December 2011

New Sports Hall and Pavilion. Cheriton Road Image: Mike Pearson www.gofolkestone.org.uk Cheriton road Sports Ground Regeneration – Centre of Excellence for Cricket and Hockey

The overall project has been split into three phases.

Phase 3 works have commenced and will provide a new build 21st Century contemporary Sports Hall and Pavilion. On ground floor, the Pavilion accommodation includes a Sports Shop, reception, medical treatment room, dedicated changing officials changing, general male / female changing and four team changing rooms, all with direct access on to the pitches.

At first floor level, the pavilion will provide a function room with member’s bar, large external viewing balconies overlooking the new pitches. With the Pavilion placed centrally at the heart of the development it will be possible to watch all of the surrounding sporting activities from a single space, which enjoys panoramic views of the site. Another key attribute to the Pavilion is the provision of a Youth Room which is fundamental to the aspirations of the project and introducing younger generations to the sporting clubs at the earliest possible opportunity, further enhanced by a Youth and Sports Development Officer. Connecting the Pavilion to the Sports Hall is a highly glazed Link, which acts as the main entrance, accommodates a state of the art Member’s Gym and offers views from a Gallery down into the Sports Hall. The Sports hall itself will be a highly flexible space including the provision for indoor, cricket and hockey, both practice and competitive matches. The main contractor for the phase 3 works has been on site for three months. To date they have successfully completed the construction of the below ground works and erection of the steel frame to the Sports Hall and are currently on a programme to complete the works by Autumn 2012. Phase 2 of the works, are complete. These are new artificial all weather playing surfaces available for hire by the public. The new all weather pitches provide a dedicated national standard hockey pitch with sprinkler system to increase playability, a dedicated Hockey Practice Area, two dedicated Netball Courts, a Multi-use games area, four cricket practice lanes and a full size multi-use pitch which can be used as a secondary Hockey pitch enabling tournaments and the Easter hockey Festival to be held, used for 11/7 5 a-side Football, or can be temporary marked out as netball courts enabling the clubs to similarly host Netball Tournaments.

Phase 1 of the works have commenced and look to provide a County Standard Cricket Table, ready for play by Spring 2012, with the aspiration of bringing County Cricket back to Folkestone.

Mike Pearson. Project Architect

Photo: David Noble Contents Editorial

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6 Go Folkestone is 10 yrs old! I find it absolutely amazing that, here we are on our 8 10th Anniversary. What better way to start a new decade than to have 10 a great new Logo (see front cover) and update the website. It seems such a short time ago when the Folkestone Lions called a meeting at the Leas 13 Cliff Hall because many of the Towns people were unhappy with the state of the town. No one envisaged that 700 people would turn up to voice their concerns. From that meeting, “Go Folkestone 16 Action Group” emerged out of the pupa and spread it’s wings. We held our AGM on 18th November at the 17 Quarterhouse in Tontine Street. After the Business of the meeting was concluded 18 Hon President Philip Carter gave an overview of what we had achieved during the last 10 years and our Guest speakers were Trevor Minter for 20 Folkestone Harbour Company and Creative Foundation and Sir Terry Farrell for the Sea Front development, who gave us an update on the 22 progress being made in those areas. You can read Nick Spurriers short report in this issue. I would like 24 to thank our members for their continued support and those who write the articles for the ever, popular magazine. 25 For officers and those on Committee and indeed all those who support what we do. 26 “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL”

Ann Berry Editorial Committee: Philip Carter, Chair, Go Folkestone Ann Berry, Nick Spurrier, and 35 Birkdale Drive, Folkestone. CT19 5LP Richard Wallace.. Email: [email protected] Magazine Layout: Mike Tedder 1 EAT. DRINK. MORE.

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2 A Weekend in Folkestone By Nick Spurrier

It started and ended with Reg Turnill former aerospace correspondent for the BBC. On the Friday afternoon I went to The Grand where the short list of the H.G. Wells short story competition was announced. This is the third year of Reg’s sponsorship of the competition with a prize of £1000. Along with an excellent cream tea we heard extracts from some of the stories together with a short talk by Sandra Howard on her own writing.

That event decided me on finding out about, and in some cases attending, as many of events as I could taking place in Folkestone over a weekend of September 23- 25th - the last weekend in the Triennial. Was there more happening now than when I arrived in Folkestone in February, 1999? I suppose a true researcher would look back to that year’s local newspapers and do a comparison with those of the same weekend this year but I had neither the time nor the inclination for that approach so this is very much an impressionistic study.

Possibly a bit piggish but, after my cream tea, I descended on Hallet’s the newly opened café/bar/restaurant sited in the Old Earl Grey pub in the Old High Street for a hot chocolate and cheese cake, to occupy my time before the opening of a new exhibition at The Space. This art gallery at the top of the Old High street, where it does a dog leg to the right has put on eleven exhibitions since opening in July showing a great variety of visual art from the magnificently executed realist paintings of local artists Charlotte Harris and Leigh Mulley to the Intriguing surrealist drawings of Cat Roissetter and Laura Bell’s photography. This night was the opening of an exhibition “Sacred and Profane” by Kate Knight, whose carefully executed oil paintings continue to fascinate.

My next stop was Tontine Street where I had hoped to see one of the last Triennial Fringe events - 12 short films under the theme “The Haunted Sea” organized by Matt Rowe of the rather off beat B& B project space. However, half an hour too early I had to give it a miss. On my way past Quaterhouse and up to Googies in Rendezvous Street, I noted that queues were forming for a performance by Lee Hurst - the stand- up comedian. Googies is of one of those cafes that has slowly but successfully evolved under the guidance of Keith Holland. Billed as an arts café, serving good meals and drinks, it does have a relaxed bohemian feel with a mixture of cast off chairs, tables and armchairs and of course the now ubiquitous outside tables, partly a bonus of the smoking ban, that have contributed greatly to livening up Folkestone street life. Downstairs they have a minute venue for musicians, that attracts some good acts. That Friday night, I heard an excellent jazz band led by Richard Navarro, a piano-vocalist, whose music transfixed me for the short time I was able to stay.

3 Walking back down the Old High Street I glanced into Homeground Café Bar, where a guitarist was performing. In the harbour area the fountain/water feature was still playing and Rocksalt looked full booked. Along the seafront and past the lonely bell the Leas Lift Beer Festival was in full swing with thirsty drinkers queuing to sample “new local beers and award winning ciders” from the kegs stacked inside the waiting room. Some had amazing names: Turbulent Priest – no prizes for guessing after whom that was named, Hengist after the Anglo Saxon invader who formed the Kingdom of Kent and Oscar Wilde – said to be a wonderfully mellow, nutty, moreish dark mild. Well why not. Outside, seated on straw bales – a nice rustic touch - drinkers downed their Priest, Hengist or Wilde, some lining their stomach with excellent food from a BBQ put on by the Shed Restaurant. But as a non-drinker of some 34 years, with no soft drinks available, the event had little attraction for me, so, after chatting to a few friends I made my way home.

Saturday saw the beer festival continuing with such success that by 11.00 pm that night the beer had run out and the Sunday session was cancelled. As this was the penultimate day of the Triennial, there was a rush for a final look at the exhibits. Over the three months I had seen all of them but went back to some of my favourites that will soon be whisked away – Hew Locke’s fleet of boats suspended from the ceiling of St Eanswythe’s, Hala Elkoussy’s collection on Egypt’s colonial past and Charles Avery’s sea monster in the Library. In the late afternoon I made my way back home through the country park coming across the Clacket Lane Band, packing up after making a video in the amphitheatre with an audience of 200.

If the Country Park is becoming a place to make pop videos, on Sunday the Old High Street became a film set. I was stopped opposite Strange Cargo and asked to walk down but not look towards the gallery where the camera was positioned. If I appear in this film apparently entitled “Everyone’s Going To Die” - a platonic love story with a comic twist - it will partly compensate for not appearing in “A Clockwork Orange” for which I was chosen as an extra while walking down Kings Road Chelsea in 1970, the filming of the scene eventually being done in America. Mind you I did have a minor role this year as the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Triennial film made by CAMP.

Sunday also saw twenty stalls in Rendezvous Street contributing to Matt Flynn’s last flea fair of the year and for those who wanted some exercise there was a half marathon. Probably the last triennial fringe event – an exhibition of works of art by Lynda NiDuil, Claire Haddon, and Liv Pennington took place at Harbourside, a former guest house in Wear Bay Road. Just opposite the dig at the Roman Villa continued as it does at the time of writing. It seems possible that this is where Folkestone began as a prosperous trading settlement for 150 years before the Roman invasion in AD43. There have been upwards of 7000 visitors to the dig over four months this year. One of our last visitors that day and oldest to date was 96 year old Reg Turnill.

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Rocksalt, 4-5 Fishmarket, Folkestone, Kent CT19 6AA www.rocksaltfolkestone.co.uk e : [email protected] t: 01303 212 070

5 A taste of Folkestone in Étaples by David Dickinson (Folkestone Twinning Association)

Every autumn in our twin town, Étaples-sur-Mer, there is a festival called “Le Week- End du Goût”, involving cookery demonstrations, extensive free sampling of food, wine and beer, thirty or so wooden chalets promoting and selling local delicacies, classical concerts, street music and general liveliness. Surely, you may say, English cuisine does not fit in: however, all you need is cheek, so a small but dedicated team from the Folkestone Twinning Association set off in the misty dawn of Sunday 15th October, bearing a small mountain of scones plus accompanying cream and jam, blueberry muffins, mince pies, Battenberg cakes, Deborah’s fairy-cakes and eight of Paula’s banana cakes made the evening before.

On arrival at the side-street chalet, which had been efficiently pre-booked, and marked on a map by the organisers, we found it occupied by a purveyor of charcuterie, already firmly installed. A quick visit to the Office du Tourisme resulted in the allocation of a stall in a much more advantageous position on the main drag. There we found ourselves next to a humorous and friendly seller of delicious waffles, a delightful and attractive aroma emanating from his cooking process. On the other side was a confectionery stall, selling, among other things, colourful lollies and chocolates the size of tennis balls, very enticing to the younger passer-by. In fact, our new position could not have been better.

Our table was covered with a Union-Jack cloth, Wills and Kate pennants were pinned round the eaves, and a flag attached in full view. A six-foot Pink-Panther figure advertising a local establishment found itself draped in the flag of St. George.The first instalment of food, realistically priced, was laid out, together with a number of patriotic mugs and London-bus key-rings. Small samples of the various cakes were made 6 ready to be offered to passers-by, in the spirit of Le Week-End. Paul having donned his bowler hat, we were ready for the first arrivals.

The morning started slowly, but it was a Sunday after all: the sun had not yet reached our side of the street, so it was quite chilly. However, as predicted, by about half past two the footfall increased encouragingly – and we were bathed in warm sunshine. A wandering three-man jazz trio arrived on the pavement in front of us: they were challenged to play God Save the Queen, which they did with panache, and were duly rewarded with mince pies and cream scones – which they consumed “sur place”. A detachment of soldiers marched by, accompanied by a band and the Mayor of Étaples – who gave us a cheery wave. Not sure if they were part of Le Week-End though… By late afternoon, pretty well all our offering had been consumed or carried away. The samples disappeared rapidly, and had to be frequently replenished: favourites were the mince pies, the last of which were bought by the confectionery salesman, while the waffle-maker’s daughter purchased a final Battenberg. All but two mugs went, together with most of the key-rings- and someone paid a euro for a metre off our Union-Jack table-cloth roll.

Fortunately there was a power socket. We had brought with us a kettle, some teabags and plastic cups – admittedly with Union Jacks on – to keep ourselves going. We did however advertise cups of tea at fifty cents, not thinking we would have any takers: nevertheless, a number of people had a cup, and stood around drinking it – a good draw.

At about four, we packed up, bade farewell to our neighbours, and set off for Folkestone after an enjoyable day of representation and international dialogue. In financial terms we broke even, apart from the Eurotunnel crossing.

7 Folkestone Academy: the regeneration of a School By Nick Spurrier

Few state schools could match the facilities provided at Folkestone Academy: nine science labs, eight specialist rooms for art textiles and graphics, dance, drama and recording studios, four music rooms and six music practice rooms, flexible performance space, computers with wireless internet access in all classrooms, sports hall with viewing gallery and retractable assembly seating for 800 pupils, hard play areas and all weather pitch, playing fields, cricket pitch and running track, indoor recreational space for all pupils, training kitchen and restaurant, hair and beauty training salon. It also houses an independent community radio station – Academy FM - with two state of the art recording studios.

Two million pounds funding from Roger De Haan and central government money enabled the construction of the Foster & Partners designed £40 million building that houses these facilities. It is impressive though the principal Sean Heslop was a little wary of it at first sight “The building was big and imposing but, without anyone in it, echoey - almost ghost like. Later I came back and, with the students in it, loved the building. I think the way it works with people inside is brilliant. We have over 1400 students here and 300 staff - 1700 people working their way around it. The movement in the walkways, the up and down, in and out is fantastic. I have been very impressed with the building and the use of space and light, glass, steel”

It would be foolish to believe that this magnificent building with state of the art facilities has not contributed greatly to changing the failing Channel School into one of the most oversubscribed schools in Kent with a dramatic improvement in examination results. But of course it is not the whole story. Without the enthusiasm and dedication of the Principal and the teaching and support staff, it is possible that the problems engrained in the old school would have transferred to the new one

Sean Heslop became Principal after the tragic sudden death of John Patterson. He said “I had always worked in London, in good comprehensives and grammar schools. So coming here was a personal challenge. Having run a school like Tiffin could I do the same thing with pupils from a very different background in a different part of the country?”

And without doubt there is a great difference. The catchment area for Tiffin School in Kingston –upon-Thames is probably one of the most affluent in the country whereas the Academy is taking some students from one of the most deprived areas. As Heslop puts it “we cater for an area of east Folkestone that has many challenges that have to do with low expectations, with the consequential low educational achievement and not having the confidence to look beyond the horizon of the locality. But we are starting to take those challenges on. This year we sent 40 students to university – the highest number ever and of course we replaced a school that never had a sixth form. So the determination to have the highest possible expectations of our students is the key to everything we are doing”.

8 These expectations of course extend to good behaviour, perhaps the main perquisite in any successful school. For the last three months, on my visits to the school several days a week to broadcast on Academy FM about the archaeological excavation at the Roman Villa on East Cliff, the school has appeared to me to radiate good order from the to-ing and fro-ing on the elevated walkways to the girls quietly engaged at the beauty salon and those involved in presenting programmes on the radio. The smartly dressed teachers and school uniforms add to this sense of order but there are other aspects of the building which help. The walkways, though they may be reminiscent of some prisons do serve a similar purpose. As Heslop says. “There are no corridors, no areas shut away or closed off. Everything is open and visible and there are no hiding places”; this acts as a major deterrent to bullying.

“Bullying happens in every school” Heslop explains, “and if anyone tells you it doesn’t they are lying. It can be the worst thing in the world if someone’s life becomes difficult through an individual or group picking on them. The issue is how it is dealt with. And we like to believe that, when we are alerted to things, we intervene quite quickly. Because we have got eight houses, the 1400 students are divided into smaller families. They eat breakfast and lunch in the house and have social times there, so it is an important part of their school life. As a result there is something of a family feel and they have their pastoral manager or head of house to whom they can talk to if they have problems.”

And this does work as I found out myself when talking to a young student while waiting one day to do my broadcast on Academy FM. He told me he liked the school, though he volunteered without prompting (and that in itself is revealing) that he had been bullied in his first term. I asked what had happened. He replied that after talking to his house pastoral manager it had stopped and never recurred. Of course there is always the odd one who knew the old regime and resents the new. An older boy I chatted to had some nostalgia for the lax discipline and shorter school hours of the old Channel School but on the other hand he obviously appreciated the new opportunities provided by the radio station.

With a school day running from 8.30 – 5.00, more teaching and other activities can be accommodated. Beyond formal lessons and sports, the school has four specialisms designed to encourage students to broaden their horizons: the arts which tie in with the Creative Quarter, media which has involved students in making documentaries, and European Culture, in furtherance of which the school has bucked the national trend with large numbers studying French German and Spanish.

Without doubt the school does provide more opportunities for students to achieve their full potential and has extended the horizon of many. It is worth returning to Academy FM, where on Wednesdays I do my bit about the Roman Villa dig during a three hour show put on each week by Mel & Becky, two effervescent and dedicated year 10 Students. One Wednesday, after I had talked about what had been happening that day, Becky, for the first time, asked me on air some supplementary questions. It was quite clear that the talks had stimulated an interest in archaeology.

9 England’s Historic Water Balance Lifts By Michael Stainer

In July 2009, while considering a scheme for the future Folkestone’s 1885 & 1890 cliff lifts, I visited all the other cliff lifts.

Only two others, the Lynton-Lynmouth lift in Devon, and the Saltburn lift in North Yorkshire, are still operated on the water balance principle. The Saltburn lift slightly precedes the one remaining Folkestone lift, although its 10 person cars were replaced in aluminium 1979 to the original design; the Lynton lift is very slightly later – it originally had a flat bed which would accept vehicles and lift cars which were wheeled on, but now has rather quaint higgledy-piggledy fixed 40 person passenger cars.

Interestingly, the Lynton lift has a ‘tail rope’ linking the two cars around a wheel at the bottom; as the weight of each car and its rope is therefore more evenly balanced, it needs far less water to operate it. This lift, and its immediate surroundings, is maintained in superb condition, and is a major tourist attraction despite its relatively remote location. The Saltburn lift, by comparison, is on a windswept exposed easterly facing cliff, and Saltburn lacks the charming surroundings that we have in Folkestone.

Another cliff lift that does a roaring trade, although never water powered, is in the middle of Scarborough; it is known as the ‘Central Tramway’ and its cars, holding about 20 people, were replaced in 1932; it connects the main town, full of fine if tired old buildings, with the sandy beach below and its multitudinous amusements; on my visit at 5pm on the last Friday of July 2009 over 5,000 tickets had already been sold! 10 In days gone by, Folkestone had no less than four water balance lifts; the original 1885 lift supplemented by the adjacent 1890 step car lift, making it the only twin pairs of lifts ever constructed; the 1893 lift from the western end of The Leas down into Sandgate; and the 1904 ‘Metropole’ lift opposite The Grand. The 1893 lift was a victim of buses, the 1904 lift was badly damaged after WWII and finally demolished in 1982, and the 1890 step car lift was abandoned in 1966.

However, although one of the step cars was scrapped, the other has been restored and is currently parked at the rear of The Grand. If and when finances permit, it is possible that it could be reinstated in place of the original ‘Metropole’ lift.

The 2009 proposals, together with old and recent drawings and pictures, can be viewed at www.LeasLift.com.

11 New School to Open in Folkestone By Richard Wallace

A brand new sixth form college is to open in Folkestone at Earlscliffe on the corner of Shorncliffe Road and Earls Avenue. The huge Late Victorian house (1870) was until around 2005 the Kent County Council Adult Education Centre for Folkestone with courses, in its time, on everything from Art Appreciation to Zen Buddhism. When Kent County Council Adult Education moved to The Cube office block at the top of Tontine Street Earlscliffe went back to the Folkestone Estate which had interest in, and planning permissions for several flats and reversion to a single dwelling, as well as a school. But in the end it was sold for about £500,000 to Sussex Summer Schools, the successful company of Tim and Julie Fish

Sussex Summer Schools started in Sussex as a summer course programme but has gradually broadened its ages and curricula. It’s three summer school centres now include Frewen College in Northiam, near Rye and the famous former military school at The Duke of York’s, Connaught Road , Dover . These concentrate on English Language and general interest courses for children from 8-17yrs, at around £800 per week boarding fees. Earlscliffe will be opening with a four week course in April, followed by a ten week summer school, but will then be opening in September 2012 as a high quality sixth form college for up to 60 students from around the world wishing to study for traditional A Levels with a view to successful application to top UK universities. The building has brand new boarding facilities in twin rooms with private wcs and bathrooms, together with a dining room, offices, large communal area and classrooms, including a science laboratory. Local students will be welcomed and high- flyers can apply for scholarships.

Tim Fish said “This is a long-term commitment and one we’re all relishing. It’s an exciting project and one which will bring benefits to Folkestone not only in commercial terms but also educationally, in providing another option at post-16 level for local students seeking to gain entry to the UK’s best universities. We will be recruiting teaching staff very shortly, too. At a time when Folkestone looks forward, we look forward to Folkestone and all it has to offer to a college like Earlscliffe.”

It is good to see another international school come to Folkestone. Certainly Folkestone ought to be a natural destination for international schools and colleges as it has an ideal combination of a pleasant, unthreatening setting and closeness to the historical and other delights of London and Canterbury . It also has the seaside and the best ice cream parlour in Kent .ONE HOUR FROM LONDON , ONE HOUR FROM FRANCE AND FIVE MINUTES FROM THE BEACH . I’ll get that slogan adopted if it kills me.

12 Good news travels slowly

County Councillors have access to funds that they can allocate to highways issues around their patch. In Folkestone, the County members have been busy allocating funds to projects that benefit the neighbourhood in a way that KCC engineers cannot see. Examples are the road works in Wear Bay Road and Radnor Bridge Road to stop lorries entering East Cliff.

Folkestone North East Division is the area represented by Councillor Dick Pascoe and some of the work he has commissioned includes the directional arrows at the roundabout near Homebase on Churchill Avenue, getting the old road between Homebase and Links Way blocked to stop more travellers accessing the land and many other small works.

More recently, at local Ward meetings the issue of the pathway that leads towards the Folkestone Sports Centre, between Cornwallis Avenue and Avereng Road was discussed. This has now been cleared and tarmaced. It now looks very nice and it enables the local residents to walk a clear, clean pathway.

Photo’s courtesy Ann Berry

13 Volunteers needed to run reading and reminiscence sessions By Laura Piper

Settling down with a good book or sharing a special memory with a friend or relative are simple pleasures many of us take for granted. A new lottery-funded project which extends to several settings in the Folkestone area will see volunteers bringing valuable reading and reminiscence activities to older and vulnerable people in our community.

The CSV Red Reading and Reminiscence Project began in July this year, after successfully securing funding from the Big Lottery Fund under their Reaching Communities programme. The project will recruit and train volunteers to assist care homes, day centres, sheltered housing and hospices all over the county who receive quarterly loans of library items from the Kent Libraries and Archives Open Access service. These large print books, spoken word CDs and cassettes, and selection of themed reminiscence items arrive in the Red Boxes from which the project takes its name.

The project aim is that through volunteer-led reading and reminiscence activities using the material in the Red Boxes, older and vulnerable people will experience improvements in their health and well-being, and in some cases in their cognitive development. Volunteers will work in pairs to encourage people to engage with books and find authors they enjoy, run reminiscence sessions and poetry readings and make memory boxes or books. Some volunteers may have the opportunity to assist with running a library in a residential home or sheltered housing.

I have been in post as Project Manager since July. With a background of library work and a personal interest in the benefits of reminiscence I am excited about the project’s potential to make a difference to people’s lives. In turn, the volunteers will be gaining valuable skills while making a positive impact on the wellbeing of members of their communities.

One of the establishments seeking volunteers is the Headway Day Centre in Folkestone. Headway provides information, support and services to supports adults in our area who have sustained an injury to the brain. Clients attending the day centre range widely in age, the youngest being in their twenties. The Centre is a welcoming, friendly place; the walls are covered in artwork and as facilitators Liz Hatfield and Paula McCormack show me round they point out displays and projects which clients, staff and volunteers have worked on together. They tell me how valuable volunteers are to their work; enabling people to continue to enjoy favourite activities as well as discovering new ones. “Activities are structured to meet each client’s personal needs “explains Paula, “so we would welcome volunteers to support our clients and to share their life skills.” We talk about the potential for poetry reading, reading aloud, reminiscence sessions. There is no doubt that the Red Reading and Reminiscence Box project would we warmly welcomed here.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome and full training will be provided. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Red Reading and Reminiscence Box volunteer, then please contact Laura Piper on 01622 230722 or email [email protected]. If any local residential services for the elderly are interested in joining the Red Box scheme, please contact Kent Libraries and Archives Open Access service on 01622 605245 or email [email protected]

14 Skabour Festival 2011- The Verdict

For the second year running, Folkestone’s own Skabour Festival pulled off another top-rankin’ and skankin’ event, attracting an estimated 16,000 Ska fanatics and festival-goers to the Folkestone Harbour area, double the number of last year. Again, the festival had a family friendly atmosphere and an international feel with bands from Finland, Germany, France and Belgium.

The pre-festival gig kicked off at midday on Friday 2 September, and was held in the Leas Cliff Hall channel suite with the special appearance and DJ set of Trevor Evans, resident Specials DJ, whose much anticipated entrance went down a treat with the many excited rude boys and girls. Pauline Black of The Selecter was also meeting and greeting her delighted fans between interviews with BBC Radio Kent outside the suite and book signing at Waterstones. Even before 7pm, the place was alive with great music and ska-struck fans.

Everybody then entered the main auditorium of the Leas Cliff Hall for a magnificent performance from Roddy Radiation (of The Specials) and the Skabilly Rebels, followed by The Selecter with Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson, then it was time for The Beat- Rankin’ Roger and son Rankin’ Jr. put on a spectacular show, sprinting about the stage like relay partners. From the opening of the gates through to their eventual final encore, the crowd were alive. The party was far from over at this point, the sea of bald heads making their way to the True Briton ‘Nite Klub’ with their rude girl partners for another few hours of serious Skanking until 3am, the venue brimmed to capacity.

Saturday was the first day of the free events held at the Harbour which drew in thousands throughout the day, with great English bands such as Hey Rudi and Toot’n’skamen, as well as some fantastic European talent like Les Skalopes and the Easy Snappers. With these great bands alternating with DJ sets, the Harbour was packed to the gunnels and was bursting with energy all day. Fortunately the weather was kind too!

The Trojan Lawn- the new addition to the lay out, proved a huge success throughout the weekend, blasting out classic Trojan records whilst festival-goers could sit and the replica Shanty shacks with drinks from the bar and unwind or browse the adjacent Doc Marten’s stall. Saturday evening saw brilliant Quarterhouse performances from The Skanx followed by The Dualers, showing that one Dualer can be just as good as two when backed by an eight piece band! All to the delight of the crowd who filled the venue. After a second evening of great music, it was once again time to skank or stroll to the True Briton ‘Nite Klub’ where the party continued into the early hours of the morning.

Sunday, the third and final day of the festival arrived, and once again the free events at the harbour brought in another audience of all ages and buzzed with the sound of Old-Skool Ska, Reggae, Rocksteady and Roots performed by bands such as Call Me Malcolm, Blaster Master and other Ska talents despite the deteriorating weather. The party continued at the True Briton “Nite Klub” where Skabour went out with a band with music playing through until midnight. There were a few teary eyed Rude Boys at the end of the night as expected, but they could only be consoled by the anticipation of Skabour 2012- even bigger and better than ever before!

The atmosphere throughout the weekend had been through the roof, there was a great sense of unity between the die-hard Ska fans, but despite this there was always a place for people new to the Ska scene and/or families on a day out. Skabour brought out a crowd that Folkestone hadn’t seen for many a year and proves that a local community musical event can do much to add to the cultural regeneration of our town.

15 News from the Planning Front By Richard Wallace

Everything as I write in November is rather dominated by the Shepway parking plans. However we have been keeping our eye on planning applications as they come up.. There is an attempt to build on a little bit of what is registered allotment land at Roman Way in Cheriton. Here land running at only a single allotment width along the railway boundary, but for several hundred yards back from Horn Street Bridge has been the subject of neglect and development attempts for some years. Now a single housing plot on Horn Street is proposed next to Herne Court. Maybe the deal should be to allow it provided the rest of the land is handed over to Shepway for the allotments people do need?

Elsewhere in Cheriton, the Shorncliffe Barracks proposals have come out in a new form, with 1000 dwelling proposed instead of 900 (and no allotments)! Councillors and even officials continue to try and pin down the developers to provide decent facilities and infrastructure first. A primary school is now proposed on the undeveloped corner of Royal Military Avenue. This is probably a better solution than inflating Cheriton Primary; as such schools are always nicer for the kids if not too big. But Horn Street Railway Bridge, and the other potentially much busier roads in the Folkestone and Sandgate directions, continues to be the subject of cheap, unsustainable suggestions for traffic management rather than road widening or roundabouts.

I hope that the double avenue of trees going across the cricket field become the centrepiece of a pleasant Ladies Walk style pedestrian and cycle way across the middle of the development to The Stadium , and perhaps cross –ways to the fine old gates on Royal Military Avenue . Also that the minimum of shops are provided for basic convenience, as the wide range of trades in Cheriton need the boost of more customers and not more competition. But representations continue via the local councillors, about matters like a new surgery and pharmacy.

East Folkestone another pub faces the chop as The Castle is proposed for conversion to three, well planned houses. The supermarkets’ cheap booze, the partial breakdown in the not unhealthy prejudice against drinking heavily at home, the smoking ban and even the Internet and Face book as places for chat have all reduced the demand for local beerhouses like The Castle, and rendered opposition pointless. Hopefully The Red Cow nearly opposite, which with its very pleasant garden already had a crucial advantage after the smoking ban, will be strengthened and continue for many a day . Sincere apologies, as requested, to Folkestone School for Girls for suggesting in the last issue that it was important in the demolition and redevelopment of Victorian Clewer House, its old school offices in Coolinge Lane. The owners were the Folkestone Estate, and FSG indicate that they did not support the development. Good to see a school at one with its community.

16 The Fishing Heritage of Folkestone By Frank Bond

Fishing and Folkestone have been synonymous since pre-Roman times when oysters were sent to Gaul. Long before construction of a harbour, this would have been conducted in small boats or by literally dragging primitive nets through the water, also fishing lines and pots. Generations of families, living close to the waters edge, would have survived and thrived through their involvement with fishing.All their equipment would be made from natural materials and fibres such as wood, linen flax and wool. They would have been totally dependent on the weather, which was liable to endanger their livelihood, their property and even their lives. Periods of bad weather threatened the very survival of the community. The early jetty was frequently collapsing with the constant need to replacing the stones. The fish would be bartered on the foreshore or immediate surrounding area.

As the population of the locality increased, fish was traded further inland to supply the expanding community. The prosperity of the area was clearly critically dependent on products from the sea, and further inland, on primitive agriculture, hunting and quarrying. Much later, the construction of a harbour in 1807 enabled larger vessels to fish with the benefit of protection and shelter. A fish market developed, and, with the arrival of the railway to London in 1843, the fish could be sent to the Capital using ice imported from Scandinavia or even further afield. The invention of ‘dry ice’, in the form of solid carbon dioxide, ensured the freshest possible condition of the fish even on the longest journeys.

As late as 1960’s boats were still being launched from the ‘horseshoe’ shaped beach in front of the old Folkestone Marina, and some were even rowed out, although most had outboard motors. Small craft were also kept in Folkestone’s Inner Harbour, though mainly for recreational or party fishing rather than commercial operations.This form of fishing provided an income for those responding to demand for pleasure fishing and they still do today. Other vessels were used for pleasure trips to see the white cliffs of Dover.

The fishing took place alongside harbour developments connected with commercial freight and passenger operations which sometimes helped, and often hindered. Subsequent developments enabled more successful and profitable fishing operations to be conducted using still larger vessels and a greater variety of sophisticated new equipment. Trawling, monofilament netting, potting and other methods are currently employed, but with decline in available fish, the fleet and consequent fort,ef have reduced in recent years. Fishing is still the most hazardous operation, with personal injuries and lives lost annually the worst in recorded professions. Thankfully, with limitations of exposure of inshore fishing it is less with this.

17 We need to remember our heritage, heavy local dependence on fishing, and a Museum, housing countless memorabilia, artefacts and photographs, currently held by those living by the sea, would be a considerable asset. Though in the long term we intend to establish a museum devoted entirely to fishing in the area of the harbour, in the short term we fully support the efforts to establish a museum in the Old Town Hall, which we hope will in part be devoted to the Folkestone fishing industry. This will also attach a value to those who have dedicated their livelihood, effort and occasionally their lives to providing fish on our tables.

Development of Ingles Manor and Garden Centre site by Liz Brown

Development of Ingles Manor and the Garden Centre site is the subject of planning consultations for new housing by Lee-Evans Planning. By the time you read this new , hopefully sympathetic , proposals will have been publicised in late November . Go Folkestone will be consulted , for which it is very grateful , but it is worried .

We have been informed that trees which are the subject of Tree Preservation Orders have already been judged by Lee-Evans Planning to be coming to the end of their useful lives and thus ripe for a replanting scheme. This is a cause for concern , as are the four trees recently felled in Castle Hill Avenue. Increased traffic and pressure on parking are also potential reasons for objection as this is already in the area for which the council is proposing to charge residents and visitors to park on streets where parking was previously free.

Drainage is another reason for concern. There is regular flooding of the drain at the corner of Castle Hill Avenue and Shorncliffe Road and Southern Water have confirmed that the sewer deals with both sewage and wastewater and overflows because it cannot deal with the level of surface water which a heavy rainfall brings. Pedestrians ought to tread very carefully!

There has been a garden centre on the site since the early 1970’s . The Folkestone Herald dated 23 January 1971 indicated that: “the Town Council’s Planning Committee will impose stringent conditions to ensure that the site is never put to any other commercial use”. In the 1960s the massive Pleasure Gardens was built over with four office blocks including the Civic Centre and the current police station , but there was a ‘gentlemens’ agreement’ that something green had to be left ; badgers and bats still survive in rural calm .

According to Paul Martin, Manager, The Garden Centre currently has 70,000 transactions p.a not including browsers and customers of Blossom’s café, run by Liz Dakin. When planning permission was originally sought for the Garden Centre, its amenity value for local residents was emphasised and now, nearly 40 years on, I think that most local residents would agree.

Between the offices of Smith Woolley & Perry and the Garden Centre stands the grade 18 II listed Ingles Manor built ca 1700 as a farmhouse . The land on which it stands, stretching from Jointon Road to Castle Hill Avenue, forms part of the Conservation Area . The farm outbuildings are now Ingles Yard . A late eighteenth century map shows a large pear shaped pond and evidence of another has been found by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.

In 1924, WHE Elgar, writing for the Herald, describes “an ornate staircase falling in a central location within the main house, as well as circular decorative plaster panels in each of the separate ceiling panels above the dining room.”.

In 1946 a preparatory school named St Wendelin’s was established , proudly announcing that “Ingles Manor stands in six acres of ground in the best part of Folkestone”. Its sports facilities included a large playing field for hockey, football and cricket, and the pamphlet also noted the presence of municipal hard and grass tennis courts and squash courts within two minutes .

It now houses the Channel Business Centre. Steve Atkinson, Manager, comments that his clients, some with London connections, value the historical and peaceful environment, modern facilities and convenient location. There are far less beautiful ‘brownfield’ sites such as Folkestone West . If we are to attract discerning visitors and residents, surely we need to retain as much of our heritage and as many of our amenities as possible.

Response to article by Liz Brown – Go Folkestone, November 2011

We refer to the article entitled ‘The Development of Ingles Manor and Garden Centre Site’ by Liz Brown and welcome the opportunity to provide our response.

The site has been allocated for housing and commercial purposes since the adoption of the Shepway Local Plan in 2006. We, at the Lee Evans Partnership, fully appreciate the concerns of local people, particularly in relation to the impact upon trees, and the many other issues that arise during the planning stages of new development propos- als. Indeed, we carried out a ‘blank canvass’ consultation exercise back in July.

The views and comments provided to us in July have proved extremely valuable in helping to shape the overall layout and scheme concept. We are now ready to present our development strategy and conceptual ideas and, again, seek people’s views, com- ments and suggestions.

We are, therefore, holding an exhibition on Monday 21st November 2011 at the United Reformed Church Community Hall (5.30pm to 8.30pm).

We believe that many of the concerns, as raised in Mrs Brown’s article, have been addressed and welcome further views as part of the consultation exercise that will con- tinue for two weeks, following the exhibition. In this regard, the drawings and plans to be shown at the exhibition will be available to view, until 5th December 2011, at www. lee-evans-planning.co.uk/survey2.

19

Good Town Centre Parking is not down on the Sea Front By Richard Wallace

As nearly everyone knows, street parking charges are proposed for Shepway District. The details, as at November, are that the Plan starts with Folkestone town centre in April 2012, and progresses, patch by patch, through the inner suburbs to Hythe and New Romney by 2014-15. The different suburban areas stretch in groups of a few roads each, from Grimston Avenue to Tontine Street, and do not go north of the railway. Consultation is now taking place and you must press your local councillor if you have a view. See Shepway Parking Consultation 2011-2015.

The current system of one hour free parking and no return within 2 hours is monitored by Shepway wardens who are due to be replaced by private companies . During 2010/2011 on-street parking enforcement In Shepway actually cost the Council £184,000 net , according to the official report ; how many ‘head office costs’ are in that is unknown . Folkestone people are saying that the present situation ain’t that broke, so why ‘fix’ it. Otherwise the competition is very worrying for a newly metered Folkestone centre. Ashford Outlet Centre charges £1.00 for 4 hours! Dover and Deal have more convenient, central car parks. Will shops move to West Park Farm with Halfords and the like, where there is free parking? The most prosperous town centre I have seen very recently is Tenterden which still has our system, and virtually no vacant shops. If Tenterden has in fact managed to stop it, should we?

Shepway, which is clearly facing tough times , proposes changing to a system in which street parking in the central area is charged at £1.20per hour, and elsewhere £0.80 or £1.00 per hour. Can we either stop this, or at least have free parking for 1 hour as we do now or at least 30 minutes?

As at November it seems Conservative Shepway councillors are listening to people and considering compromise. But we don’t know what form this will take, and in the meantime some voters are pressing for a parish poll which may well be expensive and non-binding. The expense will be borne by Folkestone Town Council which is not even responsible for or keen on the Scheme. The points at issue are pretty obvious anyway. Can we, for example, make sure that the meters can be ones which automatically charge in minimal £0.20 segments? This should be straightforward. On Deal seafront, machines will charge 25mins automatically if 50p is inserted; 1hr 40mins if a £2 coin is inserted. What happens at the end of that time doesn’t appear to be any worse than what currently happens if one overstays. Added to a 30 minute free period that would be bearable. But if free periods were built in would it be worth all the palaver for Shepway to change in the first place???

The Folkestone Town Centre Manager, John Barber and the Folkestone Chamber of Commerce, chaired by Ray Johnson are very worried. The potential net surplus from on-street parking enforcement is anticipated to be between £220,000 going into Shepway’s coffers, and a best case of £1 million. This is apparently y when the whole thing is implemented, and without any free parking periods. It also ignores the set 20 up costs. This, for a district council serving about 100,000 people, has to be weighed against potential shop closures in a tough economy, and people visiting friends and family in central Folkestone being seriously inconvenienced.

According to the report Shepway will freeze the charges in its own car parks in the short term and charge a slightly lower £0.60-£1.00 per hour thereafter. It hopes to make additional money, at an average projection of about £100k pa, by people using its car parks a lot more. However Shepway has perhaps not appreciated that compared with other towns and with private competition like NCP; its own car parks are badly situated. Folkestone has hills and cliffs. Harbour Car Park, Seafront Car Park, Marina/ Marine Parade and Leas Cliff Hall are all peripheral. Is even £0.60perhr cheap enough compared with parking charges in the real centre? If the car parks are empty just make them a lot cheaper. Alternatively Shepway should show some imagination by letting off blocks of its underused car parks cheaply to local businesses and commercial landlords. At least 3 office blocks in Folkestone are currently empty or nearly empty largely because they have little or no parking: Barton House, Albion House above Boots, and enormous Europa House.

Residential parking schemes with permits at circa £50 are also intended, if people want them, and Folkestone West Station scheme has been reasonably popular. But that is not a fully metered scheme. Instead it is usually free but with a prohibition for non residents between 9.00am and 11.00am. If full charges cover streets like Grimston Gardens and Jointon Road it will be clearly just for the money as these have houses with off road parking and are empty except when the workers that keep Folkestone going use them during the day . Local businessmen have suggested that, as in the larger seaside town of Bournemouth, 8.00am -6.00pm suburban parking should cost no more than £3.00per day. That is still about £700 per year, so season tickets too please. Interestingly there is a ‘free street parking gap’ in the very quiet Turketel and Bodenham area envisaged before the rather different Folkestone West scheme is reached. I believe that this is a necessary good idea, to provide spaces for hotel guests and for impecunious workers at Shepway or Palting House, prepared to save money by a short walk.

Folkestone Seafront - One Year On

Folkestone Harbour Company will be hosting a public consultation to exhibit the updated Seafront Masterplan, ‘A Year On’, from the 8th to the 10th December 2011 in the Triennial Visitor Centre, Tontine Street, Folkestone CT20 1JR. Opening times are 10.00 am – 8.30 pm on the 8th December, and 10.00 am – 5.30 pm on the 9th and 10th December.

On Friday 9th, there will also be two presentations by Trevor Minter (Folkestone Harbour Company) and Toby Denham (Farrells Architects) from 4 - 5.30pm and 7 - 8.30pm at the Quarterhouse, Tontine Street.

To book your free place, please contact the Quarterhouse: 01303 858500 www.quarterhouse.co.uk 21 Christmas / New year Events in Folkestone

Thursday 8th December 3.30pm – 5pm. Carols outside Debenham’s led by St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church, followed by Carols at the Bandstand led by Salvation Army.

Friday 9th December 1.30pm Schools Carol Singing Competition Parents, Grandparents, friends & neighbours are welcome to Support the children.

4pm A ‘living nativity’ sponsored by Folkestone Town Council organised by Folkestone Town Centre Management and Churches Together. Come to see the Christmas Story unfold in the town centre, With Mary, Joseph, donkey, sheep and camels! A traditional start to Christmas, to which everyone is invited.

Friday & Saturday 16th & 17th December An arts, crafts and fine foods fair in Guildhall Street, an ideal time to buy of your Christmas presents.

Saturday 17th Dec. 4pm Puppet shows and live entertainment from Churches Together

Sunday 18th December An antiques and Flea Fair in Guildhall Street, with a chance to find a vintage gift or just to browse.

December 23rd - 7th January 2012 Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Leas Cliff Hall. Booking information Tel: 01303 228600

January 2012. 6th – 15th Panto - Mother Goose, tickets from £7.00 at the Tower Theatre. Booking information Tel: 01303 223925 or book on line: www.towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk

Ongoing Events throughout the Christmas Season

The Salvation Army will be playing seasonal tunes every Saturday from 26th November until Christmas.

Bouverie Place shops open until 8pm every Thursday from 24th November until Christmas.

Enjoy Express Treatments and a complimentary Mince Pie at The Boho Beauty Shop this Christmas!

File & Polish £7.50 (Shaping and Painting Fingers or Toes) Express Makeover £15 (Brow & Lash Tint and Brow Wax) Spray tan from £7.50 (For Half Body Full Body £15) Aromatherapy deep tissue Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage & Enjoy Your Face facial for only £50 saving £10! • Full Body Massage & Enjoy Your Face Facial for only £65 saving £10! Prepare and protect your skin for that boost in time for Christmas! Exceptional Menu (treatment for dry skin). £55

22 Folkestone - Hythe, Operatic and Dramatic Society THE TOWER THEATRE TTT North Road, Shorncliffe, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 3HL

Folkestone - Hythe, Operatic and Dramatic Society present Mother Goose

6th - 15th January 2012 Tickets from £7.00 Box Office 01303 223925 Book online at www.towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk

What’s on continued:

Quarterhouse Tontine Street Folkestone Comedy – Mark Steel’s in Town. Writer and stand up comedian 10th December 2011. £14.00 full / £12 Concessions.

Quarterhouse Tontine Street Folkestone. Saturday 17th December 2011. Skatacus 8.00pm (Skaband) – supporting the Neville Staple Band - £15.00.

100m: the Creative Campus Initiative Exhibition. A joint touring Exhibition responding to Olympiad Friday 9th - Tuesday 20th December Admission free Held at University Centre, Mill Bay Folkestone. www.canterbury.ac.uk

Indoor Boot Fairs Capel Village hall 8.00am – 12noon Sundays - 29th January, 26th February, 25th March 2012 Tel: 01303 259120.

Films at the Quarterhouse Tontine Street Folkestone:

“Jane Eyre” 15th December 2011 “It’s a Wonderful life” 22nd December 2011 £3.50 advance booking – £ 4.50 on the door. “The skin I live in” (sub titles) 12th January 2012 “One day” 19th January 2012 £3.50 Advance booking - £4.50 on the door.

23 Go Folkestone AGM 10th Anniversary Sir Terry Farrell and Folkestone Harbour and Seafront Development

The tenth celebratory Annual General Meeting of Go Folkestone took place at the Quarterhouse with the best attendance from members in years, followed after a short break by an increase in numbers from members of the public, so that Sir Terry Farrell addressed an almost full house. There is little doubt that this turnout indicates increasing optimism and excitement about the future of Folkestone. At the AGM the Chairman Ann Berry spoke of activities of Go Folkestone this year – the magazine, the updated website and new Logo, Step Short project and the opening of the tourist office at the Hub at the bottom of Tontine Street. Richard Wallace told of his environment and planning committee which, had an excellent record of drawing attention to derelict buildings and making recommendations on planning applications. He also spoke of the town trail, and the community gardening project started by Nick Todd. Following the short break, Go Folkestone founder and president Philip Carter said that though the Quarterhouse was almost full he knew of many who had been unable to come because “there is so much more going on in Folkestone now, compared to ten years ago.” He commented on the huge turnaround there had been in the town during the ten years since the founding of Go Folkestone, which was partly the result of his being told then that the town was no longer a worthwhile prospect for investment. Upset by what he saw as a slur on the town he had been so fully involved in both civically and as a businessman, he organised a meeting at Leas Cliff Hall, which attracted 800, with the intention of reviving confidence in the town and coming up with and supporting ideas for regeneration. “Go Folkestone”, he said “has subsequently become a very respected non-political community action group, with its members involved in or advocating many projects, including the Shed youth centre on the harbour, the fast train and Step Short as well as supporting the successful arts regeneration brought about by Roger de Haan and the Creative Foundation.” A further campaign led to the formation of the Town Council on which eight members sat as Go Folkestone councillors with Ann Berry, fittingly as the first mayor. He ended by stating that the revival of Folkestone was made clear to him recently, when, on letting a property in the Old High Street, he was flooded with applications! Even more indicative perhaps was the fact that people viewing his house, that is up for sale, came from places such as Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Camberley and London – a complete change from a few years ago indeed….. Trevor Minter started by thanking Go Folkestone for its unwavering support and making it clear that both he and Roger De Haan were both born and bred in Folkestone and cared passionately about its future. He followed with a summary of the achievements of the Creative Foundation – eighty properties renovated, Quarterhouse, the Cube which has brought adult education closer to the main centres of population and the University Centre which has introduced higher education to the town for the first time. He also highlighted other achievements of the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and the Folkestone Harbour Company - the Folkestone Academy, soon to be followed by the build of the primary section, recreation areas, sports facilities, the fountain and Rocksalt restaurant, all soon to be followed by facilities for sea sports and beach games in the area of the harbour. 24 Sir Terry Farrell started by looking at the great advantages enjoyed by Kent as a whole: the 21st century Garden of England, the United Kingdom’s most connected county and most varied and thriving coast. He felt certain that High Speed 1 would transform the opportunities for Folkestone in Britain and the continent but also that the town was already on its way up as small changes can alter the perception of a town and “perception is almost everything.” It was art that was helping this, as, in his experience, ”art is the greatest regenerator”. Turning to the seafront he felt sure of its success as plans done during a recession are undoubtedly more realistic. A step by step approach to its implementation would provide natural growth as with the Creative Quarter. He spoke of the green link on the railway line, which when completed would provide a linear walk of over a mile out on to the harbour arm in an area that is intended to be pedestrian friendly. None of the housing on the seafront would be higher than four storeys and be graded to one storey on the beach, with blocks and beach villas being designed by different architects, giving a variety of design, materials and finish. The housing, amounting to around 900 units, would pay for the renovation and maintenance of the harbour arm From reaction in the meeting there is little doubt that the plan is welcomed though there were differing opinions on some aspects of it which can aired during the consultation period that will follow.

Banish the Misconception By Anna Gorczynska

There is a common misconception that Folkestone is mainly for elderly, full of nursing homes, quiet cafes and no prospects or entertainment for young people. There is that perception of Folkestone as a retirement town.

Having lived in this town for five years I’ve realised how misleading the above statement is. Being in my twenties myself, I am strongly convinced that this place is ideal for anyone my age, or similar. No matter what your interests are, you can certainly find it in this town or surrounding areas. Folkestone educates, entertains and inspires anyone, despite their years.

The town’s very successful university and well established K College offer young people variety of choices for a brighter future. The wide range of courses allows local community to improve their knowledge, prospects and employability skills.

Night life mustn’t be underestimated. From watching live bands, either in the Leas Cliff Hall or the Quarterhouse, to comedy clubs and open-mic events around local pubs and cafes, there is no excuse to be bored. Also the recent increase in the number of open public events, festivals and exhibitions in and around Folkestone allows youngsters to broaden their horizons and gives them an opportunity to further explore their potential and creativity.

From barbecues on the beach in the summer, quirky live events over the weekends, the first class sporting facilities, picturesque walking spots, excellent travel connections and friendly people; Folkestone is a truly great place to live- for young as much as old. 25

26 Pent Stream, Folkestone October 2011 Throughout the year our field teams carry out The Pent Stream is made up of four smaller routine maintenance such as clearing trash screens, streams which run through densely populated weed cutting and removing blockages. This ensures areas of Folkestone. For most of their length the that water flows freely through the channel and channels are heavily modified - 5km of the stream reduces the flood risk to people and properties. runs under roads and properties through culverts. If you own land or property alongside a watercourse Flood risk management you may be interested in our ‘Living on the edge’ Each year we conduct visual inspections of the flood guide which sets out your responsibilities. Please defence assets to assess and monitor their condition call 03708 506506 for a copy or visit our website. and identify any repairs that need to be carried out. Flood risk mapping and data In recent years we have installed a new grill on the We regularly update our Flood Map and have just outlet in the harbour and replaced trash screens in started a project to do more detailed modelling of various other locations. We have also completed a the flood risk from the Pent Stream. This work will CCTV inspection of all of the culverts (sections of the give us a much better understanding of the risk to river that run through pipes) using remote controlled flooding in the Folkestone area. cameras. This gave us a much better understanding of the structural condition of the culverts and what We are working with Kent County Council, Shepway future repairs we will need to do to reduce flood risk. District Council and Southern Water to share As a result, we cleared 40 tonnes of silt and sediment information and resources to get the best from several culverts along the stream at cost of understanding of the risk from flooding. £20,000. We expect to finish this project in April 2012, our Flood Map will then be updated to reflect this new In 2010 we also undertook a Pent Stream Channel information. Improvements Study. In this we investigated how we might address low flows and manage sediment in the Flood defence consents river whilst also reducing flood risk. In this study we By law, anyone who wants to carry out works in or also identified opportunities to restore some of the within 8 meters of a watercourse, or a flood defence open sections of the river to improve the ecology and (including sea defences), will require a flood defence visual amenity of the river. consent before the work begins. This is to ensure that the work does not cause or increase the flood As a result of this study, this year we have carried risk in an area, and does not damage the local out an improvement project at Ashley Avenue. environment or wildlife. We also need to ensure that Works to the channel bed will reduce the build up of we can continue to access flood defences to sediment and a new ‘two-stage channel’ with a maintain them. narrower width will help maintain the flow, even during low flow conditions. If you need to carry out works in or near a water course please contact our Development and Flood The Pent Stream was designated as Main River in Risk team on 03708 506 506. 2006 giving us the authority, but not an obligation, to do essential works. Ultimate responsibility for the To report flooding incidents please contact our 24 watercourse lies with the riparian landowner. hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

27 28 Membership form

Type of membership you want: (please tick as appropriate) p Single membership £ 10.00 p Couple at the same address £ 15.00 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:

Email address:

Mobile: Second person (for joint membership) Your preferred title: Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Other:

First Name:

Surname:

Email 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 (01303 247600) 29 30