Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
I fully agree with Kevin and am of the idea that a roof on a church in the Town centre should come under this development programme. It would also be for the better image of Dover to visitors!
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Who would pay for it?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
That is just about the only reply one can get?
Firstly it's all about visitors coming to Dover from Eastern Docks and Western Docks. how the Councillors are promoting tourism, how DHB promotes tourism; How to attract travellers into Doer before they embark on a long journey.....it goes on all the time. And for a church roof in the centre of the town of Dover, all one gets is:
"Who would pay for it?"
I try to follow what people write about attracting visitors, think a helpful hint might be helpful, try to imagine what visitors would see, and think, and which route they would follow.
And then it's: oh no, it's too far to walk to the castle, who wants to see thise old places anyway while wlaking, we need a cable-car (for millions of pounds).
And: oh no, we don't want a roof on a church opposite the Town Hall, it's too expensive!
Why bother at all, then?
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Incidentally, who pays for the referendum?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
alex.which referendum are you refering to.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
That church is owned by a firm of property developers who were converting it into flats when it burned down. It is their responsibility; if they want to leave it as it is, I suggest you organise a petition to the council asking them to issue a section 215 notice under the Town and Country Planning Act.
Alternatively you could move your tent into the ground floor. If you manage to live there for 14 years without them chucking you out, you can make a successful adverse possession claim and the church will be yours under your squatter's rights.
Or you could even find out who owns it and embarrass them into fixing it with an effective media campaign.
Ranting at your fellow forumites will not put a new roof on the church, will it Alexander?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
A roofless church in the town centre?...Open air theatre!
A few shows a day of historic (local) significance. Costumes copied from those (doubtless) at the castle or borrowed there from. School children, local am-dram, sealed knot...
"One in the eye for Harold." "Magna Carta rides again."
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Tom, the place has burnt out black timbers where the roof was, and looks like that what it is: a church that fought back. A true Dovorian Church!
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Alexander, the church once had a congregation, time and tide took care of that. Burnt timbers are no more permanent that blind-faith.
Clear the beams from your own eyes, see the assets. Detest to perdition the eyesores.
"Out damned blot!"
I suspect that there is plenty round about that attests to the past. The future is what WE make it. What good is a roof on a 'dead' church?
Maybe the present state of the building suits the owners [no defamation intended] The present market conditions, the eventual total degradation of the site ready for new-build?
Nevertheless all things Dover should be/could be turned to the advantage of the town and it's people and visitors.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
No, Tom, the site is not ready for a new-build, the structure is intact, and to ask that it be repaired is a civic duty. The context of the subject here was to do with visitors to Dover, and what an impact the building has with charred timbers and being boarded up.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it has already been said, only the council can put pressure on the owners to do something about the site.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
The fire happened the day before the open viewing day, some of the flats had even been sold. The fire was caused by a workman putting a few final touches prior to the open day. It is no longer a church it is a burnt out block of flats.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
I know, Howard. The Town Council informed me last Summer that the District Council could oblige the owners to repair the damage. I haven't got the exact wording in front of me, but it's somewhere on my memory sticks.
Hence my point, that the work could be done by law, as the burnt roof is a sign of degradation.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Best that the fire happened when it did JanH,considering the loss seems to be total. Not a selling point for future development.
If, though, it's central location was an advantage for the development enterprise that advantage remains for the town itself.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it was a top class development tom with many of the original features of the church kept.
the sort of people that could afford the flats would have been big spenders in our shops and watering holes.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
That it was top class Howard, given it's central location and the prevailing housing market. I do not doubt for a minute. Yet if a fire can start when people are there, up and about, yet the loss be so extensive...
I am just glad there were no fatalities.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.