that you are harmless. However, your increasingly frenetic postings througout today indicate that you are over excited and must rest. Go and have a lie down. Tomorrow is another day. We shall all be here in the morning waiting to receive your peculiar brand of Christmas Cheer.
"Shut up Holyer"
DeleteThe comment of an educated man and master debater at 9:05, I see. I am off to Thanet Life where such infantile rubbish would never see the light of day.
Delete