That article

[Nick]

In today's Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/th ... 68048.html

Council Leader Bob Bayford's response in the Gazette:

“It’s been a long time since I’ve read such an ill informed and inaccurate article. It’s a real shame that no-one bothered to contact the council to clarify the facts, and as a result they have widely missed the mark.
It’s easy to make assumptions when you first arrive in a town, but with some checking, it would have quickly become clear that the hoardings around Dreamland are the first signs of life there, ahead of the opening of the world’s first heritage amusement park on the site. Far from the money having run out, we’ve already got funding in place from the government and the council itself and hope to add a significant chunk of lottery cash to that shortly.
Of course we’ve heard of first impressions and we’re fully aware of the impact that the tower block by the station has. Perhaps a bit of research would have shown that there’s an application in from Tesco for this site, not Dreamland, another inaccuracy, which includes improvements to the appearance of that tower block. I’m sure the residents (many of whom are owner-occupiers) would be delighted to know that the report author wants to see it flattened and turned into open space!
It’s encouraging to see that we can at least agree on one thing, that small independent shops are key to regeneration. A remarkable 78% of our stores are just that, small independents, ensuring that Margate doesn’t have a “cloned” high street. Part of that 78% includes the 35 new businesses that have opened up in the town in the last 18 months alone, figures that will no doubt be the envy of many other high streets.
It’s easy to criticise and claim out of town shopping is the cause of Margate’s problems but the truth is that, without the introduction of our new town centre at Westwood, we would’ve seen major high street names quitting the area altogether. Given that choice, we chose to retain them and that’s provided 3,000 jobs in an area with high unemployment rates.
As for leadership, successive council administrations have promoted and supported numerous regeneration initiatives including the hugely successful Turner Contemporary. The commitment of four million pounds to the Dreamland project and extensive work to bring 52 derelict properties back into use in the Old Town demonstrates that this council has Margate’s regeneration at the heart of its agenda. I call that good, strong leadership and far from “managing the decline” of Margate, I look forward to managing its resurgence over the next couple of years”.

[EAS]

I hope "someone" is demanding the paper prints a correction and an apology...

[EAS]

PS Two of us spent two days in Margate last week. We are preparing for another visit. Maybe for those with eyes to see it's a place full of architectural and other interest... I didn't recognise it from that article.

Picked up a Heritage Trail leaflet at the Turner, and followed that, with detours.

Of course it has problems, of course it can improve, but that's true of many places. And the friendly welcome of all we met was a huge bonus!

Also the place was busy and buzzing, and people generally seemed to be enjoying themselves.

[EAS]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/th ... 68048.html

Comments just keep coming... do join in!

Posie


I am a journalist proud to have been born in Margate, and still work here. We would like to publicly invite Dominic Prince and Andrew Ashenden back for another visit, preferably one where they leave their blinkers behind.
I will personally show them around and take them to meet the people they have upset (I notice no-one was actually quoted in the piece, which suggests they didn't speak to anyone who might have contradicted them).
As well as being factually inaccurate, this article is lazy and downright offensive.
Dreamland isn't a shopping arcade, it's an amusement park with a Grade II* listed roller coaster. Admittedly it's closed at the moment, but there are fervent plans to build on its history and reopen as a heritage theme park.
The tower block may not be the Sagrada Familia, but it is home to dozens of people who are fiercely proud of it and would not appreciate the suggestion of knocking it down to build a park.
Indeed, if any research had been done at all, the writer would realise they don't need a park, when they have one of the finest sandy beaches in the south over the road and a very large and well equipped park 100 yards in the other direction.
To say the town is reinventing itself "to an extent" is incredibly unfair and does not begin to tell the true story. The bottom end of town is thriving, with over 30 unique businesses opening in the Old Town in 18 months, many in shops that had been empty for years. Guess what, there's even a deli.
Margate has turned a tide and is definitely on the up.
Having said that, it's also home to a large number of people who would rather spend their money in the usual clothes stores and supermarkets, instead of a "cheese shop" - they deserve a fair hearing as well.
Being working class, is not, as far as I'm aware, a prerequisite to being patronised, and it's not appreciated, especially not from the Independent.

My offer stands - my name is Karina Barker and I am a reporter for the Kent Messenger Group. My email address is kabarker@thekmgroup.co.uk - by all means, get in touch to arrange your return visit.

thekmgroup We also have a group of schoolchildren from the town incensed by what they've read. The last person who crossed them was Sir Bob Geldof, and he ended up coming back to town to apologise and turn on the Christmas lights.
We all look forward to hearing from you.

Karina

[vince69619]

Now there's a lady we need on the team!

Vince.

[Nick Evans]

I've been a way for a few days and have missed all this. Such a shame the Indefensible chose to publish such an inaccurate article. I have worked with Karina on a number of occasions and am happy to echo her sentiments as well as help her on that conducted tour if the offending reporters have the balls to turn up!