Gale's View: Empty Shops

The Government has offered a three million pound 'bung', spread across a number of local authorities, to promote the re-opening of boarded-up shops and to revitalise some failing High Streets. Setting aside the fact that this very thinly-spread financial largesse is far too little, far too late and that it fails to recognise the extent to which unregulated out-of-town shopping development has already killed off many High Streets it also appears to be in direct conflict with the Governments own planning policies!

Read more...

The ninth iffiest Pier?

Herne Bay pier is among 10 across England and Wales that have been identified as being at serious risk of demolition or collapse. The report from the National Piers Society, placed the town's iconic structure at number nine in a top 10 which also includes Hastings and Brighton West piers in neighbouring East Sussex. But staunch defenders of Herne Bay Pier's future have dismissed the survey as pure conjecture.

Read more...