Herne Bay's growth threatened by Canterbury's greed

Herne Bay's future centres on tourism - it's a business model that is tried and trusted, it's well-understood and it's sustainable.

It makes sense to make the most of the most obvious quality Herne Bay has - the fact that it's a nice little town by the seaside.

Tourism is not isolated from the rest of the local economy, quite the reverse. Our vistors - whether coming for a day trip, a weekend, or longer - generate business and spread wealth at every turn. B&B room tabs, restaurant bills, pub rounds, shop tills, even parking meters.

Money, time and effort spent encouraging tourism in Herne Bay is not expenditure, it's investment.

But Canterbury City Council seems to think differently.

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The finest public art

For your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, here's the loveliest piece of public art I've seen in a long time. In the middle of the Chicago, a long strip of land near the coast of Lake Michigan was reclaimed - it used to be railway sidings, but was converted into a Millennium Park. (It was finished four years late and over budget, but that's another story.)

Anyway, amongst the many attractions of this welcome green space in the City is this stunning piece of public art. Entitled "Cloud Gate" - but everyone calls it The Bean - it is made of highly polished stainless steel. And it is lovely. I want one in my town. Click the picture for a better look...

Oooh, look - we're on telly!

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.

Tourism in Herne Bay

I think it was a mistake to remove Herne Bay's dedicated Visitor Information Centre. Tourism caused our town to be built in the first place, and has been the mainstay of our micro-economy for decades. A thriving local tourism industry will be a more effective engine of regeneration than a new supermarket.

I was pottering around Canterbury in mid-May and popped into their Information Centre out of curiousity. This was when I found the solitary sheet of A4 promoting Herne Bay - click the little version on the left to see a more legible version. I was not impressed. When I got back to Herne Bay, I had a look at the tourist information locations, and wasn't encouraged. So I started harrumphing to the local rags...

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Flower beds

Seaview Holiday Village expansion

HB Gazette 23rd Sep 2010

Secret Festival?

It appears that leaflets for our imminent and marvellous Festival were accidentally printed on thin sheets of Unobtainium. Our own dedicated Tourist Information Service seems to be rationing them. Presumably they've been cleaned out by people swarming to a quiet corner of the off-the-main-drag Council Offices.

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A flattering picture

Unspoilt and unassuming, Herne Bay relishes its enviable location on the glorious north Kent coast. With its splendid seafront, beautifully restored bandstand, Victorian heritage, variety of local shops and glorious countryside, Herne Bay presents an unrivalled opportunity to sample the delights of an attractive seaside resort. Even the weather smiles on Herne Bay and it ranks high in national sunshine league tables.

It was a favourite with Victorians who founded the town and came to breathe in the health-giving air or bathe in its invigorating waters. With its miles of safe beaches, wide promenade, seafront gardens and restored bandstand, Herne Bay is enjoying a deserved renaissance. National awards given by the Environmental Campaigns Group (ENCAMS) reflect the high standards of the local beaches. Central Beach has been granted a Resort Beach Flag for the fifth year and Herne Bay West, Tankerton and Reculver have Rural Beach awards.

There is plenty to enjoy in Herne Bay – from listening to the band on a sunny Sunday afternoon to bargain hunting in the local shops; from a morning’s fishing to an exhilarating day’s sailing, from uncovering history to exploring the coast and countryside.

From: HBTP

The official story

For those in search of traditional seaside magic, you will find it in Herne Bay. Two miles of splendid seafront offer seaside favourites in the shape of candyfloss, ice cream parlours, cafés, friendly pubs and fish and chip bars.

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Muse. Um.

click it to big it

Here’s a very British gem: the Herne Bay Museum (link).

Fearless and fervent, my woman and I swarmed into the Museum to see what we could find out about The Downs of yesteryear. The place is a treasure trove! If you haven’t been recently, pop in and saunter around. From fossil teeth to bouncing bombs, they’ve got all sorts of goodies on permanent display. There are also temporary exhibitions...

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