Transcription

1 March 2013 Folkestone Town Council moves back into the refurbished Grade II listed Town Hall. Photo: David Noble

2 Folkestone Art Works Folkestone s Contemporary Art Collection Launch After a launch over the weekend of 3 6 May, Folkestone will become known as the home of thirty permanent contemporary art works by sixteen national and international professional artists. Under the name of Folkestone Artworks, what amounts to an open air exhibition, will stretch from the west end of The Leas, where Towards the Sound of Wilderness by Cristina Iglesias can be found at Martello Tower No 4 to Sunny Sands, where The Folkestone Mermaid by Cornelia Parker gazes out across the Channel. Unlike an exhibition confined to a gallery, it will act as an introduction to the whole town, giving all businesses a chance to benefit from visitors. There is little doubt that Folkestone will build on its already deserved reputation for contemporary art, attracting those with an established interest in the arts as well as other visitors who discover that even a casual encounter with the works can be both inspiring and fun. There are poignant exhibits such as the Mark Wallinger s Folk Stones a tribute to the soldiers who died on the first day of the battle of the Somme in 1916 and Paloma Varga Weisz s bewildered and lost Rug People at the decaying Harbour Railway Station and others tinged with humour, such as Pae White s Barking Rocks, a dogs adventure playground at Pleydell Gardens. And humour and poignancy that surrounds Tracey Emin s seven-part sculpture Baby Things. Accompanying the launch will be a new map, audio guide, talks, tours and merchandise together with a website, downloadable apps and learning resource packs. Further information is obtainable from: Jo Cowdrey, Folkestone Artworks Curator: or jo.cowdrey@ creativefoundation.org.uk The exhibits are the result of two successful triennials in 2008 and 2011 and will be added to by a further Triennial in 2014 and possibly others beyond that date. Garden Centre/Ingles Manor development We We have been made aware by Charles Evans of Smith-Woolley & Perry of some inaccuracies in two articles in the December issue of Go Folkestone magazine, concerning the Garden Centre/ Ingles Manor development On page 24: it was written: But as the number of objections by ordinary people approach a hundred, despite almost no press coverage (!?), This was in no way meant to imply that Smith-Woolley & Perry had anything to do with the lack of press coverage but merely that it was surprising that the local press had not covered the plans for the Garden Centre/Ingles Manor site more extensively. We apologise for any misunderstanding over this. We also accept that there were not approaching 100 objections at the time the article was written but 63. On Page 25 No provision for affordable housing. We now accept that it was wrong to reprint the statements on page 25, which were other people s opinions, without checking their accuracy. We are now aware that, in the planning submission to Shepway District Council, Smith-Woolley & Perry made practical suggestions as to how affordable housing could be incorporated on the site. So we apologise for this.

3 Contents Editorial flats, 42 shops and 94 offices/ studios: An Interview with Adrian Lockwood Remembering Folkestone The Bradstone Mural What s It For? Creative Quarter - Businesses behind the Scenes One good idea encourages others The Leas Lift Beer Festival Folkestone Airshow Boosting local business Burstin with Life Marathon No.13 in 2013 The Naming of Places Still Homeless Folkestone Cinema; Past, Present and Future Three New Folkestone Books Folkestone Townscape Heritage Inititaive A Brief History of Cheriton Davis & Davis Clock in Cheriton Folkestone Town Hall Re-opens News from the Planning Front Editorial Committee: Ann Berry, Nick Spurrier, David Noble, Philip Carter, and Richard Wallace. Magazine Layout: Mike Tedder We have recently had a discussion about the future of this magazine, which revolved around the cost of production, advertising versus content, the burden of distribution and the continuing spread of communication via the internet and its social media. However, to totally misquote Mark Twain, there is little doubt that the rumours of the death of print magazines are greatly exaggerated. A brief trip to W.H. Smiths will confirm this. But as the internet has increased the pace of life, we feel that the magazine on its own cannot ever be frequent or flexible enough as a medium to communicate the news of all that is happening in the town. So we propose to put more resources into developing regular contact by newsletters, and by posting stories on the Go Folkestone Facebook page and website, whilst reducing the frequency of the magazine to three times a year. Because we are aware that some members do not have internet access, we also intend to publish the majority of the internet articles in one of the thrice yearly magazines. We also have plans to organise some informal training sessions for members to enable them to get the best out of access to on line publishing and the wide range of other services now available on-line, hopefully doing this in tandem with the emergence of Folkestone as a community that is at the forefront of high speed on line communication, something that is increasingly indispensable in the modern business world, and which also offers huge benefits in bringing entertainment into the home. Please let us know of your views on these proposals. Go Folkestone s Environmental, Buildings and Tourism Group holds meetings at 7.45pm on the second Wednesday of every month, usually at Wards Hotel but phone for details Ann Berry Chair, Go Folkestone 35 Birkdale Drive, Folkestone. CT19 5LP annber35@supanet.com 1

4 FROM ONLY 199 A MONTH WITH ELECT 4 PERSONAL LEASE WE LL ALSO INCLUDE A COMPLIMENTARY SERVICING & ASSISTANCE PACKAGE FOR 3 YEARS. CITROËN DS3 DSTYLE PLUS DISCOVER THE DS3 AT WILMOTHS FOLKESTONE Oozing charm and style (well, it is TopGear Magazine s 2010 Car of the Year) this Citroën DS Elect 4 Personal Lease prices & offers apply to qualifying new Citroën vehicles ordered & delivered 01/10/12-31/12/12 & include VAT, delivery to Dealer & number plates, Government First Registration Fee, & 12 request from Citroën Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QA, UK. Over 18s only. A guarantee may be required. of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability. Finance offers apply to UK only. 5.1/55.4, 6.7/42.2, 155. Lowest: Citroën DS3 e-hdi 90 Airdream manual DStyle 95g 4.3/65.7, 3.2/88.3, 3.6/78.5, 95 WILMOTHS FOLKESTONE FOORD ROAD, FOLKESTONE, KENT, CT19 5AE 2

5 3 DStyle Plus goes even further: months graduated Vehicle Excise Duty. From price shown: Citroën DS3 VTi 120 manual DStyle Plus. An advance rental of will be required followed by 46 monthly rentals emissions (g/km); Highest: Citroën DS3 VTi 120 automatic with optional 17 alloys 9.5/29.7,. 2 3

6 4 45 flats, 42 shops and 94 offices/studios: An Interview with Adrian Lockwood By Nick Spurrier In addition to the Quarterhouse and the University Centre, the Creative Foundation currently has a property portfolio of 45 flats, 42 shops and 94 offices/studios. While the University Centre and Quarterhouse have their own management teams, the other properties are now the responsibility of the recently appointed Creative Quarter manager, Adrian Lockwood, who brings a wealth of experience to the job. Leaving school at 16, he was awarded Domino s Pizza s UK manager of the Year award in After subsequently building up his own cleaning business and selling it to fund his way at University, he graduated in 1997 with a BA in business administration. Following a series of temporary positions, he joined the Barbican Centre, where he eventually became Art Gallery s manager, moving in 2004 to Queen Mary University of London, there helping to develop the Centre of the Cell project, which won a Museum and Heritage Award in This background in the arts is ideal for one part of his job, which involves the marketing of the Creative Foundation properties. But as Lockwood explains there is possibly a misperception that all the tenants have to be artists. Though there is a creative criterion, we have a broad view on that, but of course we cannot, for example, have bookmakers so it is slightly more difficult to let properties. All prospective tenants for retail space are required to fill in an application form and submit a business plan while those applying for studios must submit images of their work, where appropriate, and a CV, before a decision can be made about their suitability. Lockwood continues, We look for tenants both locally and nationally. We are part of the UK restaurants network, so that any empty restaurants are marketed nationwide through Restaurants.co.uk; we are also part of the Federation of Artists Studio Providers. What is good about these organisations is that they bring people into Folkestone from outside, particularly the artists, of whom a lot are moving to Folkestone, where they know they can get high class studio accommodation and because it has good links with London. But we also work with people locally; one of the things we have been very successful with is renting somebody a studio or even a flat, where they produce something on their kitchen table which they then sell on line or through the occasional pop up shop. They might then expand, possibly employing someone and eventually taking on a shop permanently a two or three stage journey. The Creative Foundation also wants to enable businesses with similar interests to get together so that they can cut costs or work cooperatively as Lockwood explains We are in discussion with some tenants in two areas in particular the digital industries Screen South, Cognitive Media but also some of the small outfits web design, web marketing, with the aim of bringing these people together so that they can be aware of what they all do. We hope it may be possible to move from there to forming a Creative Quarter digital cluster, which may then attract other similar companies into the town. Some of the smaller companies are already starting to go in that direction; we have got three of them looking at one of the bigger properties and thinking of moving in together so that they can offer each other services and share space. At the moment they have three high speed broad band connections when obviously they only need one. So there would a bit of saving there also possibly some pitching for work together, so that they can handle bigger projects.

7 The building that these small businesses have in mind is known as the tin shed at 23a Tontine Street, accessible through a door at the side of Route 25 and sandwiched between the back of properties in Tontine Street and The Old High Street but with connections to the Creative Foundation properties on the Old High Street. Lockwood says What we are hoping, though it is not yet a done deal, is that if they take this property we will have a whole hub of businesses able to provide services for each other. So for example if a company was moving to Folkestone and they wanted a new brand, some marketing, their website set up, signs, design outside and inside, furniture, even t-shirts, they could get all this from this one area a sort of one stop set of shops for setting up a business. Finding tenants for the properties and supporting them is only one part of his job since of course the properties themselves require maintenance, as Lockwood says With occupancy now running at 85%, they take a lot of looking after. In fact adding the flats, shops, offices/studios together there is a total of 181 units in 85 properties including, I am told, 75 kitchens of which four are catering kitchens a big job but one has the impression with Lockwod that he is a quiet, steady and methodical worker, unlikely to be fazed by such a huge task. He says Within the Creative Quarter we have seen a big jump in occupancy last year - around 15%. I cannot imagine that there is anywhere else in the country that has had this sort of increase in 2012 so I am very pleased with the way it is going. In the spring we will have four key sites occupied on Tontine Street and then Josh De Haans s building will be coming on line in the summer. While we had a success in the Old High Street during the second part of last year, this will be the year for Tontine Street, then we can start thinking about the last few empty building and moving on to the wider picture of the area including Payers Park. Like all those who work at the Creative Foundation, Lockwood is relentlessly positive and that for the Creative Quarter and Folkestone as a whole is the only way to be if we are to move forward, Remembering Folkestone Community group, Folkestone in Transition, is undertaking an oral history project, to capture memories of the town from long-standing residents and would like to hear from anyone with pre-1960s memories of the town. Topics portraying the make-up of the town, will include what it was like, what did people eat, where did they work, what did they do for entertainment, how did they travel etc? In particular they would like to hear from anyone who has memories of the Pleasure Gardens. The group currently has a Facebook page: FolkestoneinTransition with a website under development, and you can read about the Transition initiative as a whole at It is now an international movement that is focused on a community response to the end of cheap oil, climate change and social inequality. Other Transition communities in the area include Hythe, Canterbury and Whitstable. The group would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in being involved or wanting more information. To be involved in the oral history project or to learn more about Folkestone in Transition Please contact Martin on or martin_whybrow@yahoo.co.uk 5

8 Photo: Ann Berry The Bradstone Mural What s It For? By David Taylor, Chairman of The Bradstone Association What s it for? was the invariable question as Phillippa Goddard toiled on Folkestone s largest work of art the gable-end mural beneath the viaduct in Bradstone Road. It s for you, Phillippa told passers-by, to gladden the heart and lift the spirits. And how right she was as three tiers of scaffolding were removed to reveal her stylised depiction of a bluebell wood, how the lower Pent Valley might have looked before urbanisation. On my way to town, enthused resident Glenda Smithard, it s like a stroll through the woods. Accolades came aplenty messages on the residents Facebook, a 15-minute video on YouTube ( Bradstone Mural ) and by word of mouth, not least from the prolific artist and gallery owner Shane Record, a difficult man to please. He and 70 others attended the unveiling in early November by MP Damian Collins with supporting speeches from Cllr Rory Love, deputy leader of Shepway District Council, and Cllr Rodica Wheeler, Mayor of Folkestone. A band played, photos were snapped and many thanks heaped on Phillippa and her team of volunteers led by resident Peter Phillips. It was a communal triumph. The idea came from Max Vizzini, treasurer of our residents group The Bradstone Association. Dismayed at the drab and graffiti-ridden gable-end, he remembered murals that had defeated graffiti in his wife s native city, 6

9 Chicago. Simultaneously, on a visit to New Zealand, I had seen a similar artistic success over graffiti. In the poor side of Opotiki, on the Bay of Plenty, murals of Maori culture on previously daubed surfaces had been respected. Would this dual benefit goodbye graffiti, hello inspiration work in Folkestone? Fingers crossed, so far it has! But to be safe, we ve applied two coats of a transparent anti-graffiti fluid to the mural. If it s attacked and, believe it or not, there has been a threat the graffiti can be cleaned off with water. Additionally, Phillippa added much detail to the lower part of the mural. Taggers prefer a clean sweep. On the downside, the mural has shifted the daubers elsewhere. Graffiti has appeared nearby on previously untouched brickwork. But residents are quickly following through with graffiti-removal fluid and high-pressure hoses. Phillippa is an accomplished painter and lives in New Romney, one of a clutch of artists mentored by arts enthusiast Briony Kapoor, whose nephew Anish Kapoor created the iconic hubble-bubble sculpture at the Olympic Park. I spotted one of Phillippa s murals through a piece in the Kentish Express. Would she tackle the daunting Bradstone gable-end? Yes indeed. And that took guts because Phillippa has a fear of heights and the Folkestone job was a tall order in every sense. With assurances that Peter Phillips would be at her side throughout, she took to the commission with gusto. Phillippa spent time getting the feel of the neighbourhood before submitting four basic designs. After a ballot of residents, the winner by a substantial margin was Wooded Valley. Phillippa measured the gable-end and refined the design on paper over which she superimposed a grid of one-inch squares. That grid, scaled up to one-foot squares on the gable-end, was her old-fashioned but infallible method of accurately transferring the design from paper to wall. But first, the textured surface had to be made good by volunteers who then applied two coats of high-quality masonry paint. Phillippa s great canvas was ready. Square by square, she sketched in the outlines. Then, using ordinary emulsion, she painted backgrounds, starting with the sky at the apex where she was least comfortable. Over two months, working every fine day, the mural took shape behind protective netting covering the scaffolding. Glimpses were not always reassuring. First layers appeared wishy-washy, even a little childish, as one critic put it. The perils of half-done things! September, October - winter was approaching. Her estimated 30-day mark was looming. Then, all of a sudden, Phillippa was finished. Two coats of varnish, to protect the emulsion, were rapidly applied. The scaffolding came down on November 7 and there, like a butterfly emerged from its pupa, was a glorious mural vivid, crisp, stylish and tasteful. We cheered! Next day the mural was the backdrop to a visit by MP and shadow cabinet member Caroline Flint, campaigning for Labour in the Kent police commissioner election. In the event, her candidate was unsuccessful but Ms Flint loved the mural. So too, the following day, did Damian Collins as he cut the ribbon at the official launch. Two MPs in two days, a host of dignitaries, happy residents, a thrilling mural but not a mention in the Folkestone Herald, despite two s to editorial. 7

10 But news stories are like writing in water. The mural is permanent a work of art that day-by-day, month-by-month elicits a smile, an uplift, a wider perspective. Funding came from the government s Community Development Foundation via the Harvey Central Community First Panel with top-up from Shepway District Council and Folkestone Town Council. At The Bradstone Association s annual general meeting we voted unanimously to commission another. Creative Quarter - Businesses behind the Scenes By Nick Spurrier While two previous articles have covered artists and shops in the Creative Quarter, this will look behind the scenes at businesses which have moved into the refurbished or reconstructed buildings in Tontine Street and the Old High Street and of which the number is growing. There are film and television companies, website and graphic designers, marketing companies and craftspeople making furniture, woodcraft, jewellery, stained glass, clothes, or articles from textiles. At the top of Tontine Street, The Wedge has now been the home of Screen South for several years. As a creative development agency, it helps people involved in film and other screen based media get their ideas off the ground and supports delivery locally, nationally and internationally. Nearby and also involved in the screen, Cognitive Media is a small, independent company, currently employing nine people and aiming to help people make sense of what are sometimes challenging and difficult to grasp ideas by the use of storytelling, drawing and animated films. As Andrew Park, founder of the company, says I have always drawn. It is a very elemental thing to me. I think in pictures and use them to understand the world. It is logical to me to try and help others using pictures too. Also involved in film, Spellbound Pictures run by Mark Hughes at 56 The Old High Street have worked all over the world making films with factual, entertainment, drama, music, sport, fashion and travel content for the cinema screen, television and the web. At the same address, headed up by experienced television series and executive producer Debbie Young, Red Rocket Television at The Old High Street is a television production company formed in early 2011 by three professionals with collectively more than 50 years experience in broadcast television, film and technology. Alongside these media companies, a number of crafts people have come together to form the artisan group Mermaids & Seagulls, with the aim of showcasing talented local designer- makers. They run pop-up shops and hold exhibitions of work, which includes fabrics, recycled textiles, upcycled and customised shoes, headpieces, gothic, vintage inspired, costume and other jewellery, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets, brooches and tiaras, embroidery, bespoke handbags, light installations, customised clothing, crochet hats, fabric bags and collectors jointed teddies made from unusual fabrics. 8

11 In roughly the same vein, Abigail s Wardrobe at 11-15, The Old High Street provides bespoke and ready to wear clothing and costume jewellery. Also making and selling jewellery in the Old High Street are Chris Cursley & Nicola Bond of Designed by Bond, who draw inspiration from colourful and exotic places. One of the first crafts people to take on a Creative Foundation property was Nick Easthope, who at Easthope Stained Glass Studios, situated in The Bayle, provides a range of services for the creation, repair, restoration, cleaning, conservation and protection of leaded lights and stained glass windows and has worked on ecclesiastical buildings, stately homes and other buildings of historical importance throughout the country. Working with wood, David Stuart, based in The Old High Street is a maker of small trinket boxes, jewellery boxes, wooden vases, candle holders and veneered items in contemporary styles, who also undertakes the restoration and repair of small antique items. Ryan Laslett, living in the Creative Quarter, also works in wood, designing and making his furniture using reclaimed materials from Tontine Street and around, examples of his work occasionally being displayed in Boutique Kosovo on the Old High Street. He worked for the BBC for a number of years as a set designer and still works for a number of London clients for bespoke design projects. Pavement Pounders at 42 The Old High Street have recently produced their second volume of Transitions, an annual journal with contributions from both established writers and local people, which is reviewed on page 20. This is part of The Pride of Place Project, which involves tours and guided walks, drawing workshops, with the emphasis on large communal drawings and Voices of Folkestone an oral history project, collecting memories from residents. Offering services to the musicians in Folkestone and beyond is Hidden Track recording studios, whose purpose built, professional recording studios, owned and run by Oz Craggs, have sessions that can be for just an hour or so or extend over two months. As I have written in the article based on an interview with Adrian Lockwood on page 4, there are now some businesses in the Creative Quarter who are getting together working co-operatively. Even where this cannot happen, commissioning services from other local firms will help the town prosper and encourage others to move in. There are for instance a number of marketing businesses in the Creative Quarter: The Lift is the rather appropriate name for a business run by Howard Barkley which looks to help people to solve business challenges and to gain more customers, subscribers, members, visitors, students or donors or retain those they already have. Webscape Marketing helps to promote websites and businesses across the UK using the latest ethical digital marketing techniques including Search Engine Optimisation and social media. 9

12 A specialist marketing company at 2-4 South Street is Martello Building Consultancy set up in 2011 by Andrew Cruttenden to offer Marketing, Management and Technical services within the building industry. Andy s vision is to develop Martello Building Consultancy as one of the leading building consultancy practices in Kent, within the next ten years. Also a specialist but in the area of design, ARC Creative, based at 69 Tontine Street, works in sustainable tourism, heritage and the environmental sectors, offering consultancy, design and producing products that help to make the best of particular locations. They have worked at castles, visitor centres, leisure parks and nature reserves. Offering both design and marketing, Pebbleshores based in The Old High Street, are a design agency with offices in Folkestone and London, who work with companies large and small, helping them to improve their performance through effective marketing promotions and communications. Locally their clients include Rocksalt restaurant, Sene Valley Golf Club and Buzzlines while nationally they have worked with the Hilton Hotel Group. Finally, Davis & Davis Design (Richard and Sarah Davis) at 49 the Old High Street are graphic and website designers who are providing advertising services Though some businesses may seem to disappear, some have simply moved into different premises. Still in the Trenches, selling militaria, including uniforms, medals, deactivated weapons, documents, photographs and books, have moved from the Old High Street to Unit Three, Tontine Street. Also in Tontine Street, the completion of Josh De Haan s building in the old Piper s club is expected sometime this year. It will become the headquarters of View London, an online entertainment guide, and his other companies including the Rocksalt and Smokehouse restaurants as well as, on the ground floor, a mentoring service for embryo businesses. It is these small businesses, some of which are planning to work together, the artists and the independent shops especially in the Creative Quarter and Rendezvous street that will make Folkestone stand out and give it a good chance of coming stronger out of the recession as some high street chains go down due to internet sales or out of town shopping centres. One good idea encourages others With the success of the Bradstone Association mural, local residents of Darby Road have been encouraged to think of tidying up Darby Steps, running between their road and Foord Road North near the railway viaduct, an area which has been in decline for many years, blighted by fly tipping, tons of litter, a heavily tagged wall, smashed glass and a broken fence. 10

13 As a result, Emily Ghassempour of East Folkestone Together and Nick Adams, Kent County Council Community Warden, have spearheaded a regeneration project to work with residents, who decided that a mural, accompanying a tidy-up, would brighten the steps and encourage people to respect them. Put forward by Emily Ghassempour, Folkestone artists Leigh Mulley and Sam Millen were invited to meetings, where, in cooperation with residents, they have created a design for the mural, details of which will soon be announced. The Leas Lift Beer Festival, March, 2013 Housed within the lower station of the historic Folkestone Leas Lift from which it takes its name and now in its third year, the Leas Lift Beer Festival returns on March 15th to bring the people of Folkestone a celebration of great British beers, ales, stouts and ciders. The three-day festival is small but perfectly formed and prides itself on its family friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Started in 2011 by three local beer enthusiasts, the aim was to offer a taste of real ales supporting a unique location. Beginning with only five beers the festival has grown year on year, last summer offering 24 different ales from independent Kent breweries. The fifth edition of the beer festival will take place on 15th-17th March and will be, as it always has been, free to enter. Fantastic Kentish beers will be on sale as well as a few specially invited northern guest ales. Also on offer will be a fine selection of the ever-popular local ciders. For the first time this year we are running a home brew competition. For those who like a snack with their beer, locally produced hot pies will be on sale. Entertainment is provided by live music and live six nations rugby. Our friendly and enthusiastic volunteer staff will be on hand to offer advice to everyone from seasoned beer festival veterans to non-ale drinkers; we aim to offer something for all tastes. We are not affiliated with CAMRA or any breweries and do not work in the drinks industry. The festival is organised in our spare time and we channel profits back into the festival to improve facilities and make each one bigger and better. If you ve never been to a beer festival before the Leas Lift is a perfect place to start. If you have been to beer festivals before then the Leas Lift offers a unique experience and a true taste of Folkestone. For more information on the festival and tasting notes for all the beers and ciders on sale visit our website, Facebook page and follow us on Twitter: theleasliftbeerfestival.co.uk facebook.com/theleasliftbeerfestival twitter.com/leasliftbeer (@LeasLiftBeer) 11

14 Folkestone Airshow Boosting local business Fly Folkestone, 7 9 June Turn a memorable Day into a Wonderful Weekend Building on last year s successful Jubilee Airshow that attracted over 60,000, a bigger and better one is planned for this year. Spread over three days from 7 9 June, it is hoped that 100,000 people will visit the town for the air display on Saturday and that a proportion of these will have an overnight stay in Folkestone or nearby, so using the hotels, cafés, restaurants and other facilities. The Saturday air display will extend over five hours, with a full PA system, giving commentary, covering the Leas from The Metropole to the Road of Remembrance and The Seafront from Onyx Night Club to the Mermaid Café. On The Leas itself there will be stalls from community groups, charities and the forces with some food outlets from businesses that service the Leas while on the Old Rotunda site there will be a food and trade village To make the weekend attractive for those who stay overnight, events are being planned from Friday through to Sunday including walking and coach tours of Folkestone and the surrounding areas, a seaside family fun day, living history events, taster sessions at the sea sports centre and an exhibition of models made by local schools At the Folkestone Air Show s launch in The Grand on January 23, speakers John Barber, Town Centre Manager, Chris Kirkham of Discover Folkestone, Amanda Cottrell, chairman of Visit Kent and Yvonne Holder, project manager, made it clear how much visitors to the area and events like the Airshow boosted the local economy. Tourism s contribution is 210 million per annum with the Airshow on its own contributing up to 12.6 million and, as Chris Kirkham pointed out, it is important to remember that those who come once often return and will probably encourage others; a visitor survey carried out in Folkestone between June & September 2011 discovered that 60% of visitors questioned stated that their likelihood of recommending the area to family and friends was very high with a further 25% saying that their likelihood of recommendation was high. And of course all these visitors help sustain businesses and employment in some way. In order to ensure that the local economy benefits as much as possible, the Airshow has a buy local ethos, where possible sourcing goods and services locally as well as giving all local businesses the opportunity to promote, sell and display over the whole weekend. But all this will cost money, so in return local businesses and local people are being encouraged to help raise the 250,000 that will be needed to put the show on. Yvonne Holder set out ways in which people can help, from small donations to corporate sponsorship. Individuals can also help by becoming a Friend of the Folkestone Air Show or attending the Gala Fund Raising evening on Saturday 23rd March at the Burlington Hotel. And finally of course volunteers will be needed on the day. Details of how you can help and all other information about Folkestone Airshow can be found of their website at What came across during the launch at The Grand was the excitement, efficiency and determination of those involved. One came away with the feeling the Airshow and all the other festivals planned for June are a very large piece in the Folkestone regeneration jig-saw slowly being put together by an increasingly energised population. 12

15 Ten Years On: An Exhibition of the Life and Times of Noel Redding To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the guitarist Noel Redding s death, Steve McCarthy has organised an exhibition in the Sassoon Room above Folkestone library, which will run from 4 19 May. Born in Folkestone and educated at the Harvey Grammar School, Redding was lead guitar in local bands before joining the Jimi Hendrix Experience, in which he played bass guitarist between 1966 and As Steve explained in an interview with jimpress (Issue 100, Spring 2013), I have always collected Hendrix Memorabilia and feel it s time some of it was on show. For the last year I have been a volunteer in Folkestone Library and was very surprised to find that no information was stored about Noel s career. So I decided to put this right, especially as a friend of mine Derek Knight had recently died. Derek was the lead singer with The Lonely Ones, the band Noel played in before he joined the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It seemed a shame that Noel s story is lost to future generations, as I am sure people will always be interested in the 1960s music scene. The exhibition will consist mainly of Jimi Hendrix Experience memorabilia of which Steve has a considerable collection, including posters, vinyl, books, and magazines together with other material relating to other bands in which Redding played. There will also be artwork on display, created by local people, including Steve, concerning the 1960s music scene, some of which will be for sale. Steve adds I also hope to record stories by local people who knew Noel when he lived in Folkestone. I am certain that some of his classmates will attend the exhibition. My intention is to donate these recordings, my notes and other material to the local heritage room in Folkestone library for use by future researchers as at the moment there is no information about Noel s musical career. My aim is to put this right before we lose any more people who knew him. Burstin with Life It is very much a marmite building says Andy Ross, sales manager of the Burstin Hotel, People either love it or hate it. Kaddy Lee Preston has said she really loves it. This would probably not be the opinion of most people in Folkestone. Many have never forgiven the demolition in 1981/82 of the Victorian Royal Pavilion Hotel by Mr Burstin, a Southend councillor, who had bought the building after its release from World War II requisition in 1954; they can never be convinced that its successor has any merits at all. In fact the Burstin as it now stands is incomplete; more at both sides was intended to make it even more shiplike. However Toby Denham of Farrells, the architects, believes that even in its present incarnation it does have merit. He says It is a strong and memorable building, entirely inspired by its context. Its form and use recall the holiday and cross channel heydays of the sixties when ferries steamed the line to Boulogne. The asymmetrical shape of the building, with its forward bridge, makes it very directional and its flat sides with punched porthole windows and terraced superstructure has obvious references to the ships and ferries that once filled the harbour. This building has a bow and a stern; you feel that any moment it might sail off! There is actually a good deal of humour in its conception. Its form and use recall the holiday and cross channel heydays of the sixties when ferries steamed the line to Boulogne. The asymmetrical shape of the building, with its forward bridge, makes it very directional and its flat sides with punched porthole windows and terraced superstructure has obvious references to the ships and ferries that once filled the harbour. This building has a bow and a stern; you feel that any moment it might sail off! There is actually a good deal of humour in its conception. 13

16 Whatever the views of its architectural merit, it is a success story for Folkestone employing 180 people and bringing thousands of visitors to Folkestone all the year round. With 550 en-suite bedrooms, the hotel can accommodate 1200 guests. Ross says The occupancy rate is of course seasonally dependent. We were running at 100% occupancy for the whole of last summer and were also fully booked for Christmas through to the New Year. In the quieter parts of the January, February and March, and in the autumn, we have speciality music weekends sixties, rock and roll or country and western - to encourage the occupancy. All the rooms vary in price according to the time of year and the occupancy of the hotel. We have rooms out of season varying from 30 a night bed and breakfast to 150 a night for the premium rooms, with balconies overlooking the Channel. The hotel has two restaurants, two main bars, together with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, sports and weights gym. The ballroom can accommodate 800 people, around 70% of the guests, for our nightly shows by our regular in house cabaret team, who are permanently employed, which the guests like because they get to know the entertainments team, remember their birthdays etc. Of course for the speciality music weekends we take on outside entertainers. The hotel also offers a base for visitors to explore the surrounding area. On a busy day they may have 29 coaches with trips organised to Rye, Canterbury and France but one day is always set aside for exploring Folkestone. Ross says, Lots of our guests love the harbour, the Old High Street, the coastal park, the beach and the Mermaids café and the children especially like the adventure playground; some of our guests use the hotel as a base for the coastal walk. We are just as dependent on individual business and private groups as we are on the coaches. Denham believes the Burstin could do even more for the town For me, it could be much improved if it engaged with the seafront at ground level. Hotels should be very public buildings, especially seafront hotels. Some of the car park which actually surrounds the hotel could be replaced with gardens, terraces, restaurants and bars, spilling out onto lawns and terraces to the east and south, becoming a must visit destination and offering venues for a casual drink or a reception. I can imagine the Bridge Bar and After deck terrace on one side, affording visitors terrific views of the harbour and channel while on other you could recreate an Edwardian lawn in front of the fragment of the original hotel that remains. Regardless of these exciting ideas, there is little doubt that even as it stands the Burstin is a staggering success and riposte to those who say Folkestone lacks attractions. Ross says People return year on year because they like the hotel and the location. They like to have a stroll round the harbour. It is a place for many of our regulars, who are inner city people, to get away from it all. I can concur with this after meeting a young family with two children at the Roman Villa Dig in 2010, who told me that they came to Folkestone every year from Northampton, drawn back by a love of both the town and the hotel. Perhaps we should all learn to embrace the Burstin a little more. As Denham says, Whether one likes or dislikes the Grand Burstin, it is a uniquely Folkestone landmark, one which, with a little love, could be a valuable asset to the seafront. 14

17 Marathon No.13 in 2013 Ray Johnson will again be running the London Marathon on 21st April 2013 in aid of the Kent Association for the Blind, his thirteenth in a row. To date he has raised over 48,352 for the Kent Association for the Blind, so he is keen to smash the 50,000 barrier this year. He has also over 6,000 for Cancer Research. If anyone wishes to make a donation they can send a cheque, payable to the Kent Association for the Blind, to Ray Johnson, Church House, 136 Sandgate Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2BN or donate online at Ray comments: My 2012 Marathon time was 4 hours, 25 minute and 15 seconds - my slowest so far, but then I am getting old! It was particularly hard going from mile 23 onwards last year but, unlike previous years, thankfully I did not hit the wall or suffer any stiff legs! It was nice to run this race and last year s at the same age! My best time was 3 hours, 23 minutes in 2002 and I am already in training for this year s event. I know I can t beat this time, but I am sure I can certainly raise more money for charity and that encourages me tremendously. Just the other day I completed a training run of 22 miles from Folkestone to Bonnington and back. Already I am on my way, having raised over 550 so far for this year s race. F J Fullick Ltd Euronics Centre Domestic Appliances Sales/Service 319 Cheriton Road Folkestone Kent CT19 4BQ TEL: FAX: paul@fullick.fbusiness.co.uk 15

18 16 The Naming of Places On the Terry Farrell plan for the seafront and harbour, there are 16 suggested names for proposed new streets, squares, gardens, mews or quays. They are Leas Square, Lido Lane, Marine Gardens, Rotunda Avenue, Rotunda Mews, Dune Way, Victoria Pier Street, Victoria Mews, Harbour Gardens, Harbour Masters Square, Station Mews, Harbour Station Street, Harbour/Fountain Square, Embarkation Square, South Quay and West Quay. These names have been put forward so that in discussing the plan areas can be identified but they are not set in stone; some such as Harbour Station Street and Embarkation Square may well stand, as they draw attention to that location s former use but others do not and could be changed. While William Harvey s association with the town is well recorded, others who spent time here are not; H.G. Wells lived in the Folkestone area from , first in a small house in Sandgate and latterly in Spade House which he had built half way down from the Folkestone Leas to Sandgate. During his time here he wrote, amongst many novels, articles, essays and journalism The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), The First Men in the Moon (1901) and of course Kipps (1906), his favourite novel, which was set in Folkestone. He also wrote one of his best known short stories The Country of The Blind (1904) as well as The Misery of Boots (1907) a Fabian Society pamphlet, drawing attention to the plight of the working classes and supporting socialism as a solution. Also concerned with the plight of the disadvantaged was Samuel Plimsoll who brought about the painting of a white line around ships to avoid overloading, thus preventing the deaths of many seamen. Although he spent the last six years of his life in the town, little has been done to celebrate those years, which were not inactive. He continued to lobby on behalf of seamen, sat on the 1892 Royal Commission on Labour, helped raise money for George Howell - chartist and trade unionist - who had fallen on hard times and, with a trip to the United States, did much to improve Anglo- American relations. At that time there was much bias in American school text books against the British. He persuaded the American government to remove this bias and, it is thought, the resulting change of public opinion made it easier for the United States to come to the aid of the British towards the end of the First World War. So what about an H.G. Wells Square or a Samuel Plimsoll Quay? Any suggestions are welcome. Still Homeless Still sited behind The Grand, the step lift carriage, rescued from the second set of Leas lift rails and restored with the help of funds raised by Robert Mouland, has yet to find a permanent home. While putting it back on the rails is not considered a safe or sensible option by the Leas Lift Company, the rear of the Old Town Hall, recently acquired by Folkestone Town Council has been suggested. Though this would certainly lead to the brightening of a rather insalubrious area, it is feared that it might leave the carriage prone to vandalism, while it is also becoming apparent that it will not long survive exposure to the open air. With this in mind, Eamonn Rooney has recently proposed that it could be housed in some sort of weather proof container, possibly reinforced glass in the (temporarily named) Leas Square which it is intended to construct at the bottom of the Leas Lift. All other practical suggestions are welcome.

19 Advertisement Rocksalt has given a big welcome to their new head chef, Simon Oakley, who started in February. Mark Sargeant says Simon is a very talented chef who has worked with Mark Hix in London for the past five years and I am very excited to start working with him on new menu ideas to take Rocksalt into We are sticking with our core ethos of local and seasonal produce, but will be introducing some new and exciting ingredients and dishes. The Restaurant is the heart and soul of Rocksalt. Its à la carte menu has a wealth of choice, showcasing the freshest fish and best local meat, as well as our own smoked and cured fish. Our set, two and three course menu, available for lunch and dinner mid-week, changes weekly to enable us to offer an even greater variety of fresh, seasonal dishes. Rocksalt Bar on the first floor is a great location to begin or end your meal with delicious cocktails and artisan beers. Pass the day while grazing on our extensive bar menu or just sharing a bottle of wine from our eclectic list. Brunch is also served on weekends. Enjoy a delicious Cocktail during our Happy Hour, Sunday to Thursday, pm. Both Rocksalt Restaurant and Bar are available for private dining and functions. Visit our website or give us a call for more information. Rocksalt Rooms, which have recently been awarded four rosettes by the AA, are the perfect way to end your meal with us, or indeed start your lunch. We have four boutique bolt holes, each with their own personality and dressed with Egyptian cotton, original antique beds, flat screen televisions and wet rooms. With stunning sea views, the rooms are situated on Folkestone Harbour and are just a short walk from Rocksalt. Events. Rocksalt Comedy Nights have returned for The headliner for March will be Quincy with support from Rachel Parris. For details see: Cooking Demos with Mark Sargeant: Start with coffee, tea and pastries before joining Mark as he demonstrates how to cook three signature dishes. Follow this with Champagne and canapés before enjoying your lunch consisting of the showcased dishes. 100 per person. Limited places available. Rocksalt, 4-5 Fishmarket, Folkestone, Kent CT19 6AA e: info@rocksaltfolkestone.co.uk t:

20 Folkestone Cinema; Past, Present and Future By Richard Wallace I was present, unaware at first, at the last night of one Folkestone cinema in around 1989, watching Robocop at The Cannon, on a Monday on impulse, with Chrissie. But there have been many more been and gone. If you want a blow by blow history up until 1987 buy from local bookshops, esp. Marrins or get from Folkestone Library Memories of Kent Cinemas by Martin Tapsell. But as we may be entering another new era I thought I would do a personal review of the most important ones and then look, briefly and generally at the possible future. If you look closely at the revived Town Hall, in the first floor foyer, you will see a plaque denoting that films were shown in the 1890s at the Town Hall, as an informal first cinema, fewer than 5 years into cinema history. As a middle and upper class South Coast resort the need to be in the vanguard of new entertainments would have been a strong one. The earliest permanent cinema was in 1911 in what was until recently The Rendezvous Club in Tontine Street, then the Queens Cinema, and now heavily rebuilt flats. It was unsuccessful but had its day of pride and tragedy in 1917, just after closing, when it became the first aid post and early mortuary for the dreadful bombing of Stokes the greengrocers opposite by German Gotha biplanes. That was the worst bombing, certainly in South East England in the First World War, with 22 people killed in total in raids on Dover, and fewer in London. On that day bombs killed or mortally wounded over 70 people; it was the Friday before Whit Monday, then a major public holiday. In 1912, The Playhouse and The Savoy (and The Central) were created. The Playhouse, in Guildhall Street where the Blood Donor shop now is, was the first proper purpose built cinema in town. Clive Arnold remembered it as a place of some style with a stained glass illuminated fascia and broad steps up from what was of course a busy, bussed and trafficked street in the sixties. It was demolished in 1965 when Tesco relocated from next to Bobbies aka Debenhams into their first (small) purpose built store in Folkestone. More recognisably an ex-cinema even now is the smaller and now derelict Savoy, later Rio Bingo and then the Metronome club in Grace Hill, though still stripped of what cinematic interior it did have ca 2000 when Jimmy Godden was thinking of it as an indoor market. The Savoy was always known as a Flea Pit by the kids in the 1960s; it was very dark and gloomy. The kids preferred the Odeon. For some time after the War, the Pleasure Gardens Theatre, the big, detached Edwardian theatre and tea rooms in the old pleasure gardens in Bouverie Road West showed films. Indeed it was primarily a cinema for the last 8 years before it closed in The ornate stanchions often restricted views apparently. The pleasure gardens were redeveloped with office blocks in the end, including the Civic Centre. The real showpiece cinema in Folkestone was built, as with most of the first generation of super-cinemas in Britain, in the Art Deco style in the 1930s as audiences approached their zenith. It was of course The Astoria, also Odeon, demolished for the still familiar Boots Chemists in Sandgate Road. Inside there were 1675 seats (!) a restaurant, a cocktail bar, a small dance floor, a little used mahogany floored stage and a 6 rank Compton cinema organ which was often used for separate recitals. The Astoria was so big that General Montgomery gathered his officers there for a briefing 18

21 before the D Day landings (in which incidentally, kids, the British and Canadians had more troops landing than the Americans). The Astoria s final fling remembered by David Springett, one of many gala openings held there, was of The Battle of Britain film in 1969 with Kenneth Moore as special guest, and it closed in 1974 with a James Bond double bill. The Odeon was also used in the 1960 s as a music venue with The Rolling Stones one of the most famous music nights in the town. Clive Arnold remembers The former cocktail bar known as The Odeon Bar became a meeting place in the 1970 s with dancing and a balcony onto Sandgate Road it was the place to go to see the girls, usually from the balcony to begin with (until it got condemned). In the 1960 s many a child would go to Saturday Morning Pictures armed with sweets. It was a fun day until the late 1970s when Multi Coloured Swop Shop and then Tiswas killed it quite suddenly. There were always cartoons to get things started and then there were usually about three features each week. A serial (to make sure you came back next week), a short comedy such as a Laurel & Hardy, and a feature film. This was usually a western that had the good cowboys in white hats and smart clothes and the bad guys in black hats and, with unshaven faces, who always looked untidy. If there was a sci-fi feature this would be something like Jet Speed and the invaders from the dark side of the Moon. The special effects left a lot to be desired and the aliens were always ugly creatures that were always after our women, which thinking about it now is a bit improbable. As soon as the films finished a mad dash was made to the bus to get to the chip shop for Saturday lunch. The buses picked up in Guildhall Street where of course the Playhouse had just gone. The only cinema from in Folkestone was the Central ( ), later the ABC (shouldn t the C be first), Essoldo, Classic/Curzon/Classic (again) /Cannon - more about that in the next Go Folkestone issue. The Folkestone Town Hall of 1863 was bought by an insurance company as an investment in around 1987 and converted into a shop, but it was some time before Mr Sandy Wallace, a noted independent operator successful in Dover and (at the time) Deal, sorted out a deal to bring (first floor) cinema back to Folkestone, with council help, in Now the Silver Screen, opened in April 1990, provides two screens, with the old council chambers as cinemas of very different sizes. The palmy days of the early 1990s have receded as Ashford and then Westwood opened multiplexs, but the town is big enough to support a cinema and The Silver Screen is not in danger. It is central, comfortable, child friendly and full of the character of its Victorian origins. It also does better sweets than Ashford, which is not difficult. It programmes well, and if the entrance was lit and not obscured by a recently installed lamp-post banner it might get even more custom. But of course the building is listed, so it cannot have wall to wall neon. Many cinemas are updating from traditional film to digital film. Apparently, if you do not, it actually becomes several times more expensive hiring the old films. It will cost a lot to digitise The Silver Screen but it will make it easier to show more films with a fast changeover. The Town Council hopes to retain the cinema as that was one reason for buying the decaying building. It is, and will be, pursuing lots of grants to both improve the cinema and provide a basement museum, with some limited ground floor pictures and displays. In the digitisation the (much) smaller second cinema may convert back to an ornate council chamber and meeting room, if that can be used enough. It could double or triple up as a live venue, a museum ancillary showing historic loop films at certain times, or as a weekend film club venue. The removal of much old equipment 19

22 may enable an office or two to become available at the top. Are there any accountants out there who like popcorn or Revels? Superdrug became Waterstones in 1998 and then emptied before Folkestone Town Council bought it back for the town last year at half the original asking price. I helped get 50k more off the price at the last moment: FTC does not waste money. But what of The Silver Screen? Well it is important to the town, and whilst the ground floor has now been occupied by the Town Council, the cinema remains, rented from the Council, with projection rooms and stores on the highest floors. Tell us how you think it could be improved. If you are a real old cinema fan write in or comment on our website or facebook site with the names of the 6 stars depicted in huge photos in the main cinema auditorium! First one to get them all right gets 10 and a name check as the ultimate film buff of Folkestone. Go Folkestone hope to get an interview with Mr Wallace soon. 20 Three New Folkestone Books By Nick Spurrier I expect we all have albums, boxes, or sometimes even drawers full of photographs, which more than anything else evoke memories of our childhood and youth, indeed all stages of our lives as well as those of parents or even grandparents. Brett Rogers, director of The Photographers Gallery in London, writes in his foreword to Other People s Photographs, produced by the Arts Company Strange Cargo, snapshots taken by amateurs [have] now become recognised as a significant repository of cultural memory and social constructs. The introduction by Bridget Orasinski details the conception and completion of the public artwork, which has resulted in the making of 558 street signs from photographs sent in, and the siting of them on lampposts in every street in Folkestone, as near as possible to where the original was taken. The book contains 715 images mobile phone snaps to professional photographs - from 1893 to the present day, showing a changing town long gone shops and facilities - and a changing populace different clothes, hairstyles, cars and motor vehicles, in fact all aspects of life in Folkestone - people at work and play, with animals in abundance, from 97 dogs to a pet mouse and a stuffed tiger. Perhaps Strange Cargo do not like to think of this as history but social history it is, and a fascinating one, made into a public work of art. The sea was the theme for the 2012 H.G. Wells Short Story competition, of which 20 short listed stories are included in an anthology, entitled Born of the Island and Other Sea Stories. In addition to the main Turnill (junior) prize of 1000 for those aged 25 or under, there was also The Grand (senior) prize of 250 for those aged 26 or over and the mayor s prize of 100 for the best handwritten entry, though while handwriting was encouraged it was no longer compulsory. Whether handwriting, a craft, contributes to creativity is debateable though Reg Turnhill has always been convinced that it does. What it certainly does not do, as is mooted in the introduction, is deter plagiarism; any individual determined on that course would simply download a story and transcribe it in their best copperplate hand. As in all ages new technology is always unwelcome to some but gradually absorbed and accepted. It forms part of the winning senior story Beneath by Hummel C.

23 Addams, in which a man returning home on a train to his childhood home in a seaside village is compiling a diary on his I-pad, his writing interspersed with s, texts, mobile phone calls and Facebook posts - the sort of frenetic activity one often now sees in public. The style of writing reflects the speeded up life dictated by all the new technology. The diary and so the story ends abruptly and mysteriously after his arrival in the lifeless village. In contrast to this, the junior winning story A Visitor from the Deep by Angus Nesbit, concerns a disappointed, rather staid and old fashioned zoologist towards the end of his career who has failed to make any significant discovery. Like the previous story, it is well-written, though in more traditional style in keeping with its protagonist, and enticing, leaving one wondering all the time what is going to happen - though with some certainty that a discovery will be made or possibly concocted along the lines of the Piltdown Skull forgery, or that failed ruse of John Heslop-Harrison, who reported significant new plant finds on expeditions to the Inner and Outer Hebrides, which it turned out he had planted himself. But in this case the zoologist does come across a previously unknown creature, one with exceedingly sharp teeth, which, unhappy with being discovered, it uses to near devastating effect on the hapless yet happy zoologist. For those unwilling to attempt a short story, Transitions: A Journal of Crossings Inspired by Folkestone, also welcomed submissions of articles, essays or poems, concerned with the personal experience of the universal themes of crossings, transitions and transformations. One section dealt with the liminal a transitional state or that state of occupying a position, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold (OED) possibly in some instances it could be termed sitting on the fence Some of the articles are theoretical and show evidence of wide reading while others tell of their own life experience. James Bennett writes of the liminal as the space between with the example of adolescent initiation rites in primitive societies and the transition from autumn to winter. Gillian White describes an air flight from England to America as being nowhere, a feeling you may also have when travelling on motorways when - the norms of everyday life are suspended. An anonymous memoir portrays the difficult transition from alcoholism to sobriety - a chaotic existence, when an individual is no longer drinking but is not entirely happy, finding it difficult to step clear of the threshold into a different life. Also a somewhat painful process was that experienced by Georgina Baker, the Folkestone Mermaid, who in order to effect the transition from mortal to immortal as she terms it, had to be covered entirely in rubber and plaster. The transition for Maggie Harris was in writing her memoir Kiskadee Girl which entailed a change to writing in prose rather than poetry. There are also short stories by Annie Webb, a poem, the words of a song by Maiuko, an account of the building of the Folkestone Fountain by Trevor Minter and much else altogether 20 pieces, making a rich variety of fiction and non-fiction. Other People s Photographs. Strange Cargo Arts Company pp404 is available at Waterstones in Folkestone for 25, Born of the Island and Other Sea Stories edited by Rosie Unsworth with a foreword by Rodica Wheeler and an Introduction by Reg Turnill pp205. It is available only on Kindle from Amazon for Transitions: A Journal of Crossings Inspired by Folkestone 2. Pavement Pounders CIC. Edited by Maryanne Grant Traylen pp98. It can be obtained directly from Pavement Pounders pavementpounders@gmail.com 21

24 Folkestone Townscape Heritage Inititaive. In May last year it was announced that a partnership comprising Kent County Council, Shepway District Council and the Creative Foundation had won through the first round of a Heritage Lottery Fund process to secure funds to renovate or substantially refurbish a range of buildings, including the former Millets building in The Old High Street, as well as make improvements to public areas such as Payers Park and the Bayle Steps. Since that time, the partnership team has been developing its proposals further in preparation for a full grant application in 2013 for 1.3million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which, together with other funding, may bring the total available to 1.6 Million. The project proposes work on properties, ranging from minor repairs to improve facades or restore architectural details to full restoration or refurbishment, though the grant can also be used for training in conservation skills. Views are now being sought from business owners, tenants, residents and stakeholders in the area of Folkestone s Old Town, which includes The Old High Street, Rendezvous Street, Church Street, The Bayle, Grace Hill, Tontine Street and Payers Park. The buildings proposed for inclusion in the plans should have heritage value. A key objective will be to help create an area that is an attractive destination for local people, visitors and businesses. For further information contact: The Creative Foundation: Peter Bettley peter@ creativefoundation.org.uk Shepway District Council: Sarah Smith sarah.smith@shepway.gov.uk Kent County Council: John Todd john. todd@kent.gov.uk Reader s photo of the The Little Mermaid by David Crocker

25 Gurkha Palace FINE NEPALESE RESTAURANT THE PERFECT VENUE FOR LARGE OR SMALL PARTIES WINNER OF PRIDE IN SHEPWAY AWARD 2008 & 2010 HIGHLY COMMENDED BY CHANNEL BUSINESS AWARD 2007 NOMINATED BEST NEPALESE IN THE COUNTRY - COBRA CURRY AWARD 2007 Quality without compromise! EXPRESS HOME DELIVERY AVAILABLE Enbrook Valley, Golden Valley, Folkestone CT20 3NE 23

26 24 A Brief History of Cheriton by Vincent Williams St Martin s church has stood on the hillside at the top of the Horn Street valley, at the west end of Folkestone since Saxon times and was built at some time between 750AD and 900AD, making it the oldest building still in use today in Folkestone. But whereas many local history books have documented Folkestone, few have given Cheriton more than a passing mention; mostly to acknowledge the fact that the churchyard contains the grave of Samuel Plimsoll, a Liberal M.P. for Derby, who is world renowned for creating the Plimsoll Line on ships which has undoubtedly saved the lives of many thousands of seamen, and earned him the nickname The Sailor s Friend. There is evidence of a settlement in what we now know as Cheriton as early as 2500BC and the name Cheriton derives from the Old English words Cirice tūn meaning Church farm and this church, so the name would have been in use from Saxon or Norman times. Land ownership in early times was based on service usually granted perhaps in the first instance by the monarch of the day and then granted similarly by his supporters, and there are medieval records of the five manors with the parish of which only one building survives Enbrook Manor. However Cheriton s development doesn t really start until the late 19th century. In fact until the late 1800s well over 90% of Cheriton was agricultural land. But with the arrival of the railway and the resulting success of Folkestone as a tourist resort together with the proximity of Shorncliffe Camp, a separate entity called Cheriton Street sprang up. Cheriton s main industry at the time was the laundry business to service the needs of both the army camp and Folkestone s hotels and earned the village the name of the Washtub of Folkestone! Gradually the villages or hamlets of Cheriton, Risborough, Barton and now Cheriton Street have all merged into one Cheriton as we now know it. Over the years industries have come and gone - the brickyards, and Dormobile (who converted Vauxhall cars and Bedford vans). And the invention of the washing machine sounded the death knell for the laundry industry with the last laundry closing down in the 1980s. The Channel Tunnel has brought some prosperity to a town in decline whilst robbing it of ancient agricultural land, and yet Cheriton has continued to survive. Similarly the large supermarkets of Tesco and Morrison s have put pay to most of the family run grocers, butchers and fishmongers, and although the high street has hardly any empty shops, there are a plethora of hairdressers, charity shops, take-aways and betting shops. So with Cheriton possibly losing some of its own identity and history, local resident and author Vince Williams, has decided to chronicle the history of Cheriton in a series of books which are raising money for a new community

27 centre. These 80 page volumes are already out and available from Rocheforts Newsagents and Forget Me Not in Cheriton, The Vine Bookshop in Folkestone, from the Folkestone & District Local History Society or from the author on Each paperback book costs 10 and there are limited edition hardbacks available priced at 15. Two volumes chronicle the two main churches of St. Martin s and All Souls. Then the remaining volumes are simply called Cheriton An Illustrated History Volume 1, 2 or 3. These books look at such diverse subjects as the local schools, Cheriton s cinema, its almshouse, the dairies, the laundries, the watermills and windmills in the area, the start of scouting, and the arrival of the railway. The most recent volume looks at the various bus companies that fought for business, the different sites of Folkestone s Ambulance station, what famous authors such as Dickens and HG Wells have written about the village, and the meanings behind some of Cheriton s stranger street names. All the volumes also include a larger chapter showing Cheriton s shop fronts as they were and what they have been replaced by over the ages. If anyone has any old photographs or information on Cheriton, Vince Williams would like to hear from them as the intention is to bring out more volumes as information and pictures come to hand that can chronicle the area whilst raising more money for a much needed community centre. Vince Williams number is or he can be contacted through Davis & Davis Clock in Cheriton Time Gentleman PLEASE! Anyone visiting Cheriton will now have no trouble in finding the right time after the installation of an automatic winder for the Davis & Davis clock, which had originally been restored to working order in November Manufactured around 1915 by the well-known London watch and clockmaker J.W. Benson of Ludgate Hill and the Royal Exchange, it was installed in a new building in 1925 that served as the furniture repository run by the firm Davis and Davis, hence the name. With the original restoration funded by Kent County Council (via Robert Bliss s Members Community Grant), Shepway District Council, Folkestone Town Council, the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust, Shepway Ceramics, Frank Bond, Brian Hollands, local residents and Katz & Co. Street Clock Restoration Fund, Frank Bond has devoted much time and energy to raising the additional money needed for the automatic winding mechanism, which became necessary when access to wind it manually became impossible, with the the last 50 coming from a collection at Go Folkestone s Annual General Meeting. 25

28 Folkestone Town Hall Re-opens Vacated in 1974 when Folkestone Borough Council was replaced by Shepway District Council, the Town Hall was officially re-opened on Friday 18 January by Admiral the Lord Boyce, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Over 150 people attended including local councillors and the town mayor, Rodica Wheeler, who spoke of her delight at the move into the building, which put the Town Council right back in the heart of the community, and of the hard work put into the building s acquisition and refurbishment by the Town Clerk Jennifer Childs. A profusion of chains of office indicated the presence of mayors of 15 towns from as far afield as Hastings. Photo: Ann Berry While it is hoped to retain the cinema, it is planned that the part of the ground floor not taken up by offices will be open for tourist information and community use, including exhibitions. A decision on a first round Heritage Lottery Fund bid for 170,000 is expected in March. Should this be successful, the money will help develop a second round bid for 1.8 million, which will be used to refurbish the lower ground floor as a museum, update the cinema and enhance the Grade II listed building in other ways. 26 News from the Planning Front By Richard Wallace The very worrying application for 8 out of town shops, averaging about the size of say Next in Bouverie Place is now officially in from developers. I covered this in detail two issues ago, but it is on half of the Silver Spring factory opposite Action Carpets, near B & Q. There is still a linked application for more houses and factories in the Caesars

29 Way area of Cheriton. The latter seems sensible enough. Although houses and workshops are mixed the workshops are on a separate close between the houses and the motorway. The little oak copse that is the last survival of Biggins Wood probably ought to be TPO ed as a shield between the development and the side of Harcourt Primary though.there are now no promises that Silver Spring can be saved if only the main shops development goes forward. We have to consider simply if the advantages of 8 shops here outweigh the disadvantages. On the one had it would strengthen Folkestone retail offer overall. On the other hand it would badly affect the town centre and, with 4 schools in the area, choke up Park Farm. I personally would prefer retail warehouses here and shops in the town centre or we will get to a tipping point. Margate is a disaster area due to Westwood, and even Ashford centre is not as healthy as it should be in a growth point town. Objections and support to Shepway District please, looking it up under Shepway Planning Applications/Park Farm Road if on the net. Wickes want to move to Park Farm, in a box opposite Homebase, so there obviously is demand for the sort of retail warehouse that won t take potential tenants from the town centre. If they go they will vacate Firs Farm on the corner of Firs Lane. Look at it. It could have something far more interesting there (bigger pub, garden centre etc.) as there are a lot of old buildings from farming days! Silver Springs Mineral Water Co. is now employing a small number of people on care and maintenance when it used to employ over 300. Supplying supermarkets is a cut-throat business. But on the other side the old Martello Textiles factory in East Folkestone has been sold by Andrew Beggs to a firm which makes sound insulation board for housing and acoustic companies. I remember the 1930 s Dover Road premises when it was full of chatty ladies on sewing machines, contracted mainly to M & S, and that was only the 1980 s. Those labour intensive processes may now often go out to the Far East, but would it not be great to have even more things actually made in Folkestone! I hope there is actual demand for the Caesar s Way workshops. Shepway District Council has probably abandoned a scheme to put a doctors surgery on part of its own car park behind the Civic Centre. Probably just as well in view of the lost parking! This would have replaced the Guildhall Surgery, which is a very basic if well run premises in a converted back street shop in Guildhall Street North. Long slated for improvement, a new surgery would be great. The way it works with surgeries nowadays will probably be that a private developer like Haven Health buys and plans the surgery with the local practice, who will rent it commercially. Then the developer sells it as an investment to a pension fund etc. The surgery needs to be 633m2 with a pharmacy of about 80m2 and car parking spaces. I would ask whether there are some old office buildings in Guildhall Street North that could be demolished. Even Ship Street might have room on the gasworks site or even opposite if the cadets could be rehoused. It is also interesting to locals that the former Juicy Fruits in Cheriton may become a chippie if the latest planning application goes through. Not far away a very neat row of terraced houses is likely on the west corner of Chilham Road: 6 to Chilham and 6 fronting Cheriton High Street. If the wasted but handsome White Lion is converted to flats then things may get a whole lot busier in that area. 27

30 Specifications and details for your advert Type of Advert Size 1 Issue 2 Issues 3 Issues 4 Issues Width Height B/W Colour B/W Colour B/W Colour B/W Colour Quarter page 60 mm 90 mm (Portrait) Quarter page 130 mm 40 mm (Landscape) Half page 130 mm 90 mm Whole Page 130 mm 180 mm Inside Cover (Half page) 130 mm 90 mm 50 XXXXX 95 XXXXX 140 XXXX X 185 XXXXX Inside Cover 130 mm 180 mm 75 XXXXX 145 XXXXX 215 XXXX X 285 XXXXX (Full Page) Back Cover 130 mm 180 mm XXX 150 XXXXX 285 XXXXX 415 XXXXX 540 Advertisments: Each issue is made up of 32 pages including front and back covers. The front cover is used to feature areas of interest in Folkestone. There are only six coloured pages including back page for adverts all other adverts will be black and white. How we would like to receive copy from you: Print ready artwork in a computer file sent via or on a CD (Formats accepted: jpg, bmp, tiff, pdf with no embedded fonts). Print ready artwork on paper (A4 size preferable to preserve quality when scanning. Please ring if you need assistance. Where to send your advert: David Noble djn@noblepics.co.uk tel: or by mail to: David Noble 28 Coolinge Lane Folkestone Kent CT20 3QT (same address for cheque and order form) 28

31 Membership form Type of membership you want: (please tick as appropriate) p Single membership p Couple at the same address p In receipt of benefits 5.00 p Junior membership (under 18) 5.00 First person Your preferred title: Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Other: First Name: Surname: address: Mobile: Second person (for joint membership) Your preferred title: Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Other: First Name: Surname: address: Mobile: Home Address Town: County: Postcode: Telephone: Please post your form with a cheque made out to Go Folkestone Action Group to: Membership Secretary, Flat 4, 21 Clifton Crescent, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2EN ( ) 29

32 30