A visit to Folkestone harbour

escallonia · #1 19-08-12

John.

Pol · #2 20-08-12

It's nice down there on a sunny day. The kids used to like going to the Rotunda and we used to enjoy the market down there.

Everything's changing so much, no more Rotunda. D'ya have any pics of the cleared Rotunda site? What's happening there?

Pol

escallonia · #3 20-08-12

Hello Pol thanks for looking, It was nice down on the front yesterday with all the children playing in the fountain thats new. As far as the old retunder site is concerned I have no news Sorry, I will take some photo's and post them in the near future. http://www.folkestoneseafront.com/ regards John.

Pol · #4 20-08-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by escallonia

Hello Pol thanks for looking, It was nice down on the front yesterday with all the children playing in the fountain thats new. As far as the old retunder site is concerned I have no news Sorry, I will take some photo's and post them in the near future. http://www.folkestoneseafront.com/ regards John.

Thanks for the link. At least there seems to be a master plan, which seems to be more than can be said for Margate. We used to spend so much time visiting East Kent and South Kent when the kids were little but it's all changing so much now and the kids are all grown up and left home.

I especially liked Folkestone liked the Sunday Market on the Rotunda as well as the funfair and watching the ferries and Hovercraft coming and going. I aso like Folkestone's shopping centre. I have photos of the market and I think I have one or two in and around the Rotunda (as it was) too. I'd have to dig deep in my archives to find them.

Here's a link showing something of the demolition of the Rotunda. I have a picci of that FE22 blue boat somewhere, a picci as it was in the old days when the Rotunda was thriving.

Pol

escallonia · #5 20-08-12

Very interesting Pol. this was my first time to see the fountain not been there long so I was told.

Pol · #6 21-08-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by escallonia

Very interesting Pol. this was my first time to see the fountain not been there long so I was told.

Thanks for that, it looks good! If the weather stabilises this autmn maybe we'll have a run down there in the camper and see how things are developing. It's a nice run of approx 2-3 hrs in pleasant weather.

It's a slow but pleasant 70-80 miles from home as we usually go the coastal route along the A259 via Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst, Sandhurst, Peasmarsh, Rye, Camber, Romney, Dymchurch, Hythe.

Fingers crossed the weather will finally stabilise! We haven't been able to get to any of our favourite places this year ... yet!

Pol

escallonia · #7 21-08-12

Let me know when you come to folkestone perhaps we could meet and take a few photo's regards John.

Pol · #8 21-08-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by escallonia

Let me know when you come to folkestone perhaps we could meet and take a few photo's regards John.

We usually have to do things on the spur of the moment but I'll send you a PM.

Pol

Pol · #9 22-08-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pol

I have photos of the market and I think I have one or two in and around the Rotunda (as it was) too. I'd have to dig deep in my archives to find them.

Here's a link showing something of the demolition of the Rotunda. I have a picci of that FE22 blue boat somewhere, a picci as it was in the old days when the Rotunda was thriving.

Pol

I finally managed to dig out a thumbnail copy of a picci of the old FE22 boat that stood near the entrance of the Rotunda, near the path that went down to the Dome. Neatly cut grass in those days and the kids liked to eat in the Dome.

I think this was taken circa 2002 or 2003. I can't find the original file, the picci below is from a thumbnail.

Pol

Pol · #10 22-08-12

And here's a thumbnail picci of a shot of the queue at the 'Belly Buster' stall - grabbed this one time down at the Rotunda Sunday Market. I have more of the market somewhere but can't lay my hands on them. If I'd known it was all to be demolished I'd have gone more often and taken a lot more pics.

Anyway - bust yer belly on this.

Pol

escallonia · #11 22-08-12

Hello Pol just a couple I took some years back

I hope your day has been a good one regards John.

Pol · #12 23-08-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by escallonia

Hello Pol just a couple I took some years back

I hope your day has been a good one regards John.

Yes, a reasonably good day, thanks.

I espcially like the picture of the boat. That looks like a decent seafood shop too.

It's sad to see all the old sights, sounds and businesses along the Channel coast changing or disappearing.

Dungeness and many parts of the marshes have changed virtually out of all recognition over the past 10-15 years. All the shacks either sold or converted to holiday lets, many of the old boats and buildings gone, boardwalks over the shingle and over the beaches.

Camber Sands too. New holiday homes and flats built on one of the rear carparks, arcades gone and we're no longer allowed to use the carpark in between Easter and the October. No campers allowed at all, not even for short stays of one hour.

Pol

escallonia · #13 23-08-12

Yes Pol things have changed and not always for the best, I had a caravan for ten years when my Daughter was growing up back in the late eighties.
It was great fun I used tow it with the Volvo 250, she is now a teacher in Norfolk
she is now 28 the years seem to fly past been out in the garden today take careI will get round to taking some photo's of the front when have the time. cheers John.

Ian · #14 23-08-12

Yes indeed time does fly - Elizabeth is 16 and she got her GCSE results today; straight As and most of the A Stars - she is such a star!

Has Folkestone been affected much by the Eurostar/Chunnel terminal?

Ian

escallonia · #15 24-08-12

I have not heard anything that has said that the ferry is not working ok Ian.
Glad to hear that your Daughter has done well with her Exams. will she be going to university? John.