Joyland Books

Answer in this very interesting article

http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/community/what-has-margate-got-that-morecambe-hasn-t-1-5296752

What is ironic is that Eric Morecombe who took his stage name from the town, actually married Miss Margate, Joan Bartlett, in 1952 and had his reception was held in The Bulls Head, Margate.

I have just returned from spending several days (for the first time) in Morecambe and it’s an interesting article.

Morecambe has great character; it is a town that has lived and breathed and every street has some sort of story to tell. There is great architecture, independent shops and, although there is very obvious poverty around, there is still a community and a very obvious spark there.

Margate has, after a long period, started what should be a sustained period of regeneration with The Turner, The Old Town and the proposed Dreamland Heritage Park. There is still a great deal that needs to be done but there have been major changes, whereas Morecambe (apart from the excellent redevelopment of The Midland Hotel) has had little.

It is also fighting becoming just another town by the sea. The article points out the number of shops in prime, promenade areas; there are no real fish and chip, ice cream parlours or gift shops – apart from several Fruit Machine arcades, there are furniture shops, shoe shops, discount stores, hair salons, clothes shops and lots more bog standard retail fare on what is arguably the best part of the town. It is sad to see, even sadder than a boarded up shop because at least there is hope there that it could turn into something interesting.

You get the feeling that Morecambe needs (and deserves) a major tourist attraction; it will always be secondary to Blackpool and The Lake District but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t the potential to be something unique. As Wayne Hemmingway so rightly says “Do something world class, or do nothing”.

The problem with housing developments is that is all they will ever be. Once the land or a park is gone, then it can’t and won’t come back – it’s exactly the same with a pub, you will never be able to reclaim that building, or receive planning permission to build a new one. The people fought Tesco being developed, not just because of what and where it was, but what it will lead to and that is exactly what Morecambe needs to do to protect its future, whether it comes from their council or the people themselves. Why not let someone like Hemingway work his magic? Their lack of risk-taking has turned a much-loved part of the town into a very ordinary, grubby set of shops – what could possibly be worse than that?





Dave D

Where is the Like button?

Vince.
Oh no I have been converted into a FB junkie.

Now then..has Margate got a cable car?

Morecambe may get one..

Mark Draddy suggests such a ride could start from near the Frontierland site, cross Morecambe Bay and make its first stop-off in Grange-over-Sands before heading into the Lakes.

http://www.lep.co.uk/community/vision-for-morecambe-cable-car-ride-1-5391641

Gary, need to read the forum a little more often.

Margate's cable car is part of the plan and the Trust have the main machinery parts in storage. So that puts Margate ahead of Morecambe.

Vince.

vince69619 wrote:Gary, need to read the forum a little more often.

Margate's cable car is part of the plan and the Trust have the main machinery parts in storage. So that puts Margate ahead of Morecambe.

Vince.

Now I know I'm totally losing it.