Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
Surely Vic you are not taking credit for a cable car facility .This has been on the cards for years.I recall it beeing discussed when we had a Tourism Committee and thats going back a few years as we have had a cabinet system since 2000
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Vic - the idea of a lift of some sort has been around for a while - I know it was discussed a few years ago at least , and that the land there had potential.
The remaining building there is a lot more important than it first appears and I will post some information up later to prove it.....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
I think Mc-alp-ine thought of it
,lets not go down the line of I thought of it first,no I did,it if it happens it would pull in the tourists to Dover and benefit the Town and the Castle and if it could go up the other way to the Western Heights that would be brilliant,time will tell and I am sure that those who make the decisions and have the money will do the best thing.One question is where will it run from the Station would be good but miss out the Town Centre,and be too long,or Pencester would be central,and no doubts the young people would sit on it in the evenings,it would be difficult in the main street,anyone got any ideas.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
...plus we'd rather have £1m to spend on the Heights, let people walk there and do something to protect the heritage, than to have a cable-car pilon slap bank in the middle of the monument....
From the paper EH don't want the thing running to them anyway
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
looks like i am the only one excited by this proposal.
paul
the building you refer to, is it the victorian folly, that is fairly inaccessible?
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
Are the EH plans available online Paul? I'd be curious to see them.
I do rather take back much of my original scepticism now I've learned a little more about the cable car plan. It could be boost to tourism, and as it appears that we are not paying for it, it could be a force for good around here from the tourist angle. I assume it will be funded from the £4m development grant?
On that note, what are the caveats on the EH grant? Will they invest any into the Western Heights or elsewhere? Isn't there a danger that they will plough most of it into Dover Castle, one of their top national tourist attractions? If so, we residents might not see that much benefit.
I've wanted to see Motte's Bulwark open for years, having never had the chance to visit it. However, parking would be well nigh impossible off the dual carriageway. I would put a small wager on EH installing a lift to the Castle grounds and only public allowing access via the Castle. Doubtless the cost of a day ticket will be £15 by then! As a stand-alone site I really can't see it being frequented due to access difficulties, much akin to the Grand Shaft.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I don't know of any plans as such - with EH things change all the time with the different management and also whether it be the Commercial side or the Conservation Side winning the arguement...
There was a lot of money spent on the Broadlees parking idea and that was dropped, current plan is (or was!) to convert the Officers' Mess to a combined visitor centre and hospitality suite.....
Also to get an idea of costs.... I think the Admiralty Lookout project was a 13 week/£0.25m project - I am sure it has been at least 2 years and the cost almost double that
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Here is the article that we prepared a couple of years back that Vic refers to:
http://flickr.com/photos/doverpast/2408464932/sizes/l/Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Paul. Sorry that is not the one you do have the right reporter but not the right story.
It was under Those were the days but the heading was Fortifications were Henry,s response to invasion fears and that was about 1539 and the date it came out in the Mercury was January 6th 2005 my write up in the Mercury about the chair lift cae out in Feb of the same year, but I also done one in the paper in 1998 and one even before that way back in the 1970s.I have a book with all the cut outs over the past 10years. I would like to see the three gun batteries or "Bulwarks" which were built at the harbour level around1539 did you know under all that weeds E.T.C. is semi-circular gun platformwhich dates from around 1744 when we were at war France and Spain. I did at one time try and get it all clean up and open up again, at is time we have some homeless in there,but with the right funding it could be done up,and open up like alot of things we will have to wait and see.
I remain yours faithfully Vic Matcham
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
We have done quite a few articles between me and Jeff over the years and lose track of them !!
The gun platform is very clear from the road and regularly cleared by EH
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doverpast/89420761/sizes/o/
This is the article. Below this was the Victorian gun battery Guilford Battery which was demolished to become the site of Dover's first skating rink and outdoor cinema !! It was later commandeered to become Dover Seaplane Station.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doverpast/89420761/sizes/o/Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Thank you for that Paul,it would be nice to see it all on show again and what a site it would be for our visitors from overseas as they come by.
Vic Matcham
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I am working on a listed building application at the moment to see if can get it protected......
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Good for you Scotchie! It's a good job we have people like you protecting our history. I'm all for modernisation but spoiling our wonderful heritage by something as ridiculous as this would be heartbreaking. I agree with you that we need to maintain our history, not defile it.
Cable cars ?
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 654- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 169
I thnk it needs planning out all the pro's and con's
then lets decide
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Hello ........ earth calling Keef ....... we have two pages of that already!
It's not us who must decide anyway , it's the planning people.
If they deem this to be a good idea it will happen - if they don't it won't - end of.
It matters not what you or I or every other ordinary person in the street thinks
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
We stood with some English Heritage people, looking over the town to the Castle from the Drop Redoubt. Amazing views over the harbour and historic buildings and it would look awful to have a load of pilons ripping into the structures and ruining the views :(
Been nice knowing you :)
Go for it Scotchie!!
Guest 654- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 169
ITS MAKE YOUR MIND UP TIME!
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
Make your mind up about what exactly Keith? Is there to be a Dover populace referendum on this? No, it's going ahead anyway isn't it? Have you heard something we haven't?
As Scotchie says, the pylons will be an eyesore. And once they are up they are never coming down.
