Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
12 January 2011
18:4888707The Britannia can be seen in this 1960s view of Townwall Street ...
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
12 January 2011
18:4988708Well thank you and as I said in my post at that time they said with their hard hats on Dover from today will move forward,well all I can say on this one, time to eat the hard hats lads,
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
12 January 2011
18:5788710I believe it is Brook House, Howard.
But regeneration knocking down an attractive building on Townwall Street doesn't make sense. There is no reason why the building cannot remain, as it is attractive, and traditional, and the name, Britannia, means a lot to me!
But I know from experience that arguing with Paul W is pointless!
I will add that some modern buildings that went up near Market Square, or at least that big red colussus in Bench Street with empty show-room windows where sometimes strange scenes are put on dislay, look quite awful!
My opinion is that DDC want to replace a nice traditional building called the Britannia with some awful looking modern monstruosity!
I think that was one reason why Caeucescu was hated in Romania, because after an earth-quake in Bucarest in the 70's, he started to knock down traditional buildings and replace them with horendous modern concrete slabs!
In Warsaw, after the Second World War, the Polish government took pride in rebuilding Warsaw according to its original style, and must have made a good job of it. Needless to say I wish that in May there will be different people in DDC, we really need a change! A change of people in DDC, not of Dover's traditional buildings!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
12 January 2011
19:0688712all before my time here alex, but the issue of brook house came up on here about 5 or more years ago.
nigel collor pointed out it was dover corporation not d.d.c. then sheila amos said that it had been knocked down overnight for a coach park for the hordes of tourists that would strip our shops bare of goods on their way to the white cliffs experience. she then added that the probem was we had no shops to cater for them. paul w then agreed with the comment.
i am speaking from memory now, maybe someone else could confirm what i say.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
12 January 2011
19:1788714Well let me tell you, Howard, that was a beautiful, beautiful building. A work of architectural art!
I used to live in Dover as a lad, and it was a joy of the Town, really beautiful building.
Yes, DDC say it wasn't them, Dover Corporation say it wasn't them. No-one knocked it down!
Like the Cyclope who said to the other Cyclopes: no-one did it!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
12 January 2011
19:5488718One step away from Godwin's Law.... here comes the comment about H*tler....
There is nothing right with that block..did you ever visit the WCCP next door with concrete peeling the girders and more leak than roof?? God help us if we need to protect this lump there is nothing special or modern about it, next will be Burlington House listed
I beleive Brook House was riddled with dry rot, sinking in the river bed and beyond help.
Been nice knowing you :)
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
12 January 2011
20:0188720I agree Brook House was a beautiful building a case of legalised demolition that was done on the quiet. I certainly will not miss the Britannia, there is nothing special about it at all for me, just another building.
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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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Unregistered User
12 January 2011
20:1688723Alex I think I've given you many responses on this Forum.
I just don't believe in going in for endless repetition which it tends to be with your comments.
I don't make decisions on sentiment or knee jerk re-actions but on evidence based material.
My objective is growth ,wealth and employment for the area.
I won't be engaging with you in any response.
Watty
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
12 January 2011
20:4588727Paul I thought you were the leader of the Council......Not the Council...surely members make the decisions.....and officers look at making them work.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
12 January 2011
21:0288729john
i think that paul used the perpendicular pronoun in response to alex's comments, not about general decision making.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
13 January 2011
00:0088741I agree with Paul aka Scotchie that the proposals advanced by the DHB for the development of T2 and the waterfront represent the best opportunity to kick-start the regeneration. I think they are being treated pretty unfairly for saying what needed to be said. At the end of the day, the DHB have a consistent record of investing in the port. It was the Board, for example, which took the bold step to develop the cruise terminals, despite a lot of negative attitude at the time. It's a shame the whole issue is being blurred by politics.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
13 January 2011
08:0788745I think it is being blurred more by personal prejudices Kevin, than politics.
It is true what you and Scotchie have said about DHB and regeneration - and it needs to go ahead, with a good plan, not a quick one.
Brook House may have been a lovely house, but that was a long time before it was finally demolished.
So many urban myths have done the rounds about it, but in actual fact it was in a terrible condition and the basement was constantly flooded, causing more structural damage and so it became too expensive to repair.
The mid-town area has been subject to many problems because of the flood-plain there; I understand that remedial action will be taken around early summer to resolve these flooding issues.
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 January 2011
11:2588770M.F.I. now coming down,more fencing going up.
Guest 702- Registered: 9 Jul 2010
- Posts: 241
13 January 2011
22:3088856howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
13 January 2011
23:1588860great stuff ken, it was indeed a beautiful building from the outside.
pity about the neglect inside that led to its demolition.
Guest 702- Registered: 9 Jul 2010
- Posts: 241
13 January 2011
23:3288861It had a lot of problems with the water table. Cellar flooding and the building was sinking. Some years previous to the demolition I worked in the Astor Dental Clinic and the floor in one of the rooms was dug up trying to find out what was going on underground. The Clinic had cracks in the walls, believed to be caused by the movement of Brook House.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
14 January 2011
04:0188870Thanks Ken for the photos, for all to see! To drain undeground water from an isolated building as the beautiful one that got wripped down, is no technical secret, and it is not even particularly expensive.
In olden days one would have had a well nearby, or even in the cellar, and would empty it out when the level is too high.
Anyway, in reference to Paul Watkin's post above, regeneration in Dover as far as I am concerned comes about in May!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
28 January 2011
23:1990607Finally found this image of the Brit probably from the 60s
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
28 January 2011
23:5490610How smart it looks, what a shame. And what a change in the look of Townwall Street !
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
29 January 2011
10:0790633Yes both mywife and mywife use to have meals in there upstairs
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Been nice knowing you :)
