News, Local history and Thanet issues from Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate see www.michaelsbookshop.com I publish over 200 books about the history of this area click here to look at them.
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.
I think it is called the Harbour Brasserie Michael
ReplyDeleteRoom for a bit of an embarrassing typo there Barry, thanks for the reminder. Having arrived in Ramsgate and needing the sun but not the cold we drove up the harbour wall and had a pot of tea there and sitting in the warmth with the brilliant winter sunshine both wondered why we hadn’t gone there for lunch too, next time we will.
Deleteit has its entry on tripadviser with some mixed reviews. I wonder what will happen when the slipway development happens
DeleteAh Tripadvisor, always a bit of a tricky one, once you have eliminated the places that are not actually in Ramsgate, places with no view, places that are now closed, big chains like Pizza Hut, then it ranks near the top.
DeleteI hardly ever eat in Ramsgate because I live in Ramsgate and tend to eat out when I am out, if you see what I mean, so I have only eaten there a couple of times and had multiple teas and coffees there. I have only ever had good experiences there and have only ever been aware of the other people eating and drinking there also having good experiences.
For me the key with this one is that you can drive up the pier and park for free in the café’s car park at the end of the pier, on a cold bright winter’s day this is fantastic and with a moderate sea running amazing.
But really, Barry James, perhaps they will get shut and the building will get rott and dying again... Give people some credit for bringing life to that amazing and unique location. We should embrace and support local businesses like this -people who in spite of economic crisis and downfalls of the area have balls and vision. Of course, its not possible to please everyone; but i know lots of people who appreciate fresh, tasteful food they cook and enjoy tranquility and cosiness of the place.
Deleteand again maybe they will not. Whatever their business plan is it will be dependent on footfall which will be supported by advertising and the regeneration of Ramsgate's seafront businesses.
DeleteRepeat business will occur when people have a pleasant experience and go again. What they need is people trying the view and food for the 1st time and the more visitors that come to Ramsgate will depend on the development of the seafront.
I've not been to the end of Ramsgate Pier for a while but Mr Tara Plumbing went there a few months back (Sept or Oct) and sadly I do not wish to repeat what he said because I do NOT like to run other businesses down.
ReplyDeleteBUT
It can't be a secret that the food and drinks are incredibly expensive, possibly more expensive than any other place in Ramsgate including the excellent cafes that are on the mainland looking towards the Maritime Museum.
High prices might be justified by the view, fantastic service by friendly staff, some really great product, served in nice cups. Mr TP tells me on the day of his visit only one of those factors was present, it was a clear day. I do hope his poor impression was a one off, is it ever busy?
I must admit I don’t really know what to say about that Mrs TP I have been there for Breakfast a couple of times, bacon, sausage, egg, mushroom, beans and toast which was £7.50, not really sure if that would class as very expensive. Yesterday we had a pot of tea for two, I think it was less the three pounds. I don’t like English breakfast tea which is the only option in a lot of places, they had a choice of tea one of which was PG Tips which I do like and had.
DeleteI bought a meal there a few of years ago when the Cafe was under a different management. The meal was similar to one shown in your picture - sort of dressed up sandwich and rather puny. On the other hand the price charged was robust. In fact it cost more and was smaller and of inferior quality to similar meal that I had enjoyed the previous week in Selfridges pavement cafe. For this reason I have not eaten at the west pier cafe since. But that is just me and there others who are willing to pay a premium price.
DeleteThe price rarely bothers me, within reason, provided it is value for money. Value for money arises from competition.
Livia, I take your point. I like to support local business where I can. But I consider my payment to be in return for quality goods and services; and not a donation to charity.
I will give the Harbour Brasserie a go.
I forgot to add that in my experience the cafes in town and along Harbour Parade are reasonably priced and good value for money.
DeleteAh John I guess you supped well last night? The picture is of the meal I had in Ramsgate Garden centre unless of course you mean the picture of my cup of tea and paints on the table in café on the end of the pier, I drank the tea PG but didn’t eat the paints.
DeleteFor me, for the most part it is the view I am paying for, the expenses of a café would I expect mostly be the building and the staff, mostly the staff don’t stay still enough for me to draw them, I am getting quicker but at 59 it’s a case of old dogs and new tricks.
Michael,
DeleteIf it's a view that you want then none is better than that from the 'Lookout' cafe on the westcliff, by Govt Acre. You can see Deal, France (sometimes) the Goodwins and more. They do not sell overpriced sandwiches. The food is good quality and reasonably priced. It is good value for money and popular as a consequence.
I imagine that the Harbour Brasserie and its predecessors are forced to charge over the odds due to the high rents charged by TDC. It could be the case that TDC do this in order to regulate the number of customers. They do not want a stream of cars going out to the cafe, discovering that car park is full and then driving back against the oncoming traffic, bumping into fishermen and pedestrians.
I will put my money where my mouth is and give the Harbour Bra' a try. In the meantime, Michael, in your experience does the cafe enjoy a large custom?.
John the view for me has to be something I can paint and draw, with a reasonable chance of a table where I can see something that is recognisably Ramsgate, in winter this has to inside as I can’t paint and draw with gloves on.
DeleteThe rent in this case was set by tender, sealed envelopes with tdc choosing the highest from a know restaurateur with a reasonable track record and not a company seeking to re-let it at a higher price.
As I said I have only had breakfast there a couple of times and occasionally pop in there for a cuppa the cost of which is completely offset by being able to park on the end of the pier in winter.
I did go in there in the summer early evening few times when it was completely packed with people eating with all appearance of enjoyment.
Obviously though all of these things are dependent on what you are looking for which in this case isn’t fast and cheap, but something which to me fits well with this particular site.
I guess the problem is that I am not a foodie so usually only eat out when I am too far from home for it to be convenient to do otherwise.
Michael,
DeleteThe best thing I can do now is to shut up and give the Harbour Bra' a try.
Peter, The competition in Ramsgate is fierce and we the consumer benefit as a result. Yours was a quid well spent. And there is no need to pay a premium for the view - you can sit by the harbour and eat for free.
ReplyDelete