Entries from August 1, 2011 - August 31, 2011
Hospital Fête
Aug 29, 2011 at 10:40 Good news - the QVMH Fête is going ahead as planned, despite CCC/Serco trying to rush them hundreds of pounds of charitable donations to advertise themselves with a banner across the High Street. (Apparently Serco are a bit red-faced about this over-enthusaistic charging. Good.)
Anyway, here's a copy of their poster. Just click it to enlarge it. Better still, print a copy and pop in it your window.
Oooh, look - we're on telly!
Aug 27, 2011 at 14:36 
The BBC have been doing a video survey around Britain's coast, and arrived at Herne Bay:
Larger seaside resorts in the South East such as Hastings, Eastbourne and Margate have attracted significant investment with millions of pounds being spent on the Jerwood, the Towner and the Turner Contemporary galleries. How are smaller resorts such as Herne Bay holding their own and keeping tills ringing?
A pretty upbeat and optimistic piece - have a look and see for yourself.
The Friends' Fête and the Council's greed
Aug 25, 2011 at 9:54 Oh look, here's another good thing that Our Council seems to be hell-bent on stamping out. Like the recent bus rally (but much more worthy) it doesn't take many brain cells to figure out that the hospital fête is a good thing that deserves encouragement and support, not fleecing. CCC are happy to fritter £17,000 of our money on new ceremonial robes for the Lord Mayor (which will benefit how many people, and how?) but insist on chiselling £400 from the Friends of QVMH (which benefits how many people, and how?).
Street advert grounded by red tape
How much does it cost to put up a banner? Council bean-counters wanted £400 from hospital fundraisers to erect one over the High Street advertising their annual summer fete next Saturday. Organisers were stunned to be told of the cost - up from £200 last year and £120 the year before - and decided to scrap the aerial advertising and use the money to help patients instead. But Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital League of Friends spokeswoman Sandy Winkworth said it was a bitter blow to the hard-working team of volunteers.
CCC, Herne Bay | Keywords: Our Council, QVMH, Sandy Winkworth Village Green: the final furlong
Aug 19, 2011 at 14:33 
Two years ago, I applied to register the Downs as a Village Green. In November this year, Kent County Council will be holding a public inquiry to decide whether to register the Downs as a Village Green.
If we’re successful, Canterbury City Council will have to continue maintain the Downs, but they won’t be able to sell the land, build on it, or use some of it for car parking as was suggested for the King’s Hall end. Village Green status will protect the Downs as an open space for Herne Bay people to use for freely and free of charge forever… just as we use it today.
To succeed in persuading Kent Council to register the Downs as a Village Green, we need people like you to come along to the public inquiry to tell the independent inspector about the use you make of the Downs.
Herne Bay | Keywords: Village Green Kitewood Hillborough Extension
Aug 18, 2011 at 21:35 
Property developer Kitewood has unveiled plans to develop a new primary school, shopping centre and up to 1,375 homes on the outskirts of Herne Bay, on land between Hillborough and the Altira Business Park in Broomfield. This idea first surfaced in July 2010, when everyone was up in arms about the increasing risk of death on Blacksole Bridge. Click here to read up on the back-story, and find out who the bad guys are.
The plans for the proposed development will go on show during a public exhibition at Reculver Primary School
- between 12 noon and 8pm on Wednesday, August 31, and
- between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, September 3.
Kitewood have also set up a website to keep people updated on the plans, and say they intend to compile reports on the feedback and use them if proposals need re-shaping. Visit: www.hillboroughextension.com
;)
Click it to big it
The 190 acre, £240m scheme is planned in three phases.
Phase 1
- Would use the land which lies to south of the railway line and north of the Thanet Way, all of which is controlled by Kitewood. The land adjoins Altira Business Park at Bogshole Lane, and is crossed by the un-made Maystreet Road which goes over the railway line at Maystreet Bridge.
How to build a windfarm
Aug 16, 2011 at 13:51 Here's an excellent little piece from the BBC, explaining how windfarms happen - it's not nearly as easy as you might think. It's worth zooming in on The Workers in the first picture, just to get a clear idea of just how BIG these turbines are... Click here to see more.
Herne Bay Beach Hut Day
Aug 16, 2011 at 10:11 
Herne Bay famous faces John Altman and Nicki Chapman had a stiff challenge on their hands as guest judges at the annual beach hut competition. A fiercely contested event saw owners get right into the festival spirit with an array of colourful designs and themes for their huts.
Former EastEnders star John and TV personality Nicki were joined by Jenny and David Cross from the Friends of the Herne Bay Museum in the judging as the number of entries exceeded expectations. Organiser Andrew Cook was overwhelmed with the response:
“The sun came out to shine and many hut owners frantically dressed theirs in time for judging. Competition was fierce and the quality was higher than ever before, some owners came from as far away as Yorkshire to enter. We had to give out some additional prizes to make the judges’ lives a bit easier. Jill Bell eventually took the honours for best dressed hut with her Mrs Sweeney Todd theme. It was great to have both Nicki and John there as they are firm believers of what Herne Bay has to offer and the town’s future potential.”
Kentish Gazette 16th Aug 2011
Click here for the Beach Hut Day photo gallery
Herne Bay | Keywords: Andrew Cook, Beach Huts, David Cross, Jenny Cross, Jill Bell, John Altman, Nicki Chapman Herne Bay Carnival
Aug 16, 2011 at 9:22 
Herne Bay was awash with colour on Saturday as crowds turned out in force for this year’s carnival. The morning’s wet weather cleared in plenty of time for young and old to line the route and enjoy the annual parade from Lane End, along Western Esplanade through Central Parade, the town centre and back to Sea Street.
Around 60 floats, including 11 visiting carnival courts, brought noise and colour to the sea front, lead by music from the Herne Bay Sea Cadets band.
Among them were best in carnival, The Red Wheelies from Canterbury’s MS Therapy Centre. The ladies, famed for their formation dances on mobility scooters, dressed up as knights of the realm in full battle armour. Other entrants included members of the town’s football club and roller hockey clubs, as well as Greenhill Gymnastics Club and the Hasland Dance Academy.
The team from domestic carers Bluebird Care won the Carol Bosworth prize for creativity. In the evening, the Kings Hall hosted the traditional post parade party, with music from band Kelly’s Hero’s.
HB Times 15th Aug 2011
Click to see the Carnival photo gallery
Delicatessen plundered for scrap twice in one week
Aug 13, 2011 at 8:34 Metal thieves are running rampant through Herne Bay and not even your kitchen equipment is safe, according to one trader. Delicatessen boss Steve Dansey said his fridge has been plundered for parts - not once but twice in recent weeks. He said:
"My fridge was delivered on a Monday. On Tuesday when we went to assemble it we saw all the aluminium brackets had been stolen. It was assembled on Wednesday and by Friday they'd clipped the copper pipes off the back, even though it was running!"
On Tuesday he saw a teenager sifting through items left for a second-hand shop and taking scrap metal away on his bike. Mr Dansey, who runs Butterfly Meadow in the High Street, added:
"He had a black bag on his bike for the scrap. It seemed very Well organised. He wheeled his bike to the end of the road and just Waited to be picked up."
Other shopkeepers say they have spotted thieves stealing metal strips from steps, and in January iron drain grids were stolen for their scrap metal value, leaving holes in the road. Police are working to combat the problem by visiting about 50 breakers yards and scrap metal dealers across the county. Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishley, Kent Police's head of partnership and communities, said:
"Metal theft is a national problem and one of the UK's fastest-growing crimes, and it's having an impact on communities in Kent. We've had church roofs and school buildings targeted, telephone cable and manhole covers stolen by thieves recently. Around 15 million tonnes of metal is recovered nationally each year, with a sale value of £13 billion, which gives an illustration of the scale of this criminality, due to the rising value of commodities like copper. We are visiting scrap metal dealers, and will continue to work on days of action to raise awareness and to target suspects when we have information they are involved in crime."
ed.targett@KRNmedia.co.uk
Butterfly Meadow Farm's shop is called High Street Heaven
at 80 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5LE
Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Shops, Steve Dansey 