Yesterday's Thanet pride event, proved once again how popular Margate is, when people are provided with a bit of entertainment. I believe this is the second year for of Thanet Pride, although I have heard rumours that it may be the last, which would be regrettable, since it appears popular with the local community.
Obviously on a nice sunny day Margate Beach, will always be popular, but events such as Thanet Pride will have enhanced visitors experience with some additional entertainment Also the Big Sky Jazz Festival has started and is on until the 2nd of August, details of which if you will find if you click here.
Naturally there is a limit, to the amount of events that can be held in Margate, so to my mind, something else is needed in Margate apart from the Turner contemporary and something which our council need to address is the whopping great big hole behind Marine Terrace, owned by property speculators which used to be dreamland (attracting two million visitors a year).
In fact with the property market going tits up, and developers going bust, maybe now would be the ideal time to talk to the owners of the site about making a serious attempt, to bring dreamland back from the dead. Anyway the sun is shining and Margate is looking good which is more than can be said of some of our local leaders!
A swim and sealife centre.
ReplyDeleteYes that would be great.
ReplyDeleteThe Pride event was a great success. It attracted a large number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and, significantly, many individuals and families who are not LGBT. It was brassy and fun, and, as far as I could tell, there was no trouble at all.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to explain the purpose and value of Pride events to those outside the LGBT community, who might think that now most legal inequalities have been remedied by the current Government, there is "nothing more to do" in terms of campaigning and explaining.
Pride events - and they are about pride in being gay, not pride in the area of Thanet - seek to involve the entire community to promote and encourage an understanding of diversity. Many LGBT individuals are still fearful of family reaction, reactions at work and, frankly, of being beaten up (and worse) solely because of their sexual orientation. Until those fears - and behaviours - disappear completely, Pride events still have a place.
Whether local authorities should sponsor such events, well, they help a wide variety of groups involved in various aspects of community diversity - women's groups, race groups, disabled groups and so on - so why not LGBT groups and events?
Turning to the other element of this particular post, Tony, one thing that struck me on Saturday, was that there are lots of businesses - including those on the harbour arm - doing their best to regenerate the area around the old town, They deserve our support. But who really wants to sit and eat or drink on the harbour arm with the background stench of rotting weed and fetid mud from the harbour?
The Council can't do everything on the regeneration agenda themselves, but surely they should be tackling infrastructure issues such as the state of the harbour. I heard several people sniff, comment and move off in other directions.
What I find interesting is that the Council have basically said that there is no place for something like Dreamland, but the first thing they do when there is any sort of event, be it Pride, the Air Show or even the aborted Taxi /Kids visit is...hire in a fun fair! Surely this must say something, or is it just that funfairs at the new cultural/ arty hub of Margates 'regeneration' (ie Old Town/Turner/Piatza/Cafe G)are ok but not at the common tourist end of Margate?
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do wonder what our Turner boss Victoria thinks of 'common little funfairs' next to her upmarket Turner centre?
I wish Margate would wake up and smell the coffee...until Dreamland is restored back to a fun park, all the boarded up shops in Margate town back to shops, a fast train link to London and employment and jobs offered to local people, Margate will still be the same dump in 10 years.
ReplyDeleteAll the council seem to do is talk about regeneration but they don't know the meaning of the word, let alone understand how to implement such change.
I despair.
Well said, Margate does need more organised events, and more importantly a better long strategy not just the offer of the Turnip Centre. People want things to visit,more than a beach,not a closed down high St, expensive parking, a closed old house and closed shell caves etc TDC need to do more! Margate has great potential now that more people are spending more hols in the UK. BUT SADLY Margate has missed the boat.What impressions visitors have, are one of there is nothing to do in the town. This will deter future visitors to the town as the current visitors go home very disappointed and spread the word.
ReplyDelete