Causing a Political Stir...

Canterbury has had its fair share of national media attention of late. First the reality TV stars of Geordie Shore revelling in the town had the paps out in force. Next a bunch of 18-year-old student entrepreneurs came up with an app that caused a political stir.

The phone game, called Ukik, features a character called Nicholas Fromage kicking immigrants as far as possible off the white cliffs of Dover to gain the highest "racism" rating.

UKIP leader called the Fon Games app "risible and pathetic." But the Canterbury Academy and Ambition House, which bring young entrepreneurs together, defended the youngsters.

The principal of Canterbury Academy Phil Karnavas told the Telegraph his technology class project was "just a bit of fun". The student developers say the game aims to "make a mockery of extremist views." It features Nicholas Fromage, Ukik leader, saying: "If you are feeling irrational and want to live in a right wing hell hole then vote UKIK this May."

The game drew attention beyond the UK in the Huffington Post and International Business Times.

While Ukik may have been a bit of fun, there is some serious innovation going on at the academy, with other teams launching several new apps in the next couple of months, and planning a new game to follow this one up.

As Ambition House says, not bad for a group of 18 year olds! 

          Jules Serkin.

Tweet me @julesserkin .Tune in to my shows @SCOFFQUAFF food & drink show for Kent every Tuesday live 11-12 & 1pm @businessbunker with me & @vanillaweb  on www.channelradio.co.uk

 

Attend free business networking : www.kentbusinesstweetup.co.uk 

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Turkeys voting for Xmas...

Like turkeys voting against Christmas

Like turkeys voting against Christmas, the Marine Parade Residents Association decided it was fine to let a fine piece of our Tankerton heritage be demolished.

No doubt the nod for plans to remove the quirky Peggotty House with its spacious gardens will send home prices rocketing as another slice of green turns to concrete.

I don't expect much dissent from the council - after all this development is good for the tax revenue. 

All of the people who might stop, admire, pass the time of the day over Peggotty - well we’re the disenfranchised, unrepresented.

And so it is with Manston Airport. All of the people and businesses that used the airport - and would have liked to do so a lot more with a constructive operator - are struggling to be heard.

According to reports sent to me, Thanet council released a paper that infers it already decided against the bid to revive the airport. Its report calls the Compulsory Purchase Order a “high risk option” and questions whether the American company behind the bid, RiverOak, has enough money to ensure Manston as a “viable” airport.

Stephen DeNardo, the chief executive of RiverOak, was rightly furious, complaining that the council report doesn't provide a fair analysis of the information presented.

It seems in local democracy, the turkeys rule the roost.

Jules Serkin.

What do you think?  Tweet me @julesserkin .Tune in to my shows @SCOFFQUAFF food & drink show for Kent every Tuesday live 11-12 & 1pm @businessbunker with me & @vanillaweb  on www.channelradio.co.uk

 

Attend free business networking : www.kentbusinesstweetup.co.uk 

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Supermarket Sweep...

Just as Whitstable is welcoming Morrisons to the High Street and planning a third supermarket for the Thanet Way, we consumers are apparently turning our backs on the weekly trolley dash.

Waitrose Chief Executive Mark Price told the Sunday Telegraph that a change as fundamental as supermarkets coming to the UK in the 1950s is sweeping the nation as people are increasingly buying their food for today. The notion of people going and pushing a trolley around for the week for a huge shop is a thing of the past, he said.

While we appear to be cramming more and more supermarkets into our own community, Sainsbury’s and Tesco have been pulling larger supermarket plans, including one in Margate, according to the Mail Online.

It must be said that Tesco is doing its level best locally to keep with the times and create a homely, community feel. For the re-launch of the store off Millstrood Road it’s created a community room where charities and local groups can meet for free and it donated welcome funds to the Whitstable RNLI on reopening.

As they say, every little helps. But to my mind no amount of catering to the community by the supermarkets can replace the feeling of wholeness that shopping locally gives. Going to my local butcher, (Surmans of Tankerton) knowing where the meat is sourced, having a good natter with Brian,(the dishy one) getting cooking times for the beef and then popping to the market for my eggs from lovely June, who always asks how my Mum is doing, and coming home to my home-delivered Riverford organic veg box & my Herne Bay Hudson's Fish certainly for me beats pushing a trolley around for an hour and then feeling miserable at the price, the queues & the experience.

Jules Serkin

Tell me your favourite local shop & why?  Tweet me @julesserkin Tune in to my shows @SCOFFQUAFF food & drink show for Kent every Tuesday live 11-12 & 1pm @businessbunker with me & @vanillaweb  on www.channelradio.co.uk

 

Attend free business networking : www.kentbusinesstweetup.co.uk 

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Louise Pepper Mentioned in The Times!

Just a quick post to say that Kent Business Tweetups, Louise Pepper, has been mentioned in The Times newspaper. She has been ranked among the UK's top financial advisers. Sincere congratulations, Louise!

A photo of the article relating to the above, can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/louise.pepper.71/posts/1535782459996675:0

A Lidl More Democracy

I’ve been entertained – and at times irritated – by the comedian Russell Brand’s campaign for direct democracy through his “Revolution” YouTube channel. Entertained because he’s incredibly funny but irritated because the issues are more complex than presented. A “Big Brother” or “X Factor” style popular vote on the NHS would clearly have everyone demanding more nurses and better equipped hospitals, & let's not even get started on the food, but who would take the decision on whether to take the money from schools, the army, train service or wind farms?

On a local level, however, a bit more democracy could go a long way. The council right now is changing the face of Whitstable, for example, beyond recognition. The town loved for its unkempt seafront and quirky shops is suddenly being stormed by an influx of big chains: the latest newcomer to the High Street being Morrisons, bang opposite Budgens. At Estuary View, we’re getting a Lidl store and another big retail chain. Gone but not forgotten, The Bear & Key, now a Prezzo, The Tankerton Arms, now flats.

But it’s not just the shops. Along the seafront in Tankerton, houses are being rapidly replaced with identikit blocks of flats. The turreted Valentie's house, now flats. The once rural idyll boating lake off the golf course by West Beach now an estate of terraces. 

The beautifully quaint Peggotty House on Marine Parade is the latest insult to residents. The much-admired home was declared as without architectural merit by the council. Granted it doesn’t follow any traditional style of architecture – but that’s the point. Whitstabilians have always done things differently.

It’s not beyond the realms of possibility to imagine a system where people can lodge their vote on decisions of whether a chain store should be allowed in our high street and whether treasured local assets like Peggotty House should be cast in the dustbin of development. But really, politicians with their ears to the ground should already be hearing loud and clear what their electorate are saying.

Jules Serkin.

 Tweet me @julesserkin Tune in to my shows @SCOFFQUAFF food & drink show for Kent every Tuesday live 11-12 & 1pm @businessbunker  on www.channelradio.co.uk

 

Attend free business networking : www.kentbusinesstweetup.co.uk 

@kenttweetups

A Framing Success!

       I had the privilege of framing a signed One Direction T-shirt for a rather special youngster and was amazed at how easy it is to have a positive effect on a young person, which in turn had a profound effect on me. Here’s the link to the article. http://tmblr.co/ZCsI8u1UiXNX0

·         I'm really proud to have been accepted by “Just Got Made”, an organisation putting together a trustworthy directory of designer/makers. 

To read more visit Just Got Made website: http://www.justgotmade.com/supplier/edge-picture-framing/

·         Being 11 November, and because Kent had such a significant involvement in both World Wars, you might be interested in my article included on page 24 of the first issue of the Hythe Life Magazine. http://issuu.com/hythelifemagazine/docs/hythe_life_magazine_-_issue_1__flip

Bev Saunders

No More Planes at Manston...

And so it is.

A century of aviation ends at Manston.

All their huffing and puffing makes our political leaders look more like the domestic servants fussing about Downton Abbey while Lady Grantham purses her lips and does just as she damn well pleases.

Ann Gloag has made buffoons of the politicians and fools of us all.

Small wonder she declines media interviews. Who would want to be reminded of promises on purchasing an airport when they’ve just turned a pound into 24 million. Thanet council’s inquiry into a compulsory purchase order of the airport and the MPs’ assurances of the prime minister’s support looks laughable.

Only this is serious. And lessons must be learned.

Once again, we’re hearing vague promises. Along with a multitude of houses to be built on the vast site, there’s talk of a business park, creating 4,000 jobs. This has helped to soothe opposition to the plans. The airport employed a mere 150 people.

But here we go again. Where’s the business plan? Where are the details? Where’s the stress test for an economic downturn?

While the developers are still fighting the vague threat of a compulsory purchase order, the politicians have scope to demand the full disclosure they should have insisted on with when the airport was sold. Let’s not be made fools of again.

 Tweet me @julesserkin, Tune in to my shows @SCOFFQUAFF food & drink show for Kent every Tuesday live 11-12 & 1pm @businessbunker  on www.channelradio.co.uk   Listen anytime: www.SCOFFQUAFF.co.uk 

Jules Serkin

Attend free business networking : www.kentbusinesstweetup.co.uk 

Follow @kenttweetups for info.