Two weeks of positive posts - day two

My fellow pundits of Thanet may be aware of the storm-in-a-very-small-tea-cup that is the reaction to a certain 'rubbish' mural. For those that do not know much about this work of art (!) it is a mural showing our Margate beach and some local land marks downing in rubbish.

Our local "leaders" have been moaning about it (moaning is too easy in Thanet which is why I am trying to give it up). I read one quote wherein the quoted quote-ee (I forget who) said it was a bad advert for Thanet and that the art should be a good advert for Thanet. Or words to that effect.

What a lot of tosh or have we forgotten that the other big news story is that The beaches are drowning in rubbish. I'd say the Margate Rocks Crew have hit the nail right on the head with this artistic statement and I congratulate them for their insight.

It might hurt us to admit we have a problem but until we corporately admit that, as a people group, we have a big booze addiction that is running out of control we can not hope to get better.

I am more than happy to stand alone on this issue and applaud the artists that produced the mural of Margate. They have done far better than any other in acting as the unconscious conscience of Thanet. That still small voice that says "actually, I think we should be worried".

Today's post therefore is in praise for our local artists. Long may they upset the apple cart and poke at the tender bits - it's what art does best and it is what we need. Without such art we may well have been doomed.

Thanet has arrived according to technorati at any rate. It seems that sometime around the October to November 2007 the word "Thanet" started to register on the global radar. This is great news for all Thanet bloggers and web surfers because it means that the island is finally forging an online identity.

We have a long way to go before Thanet is, in any way, an interesting enough topic to attract financial impact outside of a few isolated blogs but we are starting to get noticed. However, compare that with Kent as a whole (which also started to register around the same time and we only have 1% of the impact that Kent manages.

Keep reading for a live chart of the uses and mentions of Thanet within the last year (and a static capture of that chart).

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» Continue Reading: Thanet has arrived online

Today we are talking about Real Estate in Thanet. Specifically Real Estate Websites serving us in Thanet. Are they any good in your opinion and what could they be doing better?

For an example I did a search in Thanet Finder (our local search engine) for the phrase "homes for sale in Margate" which I figure might be something that anyone might type into a search engine when looking to buy a home in the area.

I was a bit surprised by the result!

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» Continue Reading: Buy a Home in Thanet?

Margate has experienced massive disruption to the normal flow of traffic today following a fire and an unrelated traffic accident on the main route trough Margate to Ramsgate.

The fire at Hawley Square has, according to kentnews.co.uk, had 70 firefighters and 12 engines fighting the blaze which has left at least 8 people homeless and the main road closed.

This has caused traffic (including buses) to divert via the clock-tower leading to an increase of traffic through that area making it unseasonably busy there.

As if this was not bad enough a car crash near the Star Pub on the Margate road has closed a section of the Ramsgate Road. This has forced traffic to redirect through Victoria Road traffic junction and around behind the hospital. The traffic lights there being mainly temporary lights.

At lunch time today the traffic was backed up from the lights to the roundabout. Buses are having to pass through the lights twice in each direction in order to service the QEQM hospital. The result has been that bus services having been messed up to the point that any given bus is running at least an hour late so that buses "arrive when they get there".

If you are using public transport today be sure to leave extra time for your journey. From Westwood cross to the Weatshief is taking about an hour at present (guess what journey I had to make today).

Our district endured yet another pointless roasting this week. This time from The Independent's writer Will Self who opens: "The Isle of Thanet has always been a little problematic for me".

Of Broadstairs he writes "seldom has anywhere more gentrified become more chavvy" - a comment which has some grounding in fact, sadly. Broadstairs does have a "youth drinking problem" (not to mention an adults drinking problem at some pubs if all reports are to believed). Will ends by saying:

"Waiting for the train back to London, I overheard two Thanet warriors discoursing on the platform: "'E's a cunt inne?" said one, "always bum-licking, but if you turns yer back on 'im 'e'll give you a smack in the mouf." They were drinking Stella Artois; if only it were reassuringly expensive."

Will might be pleased to understand, then, that our local coppers have been doing their job (who muttered "for a change" own up?). Police have been seizing alcohol from young drinkers caught "boozing in the park" (says Kent online).

It seems the the local "Ol' Bill" have been quite efficient just lately - read on.

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» Continue Reading: Self Loathing in Broadstairs

If you are interested in Alternative Rock (and it's relatives) then a visit to Thanet might be something that would interest you. One of the things that the area has going for it is a massive culture of arts and music.

This guide is intended to be an introduction to the not-so-mainstream that still hangs on in Thanet. It is my hope in writing this guide that I can spread the word about what's left of the area. It's not all bad here you know!

For example the price of drinks is very low with one venue often charging just £1 for some lagers and shots. Compare this to London prices of £3.50 or more for a drink and you can see how the night life hangs on here. Two-for-one offers are also common meaning that a wild night out can cost just £75 including somewhere to stay, your drinks and after booze take-a-way.

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» Continue Reading: An Alternative's Guide To Thanet

Mark McGowan is to be buried alive in the sand on Margate beach in a "art performance" to try and save the traditional Margate holiday. This unusual art performance is to start Saturday 3rd May at midday and will not end untill 48 hours later on the Bank Holiday of Monday 5th May. The performance is an attempt to save the Great British Seaside Holiday and the environment at the same time.

Mark McGowan says: "The traditional British seaside holiday is in decline and everyone is flying abroad. This year, 30 million people will go on holidays abroad. This is due to cheap flights, sunnier climes and bargain bucket destinations."

Mark will be barried in up to his neck with a traditional hankerchief tied to his head. He will be surrounded by traditional holiday mementos and will live on fish and chips that will be fed to him by an assistent. Mark explains: "This is to encourage people, so that when the time comes, to think about their holiday and don’t just book a holiday abroad, come to Margate."

A big hint for my fellow bloggers - Mark will be on Margate beach this Saturday (26th April) around midday, "practicising" for the art performance.

Margate is in the news again and this time the article appears to have been reasonably well researched. It has errors and omissions but it does at least acknowledge the Thanet blogging scene as a force in the area.

Murder and arson mar resort's bid to become a coastal artists' haven screams the Guardian headline.

"To the local council, Margate has the potential to become Hoxton-on-Sea, a coastal haven for young British artists who will spearhead its renaissance.

"But following a murder and two high-profile arson attacks in the past month, the Kent town has been the subject of a series of lurid headlines that suggest it may take more than a cultural revolution for Margate to escape its seedy past."
IBID

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» Continue Reading: Murder by the sea says Guardian

Margate Rocks 2008 is less than a month away now so it seems like a good time to write about it. In case you do not know it is a visual arts event that takes place in Margate each year. Among the highlights this year are an "environmental activism filmmaking workshop" (hosted by director Franny Armstrong) and a long list of names in art such as Millie Burton, James Cauty, Shelly Goldsmith, David Shrigley ... and so on. The site for the project gives a better discription than I could as well as lsiting all the things to see and do this year.

"Margate Rocks is a contemporary visual art festival based in Margate, on the beautiful east coast of Kent. Taking place between 2 – 11 May, this year’s festival has the theme of art and ecology."
margaterocks.com

Many of the events are free and suitable for all the family. It runs from Friday the second of may untill sunday the eleventh. There is a free after party too indie pop music from Jigsaw Project as well as "...favourite party tunes from across more genres than you can shake a stick at." You can confirm attendance at the party, for free, here.

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» Continue Reading: Margate Rocks 2008

Steven Ladyman has updated his declaration of expenses. I don't want to just copy out what he has written but as I was quite hard on Mr Ladyman over his deceleration when he first wrote (I was cynical about it because he didn't go far enough) I feel I should make mention of this update.

(It can be found here) Steve has update his expenses breakdown to try and give a picture of all his expenses for the London "second home" and other things for which the information is not so readily available. He takes the time to explain roughly what he claimed for and why along with an explanation of why more exact figures were not available. An explanation that I find to be wholly in order.

I may or may not agree with his politics (or anything else for that mater) but I can not say how much I applaud this action. Transparency and good communication are essential in the Twenty First Century and both councilors and MPs would do well to follow this example to publish and publish in detail.

The fact that he also allows comments to be posted on his site shows that whatever else you might say (and some of us who write blogs have a lot to say about him) he is at least willing to engage in a little two way communication. Bravo - something that was unarguably done right!