Broadstairs News

Kent Police have today released CCTV images of two men who they would like to speak to in relation to a serious assault which took place in Broadstairs last month.

At around 1.17am on Sunday 27 October 2024, a man was assaulted inside and then outside The Dolphin pub in Albion Street.

The victim suffered serious head injuries, for which he continues to receive treatment.

A 33-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of assault and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing and officers have released CCTV images of two men they believe may be able to assist enquiries.

Police are also very keen to speak to a man believed to have witnessed the incident, described as having a white beard and wearing a flat cap and dark 'bomber' jacket.

Anyone who recognises the men pictured, or who has any information, is urged to call Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting reference 46/182271/24.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

organised further weeding of the towns flowerbeds and mass Spring bulb planting recently.

Hundreds of crocus bulbs were planted by volunteers, Rotary Club, local business The Potting Shed and the Mayor of Broadstairs and St Peter's, Cllr Mike Garner, near Louisa Bay and in our other display beds, which will brighten up our town by next spring.

This was further supported financially by a welcome donation of £500 from the Asda Foundation.

If you'd like to find out more about helping future garden projects or with donating equipment and plants, please email: [email protected].

Rotary Club of Broadstairs Rotary Club of Broadstairs The Potting Shed Landscapes Ltd Broadstairs & St. Peter's Town Council

Opened earlier this summer, LE VINTAGE, a restaurant, wine, and cocktail bar located at 55 Albion Street, Broadstairs, has updated its menu with sizzling new additions!

The new additions include Espetada grilled chicken skewers and hot stone steaks.

I recently tried one of their ribeye steaks, which is initially served blue, allowing customers to cook it to their preference on a hot stone — an experience that was unique for me and stood out. The ribeye was tender and flavourful, melting in the mouth with every bite. It was perfectly accompanied by garlic butter and peppercorn sauce, enhancing the steak's already exquisite flavour.

The meal also included crispy, thick-cut chips that were nicely seasoned, along with a fresh salad that added a lighter touch to the plate.

The atmosphere inside Le Vintage is delightful, featuring calm music, friendly staff, and candlelit tables. The interior design is both pleasing and attractive, providing a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience.

Taylor Nicol, the general manager of Le Vintage, describes the restaurant as "the perfect balance between sophistication and relaxation."

The drinks menu at Le Vintage is equally impressive, offering a diverse selection of wines and expertly crafted cocktails, as well as a range of beers, spirits, and soft drinks.

After I finished my meal, I enjoyed an expertly crafted espresso martini, made with the perfect blend of vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso.

Le Vintage is a must-visit destination for those seeking a refined yet relaxed dining experience with outstanding food and drinks that are sure to please everyone.

Review by Kieron Day

Tomorrow there will be a chance to speak to Town Council, local Councillors, Kent County Council Councillors, Kent Police and other interested parties about road and traffic issues in Broadstairs and St Peter's.

Taking the form of drop-in sessions, the event will be held at Pierremont Hall between 11am and 6pm, with a break for lunch between 1pm and 2pm.

BATTLE TO SAVE BUCKMASTER HOUSE BY LISTING BUILDING HAS BEEN LOST

The former Abbeyfield Group home for the elderly overlooking the seafront at Broadstairs has lost its appeal to gain listed status.

Buckmaster House, which first opened on 31st August 1895 as a home for Brixton ladies to convalesce, was closed to residents on 29th April this year. After their fight to prevent its closure was lost, the attention of the Buckmaster Support Group and other interested parties was to protect the building from possible redevelopment or demolition. This is why an appeal was made to the Secretary of State to rethink an earlier rejection to not list the landmark Western Esplanade property.

The Secretary of State has announced that the original decision to not list the building has been upheld.

The applicants of the appeal made reference to a nearby listed building which was also designed for convalescence. The Yarrow was built in 1895 - the same year as the Buckmaster Memorial Home - as a convalescent home for children by Sir Alfred Yarrow, Bart. The Secretary of State did not agree with such a comparison, stating that "Yarrow’s internal plan can be considered more architecturally significant given its oversized corridors designed to provide indoor play areas."

"The key point of comparison in this regard is that the elevations at Yarrow can be considered more striking and accomplished than the more typical late-Victorian elevations of Buckmaster House."

Additionally, the point that Buckmaster faces the sea which in itself could make the prominent building be deemed of special architectural interest was dismissed by the Secretary of State: "The reference to sea-facing frontage is used for orientation, rather than to suggest that a sea-facing elevation is in itself of special architectural interest."

The appellants tried to argue that this building could be lost forever if it is later demolished, but this concern was also discounted by the Inspectorate who stated that "planning considerations and local importance, cannot be taken into account. As such the potential future threat you have mentioned [of demolition] is not a relevant consideration."

In conclusion, the Department for Media, Culture and Sport said "The Secretary of State, therefore, after taking all relevant information into consideration, concludes that Buckmaster House does not meet the high bar of special architectural or historic interest in a national context and therefore is not added to the statutory list."

It will be a very sad day for Broadstairs if this large, landmark building is ever lost, especially as so many grand buildings that once overlooked the sea on both esplanades have been lost to rebuilding since the 1960s.

Sunday night saw the latest Poetry Club, held in the intimate and artistic venue that is Kent Talents Art Centre & Gallery in Broadstairs.

This is always a popular bi-monthly event in which to cover - from the poetry read and performed to the friendly atmosphere and the hospitable location - this has quickly established itself within the Broadstairs artistic calendar.

Anyone with a love of poetry can attend, from beginners to those more familiar with storytelling and the open-mic style of performance. No matter what ones abilities or background though, all participants always receive a warm welcome from a supporting audience. In fact this club as become so popular of late, attracting wordsmiths and hailing from the local area, as well as from London and Buckinghamshire.

July's meeting included poetry from Chris Matthewman, Jo Field, Dave Part, Cheryl-lya Broadfoot, Cheryl, Nick Goodwin, Frank Cocker, Nelissa Mendy, Bee McCormack Henderson (AKA Lorraine Williams, Editor of The Broadstairs Beacon, Annabelle Higgins and Nancy Charley.

Poems were either read or accompanied by music, sung without music - and even incorporated the playing of a recorder - such is the versatility of talent on display last night at Artist Lana Arkhi Albion Street gallery.

Polls close tonight at 10pm.

If you'd like to exercise your democratic right, make sure you vote at a polling station before 10pm. Remember to take photo ID with you.

You are choosing your local MP to represent your interests in Parliament.

Candidates for the East Thanet Parliamentary Constituency are:

POLLY BILLINGTON, Labour
GRAHAME BIRCHALL, Independent
HELEN HARRISON, Conservative
PAUL HOLTON, Independent
STEVE ROBERTS, Green
MO SHAFAEI, Independent
JAI SINGH, Liberal Democrat
PAUL WEBB, Reform UK

Make your vote count.

Here's our round-up of all the candidates seeking your votes tomorrow (in surname order). One of these 8 candidates will represent our interests in Parliament for the new East Thanet constituency.

Remember your photo ID when you go to vote.

What perfect timing!!!!

While the July issue of was being printed last night, the commercial for O2 was had its premiere showing on commercial television!

We feature the filming of the advert in the new edition which is out today. Viking Bay, the amusement arcade and were used for the filming and feature in this based advert.

Pick up your copy of Broadstairs News from today.

Has anyone had a tree stolen overnight?

Everyone dumps everything on our doorstep.

Last minute availability...

We have a front page panel available to advertise your business to our 25,000 readers. We have the most readers than the other 2 local newspapers put together and are the only free local newspaper to be available in 4 big supermarkets, including those at Westwood - meaning your advert can be seen by your potential customers right across Thanet.

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Message us ASAP if you are interested.

We have the most readers of any local newspaper or magazine in Thanet.

We are the only free newspaper that can be picked-up from Asda, Budgens, Co-op, Sainsbury's and Tesco Extra.

We also have many readers from outside Broadstairs.

We have loyal local readers and second home owners who collect each issue and actively seek out new issues.

This all means we have a captive audience for your business. We are the only free local newspaper to offer you access to our loyal readership - making us the most read newspaper around.

So why not advertise your business with us and be seen in over 10,000 copies....or instead stick with the Thanet Extra and Isle of Thanet Gazette with their tiny audience buying 800 and 500 copies respectively, per issue.

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Contact us if you'd like to support us and advertise your business.

I should really have taken a picture of this Cherry Bakewell Blondie before I started eating it!!

The cakes I've tried at the new in the old Sweet Yesterday's shop in High Street, have all been moist, crumbly, tasty and fresh..not dry and tasteless. (I have tried Blondies in other areas and you need a drink, or visit a dentist afterwards because they can be dry and hard).

So I would wholeheartedly recommend this new business...and many of you already do, going on how quickly Jess sells out of her selection.

They say that a week is a long time in politics, and this week has proven that old adage to be true.

South Thanet MP, Craig Mackinlay announced late on Tuesday what his earlier sepsis infection had done to his body - leading to amputation of his arms and legs to save his life.

The following morning, many messages of support came flooding in from well-wishers, constituents and politicians from both sides of the political spectrum. Then came his appearance in the House of Commons where he received a rapturous applause, again from both sides of the House. Craig said he'd be contesting his seat for the new East Thanet constituency.

But just a few hours after Craig had left the Commons, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood on a wet Downing Street to announce he had seen the King to dissolve Parliament and fix the date of the election - July 4th.

With a mere six weeks before this snap General Election, it took media commentators - and politicians - by surprise as an October or November election was expected.

Craig's contender for here in East Thanet, Polly Billington leapt at the chance to launch her campaign for the Labour Party yesterday in Margate. But now Craig has said he will not be standing for re-election because he had hoped to have longer to prepare himself for the "rigours" of an election campaign than this snap election allows.

Craig remarked: "The snap election announcement has caused me 36 hours of intense soul searching. Whilst my heart tells me to stand again, there being so much unfinished business across local regeneration and national issues which are important to me, my head knows this to be impossible at this time. It would be difficult to withstand the rigours of an all-out election campaign, a campaign that I’d always wish to lead from the front. Thereafter, upon being re-elected it would be difficult for me to sustain 70 to 80 hour working weeks which were the norm prior to my illness.

"I had hoped to phase my return to the House of Commons over the coming months as my abilities improved. Since leaving in-patient rehabilitation a month ago my life now revolves around various medical appointments. I face numerous future operations as a result of the serious sepsis that I suffered which very nearly took my life. I have only just started the prosthetic journey and I have weekly physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions.

"I had the most memorable appearance of my time as an MP at this week’s PMQs: it was emotional and the experience quite surreal. I shall never forget it. I had expected it to be the start of my return. It will, however, be remembered as my last hurrah.

"I will now campaign to raise awareness for, and particularly the early recognition of, the onset of sepsis. If this results in the saving of one life or the prevention of the type of disablement that I have suffered it will be a worthwhile campaign. I will also do all that I can to ensure that multiple limb loss amputees get the right prosthetics at the right time to ensure that lives can return to as close to normality as possible.

"To be elected to the House of Commons is a rare privilege of life. I thank my South Thanet constituents for placing their trust in me across three General Elections." Craig Mackinlay East Thanet Conservatives

Following PM Rishi Sunak's announcement last night of a snap election to take place on July 4th, the Labour Party's Parliamentary Candidate didn't waste any time before launching her campaign.

Polly Billington (Lab) is contesting Craig Mackinlay's seat for the new East Thanet constituency.

Today Polly has kicked off her campaign outside Margate Train Station.

She has made 5 pledges for East Thanet, namely to:
Tackle the Cost of Living;
Restore the NHS;
No New Builds Without Infrastructure;
Save our High Streets;
End the Sewage Scandal.

Polly is a former BBC journalist and former Head of Communications and Campaigns at Citizens Advice, co-ordinating campaigns on energy, welfare and payday loans. She also founded UK100 in 2016, which is a network of local leaders who have pledged to lead a rapid transition to Net Zero with Clean Air in their communities ahead of the government’s legal target.

Polly Billington said:
"As somebody who has dedicated their life to fighting injustice, I can’t sit idly by. The people of Thanet have been let down and they deserve an MP who will fight for them.

"Thanet needs a strong national voice that can secure change while the current Tory MP has spent more than a decade commenting from the side-lines.

"Thanet has so much going for it, but has suffered from Tory neglect for far too long. That’s why after 14 years of Conservative failure here, it is time for change with a Labour candidate will bring people together for a better future.

"I grew up in an ordinary suburb and my parents were teachers. I benefited from good state education and worked as a BBC reporter. But I couldn’t just tell people things were wrong - I wanted to do something about it. Ever since I have been campaigning for better jobs, better homes and for our environment.

"With my experience in campaigning, I will fight to get the better opportunities, industries and services here in Thanet, as well as protecting our natural resources, and combatting climate change."

Polly Billington East Thanet Labour