Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Only a few days away from one of our big weekends..Rolls Royce Celebrations, Western Heights Celebrations, and this is what our seafront looks like this morning. One large building site from top to bottom. Great shame. There will be so many visitors coming this weekend with the Rolls Royce's and so forth so a great pity Dover couldnt have been in pristine condition. I believe the works were supposed to be finished by now..so the rumour mill says, although I havent heard anything official.
The building works affected last weeks Help for Heroes weekend too with the smallish crowd huddled into one small corner of the beach beyond the Seasports Centre...as almost the entire beach was impenetrable. Well I suppose it probably gave the impression the turnout was bigger than it actually was..at least that was something.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
PaulB
Although it's no consolation the only dual carriageway in Jersey that runs along the seafront from St Helier to Millbrook has been undergoing widening ,cable laying and new drains for the past 9 months and has caused havoc with the traffic.It should have been finished at Easter but the work will hopefully be finished by August in time for the Battle of Flowers and the cost has nearly doubled.Will try and post some photos.
As you know I loved going down fo the seafront in Dover early morning with Natascha,a flask of coffee and the Daily Blabbermouth to read whilst she cycled up and down the prom.Lets hope they get the work finished asap.

Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
I, like our beloved leader, keep an eye on the "works" down the road. Whilst I have seen up to 11 people on site, only those on the JCB's ever seem to be doing any work. The rest just stand, walk or sit around. It will NEVER get finished for the summer.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Indeed Diana...looking at it now well it looks as if summer will come and go before the builders depart...there doesnt appear to be any urgency. However sometimes they pull off miracles at the eleventh hour and bobs yer uncle it all fits into place...but the Regatta looks as if it could be hit unless they get a move on.
Marek ah yes indeed...next time you come back it will probably be all done...as long as its not anytime soon

. Im beginning to see the wave wall and the weaving pathways emerge from the rubble though..ever the optimist!
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
PAULB
Tis sad looking at seafront.
was down there recently arranged to meet the sea sports centre but it was all closed, so de bradier walf got the cuistom instead.
On the question of road works in general although not all related to this topic.
I hope that this cobbled together government will now look at the issue of road works and how utillityy companies and councils- themselves hind behind that saying
"not my job guv "
in the past the councils have blamed Govt for not having legislation in place to give councils powers to organise utiulity companies better when they dig up roads,
and the utillity companies hide behind the "its an emergency" tag
then leave a hole in the road for 9 weeks or more.
Someone needs to co ordinate who can dig your road up
and when
And make it good after they have left.
is that to much to ask?
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Be positive on here, in 50 years, the above vehicle, parked on the sea front this afternoon, will be a vintage vehicle if it survive`s, so enjoy it now, before all those old cars appear the weekend.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I took a close look at these works in progress last Sunday at the H4H landings. Whilst my understanding is that the works by the Seasports Centre are apparently on schedule, I have to say that I think they're looking horrible. It is prejudging the situation, I know, but they have ripped out some truly lovely lawns and installed some rather crass-looking 'waves' in the shape of a beach path that rises and falls along its length and some 'White Cliffs' that look bloody awful at the moment. Here's a photo of the work in progress as at last Sunday; let us hope that the finished article is considerably better than the half-completed work!
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
I'm sure the work will be worth it in the end. Let's not start the negative approach on another development for Dover! The reality is that this is part-funded by central government money that a lot of other towns would have cried out for - and which is unlikely to be repeated given the current spending cuts. It's an investment in the future. It may be a shame that the work is impacting a couple of local events, but in the long term it will attract more people back to the seafront.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
At the moment it is pre-cast concrete, a lot is being done off site and it won't look like anything until it is finished...... what is on the seafront at the moment is essentially 1950s so well overdue a revamp.....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
hmm.. its a shame thats not a picture on some of the barriers showing us what it will potentially look like.. Dad and I were just bemused by it..
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
I think if it matches the plans and it is certainly looking like it will, it will look great.
It may not be everyones cup of tea but it will provide improved access to the beach, improved lighting etc. and as Paul says a revamp is long overdue
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
I am puzzled, most posts on the Forum complain about lack of any positve action to improve the Town, but when something like the aforementioned is done it is heavily criticised. It is small wonder that those who do attempt to improve the Town,with a very few exceptions, dont contribute to the Forum, they just get on with it.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Ken/Ross
Like yourselves I look forward to seeing the revamped 21stC seafront.May only reservations are as follows
1. Attracting tourists and residents to the seafront which other than the underpass or the very busy traffic lights at the swimming baths is cut off from town and
2. The cost of the whole exercise but as the decision has been made and work undertaken I wish it only well and hopefully it is the first step on the ladder of the total regeneration of Dover.

Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
I think the point is Ken, we are all very excited at the prospect of a reworked and updated seafront, but we are also disappointed the works could not have been planned to be completed earlier.
We have a fantastic weekend of events this weekend, and first time visitors to Dover will be greeted with a building site for a seafront. Hardly good PR and not conducive to displaying magnificent Rollers, a Spitfire and firework displays. It's a bit like having a big family party in a house that is undergoing major renovations and decoration; you just wouldn't do it, but we are.
It smacks of a lack of co-ordination between DHB and DDC Planning and Events Committees. Maybe the timing couldn't be helped, but we don't know that for sure. Let's not forget, it'll be a very long time bfore Rolls Royce will consider a repeat event in Dover!
The thing is, that the seafront did not look all that bad. However, the town centre is run down and lacks shops and amenities for potential tourists. It is that, that needs addressing and upgrading. Bringing tourists in is all well and good but you need something for them once they get here. The idea of a tourist walk is good, but the Tourist Office is well out of sight, and the greeters scheme not well known or publicised. And when we do have something going on, that is not well publicised either. Witness the Help for Heroes landings on Sunday. There should be posters up on stations, cruise terminal, bus stations, everywhere - use the TV in the Market Square (I know it does advertise local things but the one time I saw something local advertised it gave neither the address of the event or a contact telephone number to get more information).
Just goes to show Diana, that despite luxuriating amongst all those shoes, handbags, chocolates and diamonds, it is still possible to make a very good point.

Guest 684- Registered: 26 Feb 2009
- Posts: 635
Hear hear, Diana - wise words indeed. Far too many of these events and activities fail to benefit from really basic stuff, such as even a modicum of promotion, marketing or publicity. They're almost treated like trade secrets! No wonder some of them end up looking so bedraggled and half-arsed (last Saturday's 'market' being one).
This happens in Deal too, you know: there was an Italian seafront market last Sunday that as far as I'm aware had zero publicity. Why? Subsequently it turned into a half-baked ciabatta, despite the best efforts of the bemused stallholders.
And back to Dover, the town centre's a shambles - Bench Street/Townwall Street is utterly shameful in particular. This and the, ahem, DTIZ are areas that need so much stimulus and regeneration - and fast. Please! We mere mortals beg of you to do something! There was nothing wrong with the seafront in the first place (although now they're digging it up and replacing it with some sixth-form art project this summer - yes, why summer? - then I at least hope it's finished quickly and ends up looking good).
Our potentially lovely, but fast-declining, hometown is missing so many opportunities. In mitigation, the area around Dover Priory looks much better. But that's just the tip of a very big iceberg.
Cheers all - enjoy the lovely weather,
Andy
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
If it wasn't for the Forum I wouldn't have a clue what was happening in Dover,everything I support I have heard about it on the Forum.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i always maintain that any inward money spent on the town is great.
i would rather it had been spent in town, but there was no choice in the matter.
there seems to be a lot equipment and a lot of mess but not that much action.