Monday, November 14, 2011

Queen's visit highlights change.

Marvelous to see reports of the Queen's visit to Margate old town and the Turner Contemporary, a remarkable day for the town by any standard. An event in which the best of British met the best of Margate and probably Kent. Not being able to witness the event myself I had to rely on coverage on telly, which was surprisingly comprehensive, particularly Meridian which as a rare viewer challenged my preconceptions.

Brilliant to see so many people enjoying themselves including the royals, and good to see veterans meeting the queen. A day to mark the journey, so far in the regeneration of Margate, the Turner Contemporary having seen 300,000 vistors since its opening back in April this year. Also a point at which maybe those negative views of Margate ought to be discarded. 

I note that BBC's Radio Kent, managed to get a rather clichéd, knocking spin on the visit posing this question" Her Majesty the Queen is in Margate today. Is she welcome? Clare MacDonald seemed to me to be a perfect embodiment of the sort of institutional mindset, for which the BBC is noted. The direction of the programme might well explain, why I got a phone call the previous day asking if I be interested in calling in, I think people view me as anti establishment, with a slavish devotion to criticising anything and everything, anyways as it happens being the rebel that I am, I chose to attend an induction meeting, for work, previously some years ago I was interviewed by a BBC reporter, who asking me what I thought of the contemporary, was rather surprised that local ecentric blogger, took the view that the Contemporary Art gallery was the best way forward for Margate.

My day certainly was a contrast, which after a night shift, found me grabbing a few hours sleep in the van parked up, in Peckham side street, before attending my safety induction for a new job, however much as locals like to run down Margate, walking past a van just off the main road, jacked with the wheels missing, reminded that maybe Margate, isn't such a bad place, and of course the poster in the betting shop window, adjacent to the bus stop appealing for witnesses, to a customer recenlty murdered by a gang inside the bookies, didn't make me change my mind.

Quite a few listeners to BBC radio Kent  thought that the Queen should have been escorted to some of Margate's seedier sights, to see just how things are, in some parts of the town, just what the purpose is seems a little unclear, still presumably these people, when they have guests, take great delight in maybe highlighting spare bedrooms, that need tidying, stains in the bathroom and toilet. I'm sure even the queen is aware that not eveywhere is picture perfect and like me, takes a gander out the window as I travel through various towns, now I didn't have to park up in Peckham to realise it was not the most affluent area.

The Queen and the Royal family as far as I'm concerned are about the last thing that is recognisable as being British that hasn't been disposed of, changed or outlawed by either leftwing cretins or Europe. Being in my mid fifties this country is unrecognisable from the one in which I was born, national identity has been sidelined along with its nationals and to some extent outlawed, Britian or rather the United Kingdom is just a few years from being broken up, religious freedom has been crushed for Christians while other faith can take precidence over tradition and national identity. 



20 comments:

  1. Is that Clive Hart looking miserable in picture 2 top right

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  2. Tony, I agree with your response to the Radio kent 'Phone In'. lets face it, if you invite folk to your own house, you do not highlight the parts of your garden that are 'Work in Progress'!!

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  3. Shame on her (or her advisors) for not visiting Margate Winter Gardens on it's centenary. That's the REAL best of Margate.

    I agree that Margate is lovely compared to Peckham though after living for over two decades in each of them, despite the fact that there's not enough black faces here for my liking.

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  4. What a proud day for Margate, and it is a credit to everyone who has put so much effort into regenerating Margate. We still have a long way to go but it is fantastic that we are being recognised. I watched ITV meridian and BBC south east on Friday and it was brilliant to see Margate getting some positive attention.

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  5. At least the mugging rate is lower, Peter.

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  6. Yes, I got mugged twice while living in Peckham.

    By white people.

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  7. Who mentioned colour before you did, Peter. See you are drawing conclusions again, this time on the racial origins of the majority of muggers. Dangerous ground, old chap, in our PC world!

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  8. Peter, I think Tony referred to the Queen having met Margate's (and Kent's) finest people and not to her having visited Margate's best places. People like the leader and opposition leader of the council, the chairman and director of the TC and no doubt the crew of the Lifeboat. If he was referring to places in Margate then to compare the TC to places like Leeds Castle and Canterbury Cathederal would seem a bit far fetched. Even the Shell Groto beats the TC hands down on Margate's Tripadvisor tourist entry.

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  9. Anon 10:07, I'm just pointing out that cutural diversity generally makes places safer, though shame we can't deport more of the scum who were born here (whatever their colour).

    Anon 10:40, The director of the TC "one of Margate's (or Kent's) finest people"? Not sure where you draw that conclusion, though she certainly has one of Margate's finest jobs after getting paid for several years before the gallery was even built. Nice "work" if you can get it.

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  10. No, sorry Peter, but you were not pointing out any such thing on cultural diversity. You were clearly saying you were mugged by WHITE people thus making some sort of assumption that an earlier comment was implying Peckham had more muggings because of its ethnic community.

    As for cultural diversity making places safer, I do not think that would be the finding of most people that have to live in them nor is it supported by crime statistics.

    Get real, Margate, for all its faults, is far safer than much of Peckham.

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  11. Hear, hear, 1:54, having lived in neighbouring New Cross, I would not put money on the survival prospects of a white mugger round there.

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  12. "The Queen and the Royal family as far as I'm concerned are about the last thing that is recognisable as being British that hasn't been disposed of, changed or outlawed by either leftwing cretins or Europe"

    More tabloid nonsense with no evidence to support it, or am I being cruel Tony?

    The last time I looked, the governments of the last 30 years or so have been either centrist or centre-right. No sign of any "left wing cretins" there. As for the EU: a bureaucratic entity designed on free-market principles based on trade and capital. So that would be a bit right-wing, wouldn't it?

    How the Royal family can be considered as being somehow "the last thing that is recognisable as being British" makes me laugh! Royalty isn't confined to Britain alone and aren't the Royals in this country descended from immigrants?

    I think you'll find that most of what has changed in Britain since your glorious youth is down to Globalisation and, especially, American cultural imperialism. Just take Margate as an example: foreign holidays hasten it's decline, it's town centre destroyed by an out-of-town shopping mall. It looks just like most towns suffering from the ravages of global capitalism.

    I could go on and on about the origins of social and cultural change in this country but It would probably fall on deaf ears, after all it's easier to look to the tabloids and blame lefties and the EU, isn't it?

    Thank you.

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  13. There is a socialist training manual entitled 'Diverting Attention from the Plot and Laying the Blame Firmly at the Door of America.' I think Anon 4:12 has swallowed it hook, line and sinker!

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  14. In answer to your last paragraph question, 12:00 PM, probably because it is true.

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  15. "... and aren't the Royals in this country descended from immigrants? "

    From Vlad the Impaler, apparently, better known as Count Dracula. Which may explain a few things.

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  16. Anon 6:59, A response straight out of the 'Right-Wing Nutjob Conspiracy Theory It's All A Commie/Leftie/Do-gooder Plot But I Have No Evidence Online Debate Manual'. Keep on believing the Daily Fail Comrade.

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  17. Signs of Globalisation/Americanisation:

    Tabloid sensationalism: US - The New York Daily News (1919)

    Popular Culture: US musical forms. Hollywood. US Game show format. US fashions/street-wear. US dance.

    Food & Drink: McDonalds, Pizzahut, Starbucks, Coca-Cola etc.

    Shopping Malls: US

    Advertising/Marketing/PR: US ( Edward Bernays)

    Automobile mass production: Ford Motors.

    Add to that list: Dumbing Down; Down-sizing; Political Correctness; Focus Groups and other political fads; Neoliberalism; etc, etc.

    Signs of left-wing/Socialist influence over the culture: ?

    From the 'Diverting Attention from the Plot and Laying the Blame Firmly at the Door of America' Socialist Indoctrination Handbook.

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  18. Evidently someone has left the nut house door open again.

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  19. No, Anon of 4.12, you're not being cruel. Historical fact, science and hard evidence will never be allowed to get in the way of Tony's opinions and outbursts.

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