Step Short is the command given to soldiers as they marched downhill to Folkestone harbour from their camps on The Leas, to embark on ships to France during WW1… for The Western Front.

It is now known as the Road of Remembrance.

Folkestone Remembers, and in 2010 new MP Damian Collins and Chairman of Step Short addressed the March from the harbour. Red and White balloons were released to commemorate the memory of troops, many of whom never returned and now rest in peace in France.

Details here http://stepshort.gofolkestone.org.uk/

http://www.colinjon.co.uk

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News from the official tourism organisation for Shepway - Discover Folkestone

HOME-GROWN holidays are definitely in, we opined in the last issue. Two important researches have since backed that view with facts and figures

The latest, commissioned by Visit Britain, is a 102-page quantitative and qualitative analysis of the visitor economy - where it is now and where it could go ‘if all goes well’ and providing the government intervenes to tackle ‘a range of market failures.’ Currently worth £115 billion a year, domestic and inbound tourism is forecast to grow by 60 per cent by 2020. That scale of expansion makes tourism Britain’s fifth biggest industry and third largest foreign exchange earner.

The other survey, commissioned by the British Resorts and Destinations Association and carried out by Sheffield Hallam University, focuses on seaside tourism. Contrary to perceptions, it says, this sector is alive, well and growing, directly supporting more than 210,000 jobs and contributing £3.6 million to the national exchequer. The head of the research team is quoted by a trade journal as commenting that the new government should make every effort to ensure that seaside areas deliver their full potential.

References to the government in both documents are interesting. The coalition has declared that promoting tourism will be a key priority. It has also said that an ‘alternative structure’ for Visit England and Visit Britain is being considered. Presumably part of its review of the purposes and functions of all publicly-funded institutions, scrutiny of the work of the national tourism authorities - their funds already savaged by the last administration - will almost inevitably shift to the regional structure, with outcomes likely to ripple down to lower levels: the localisation effect.

What would a switch from centralisation to localisation really mean? Much more, in the view of many professionals, than moving the deckchairs around. It would involve a drastic overhaul of the 1969 Tourism Development Act which brought into being the British Tourist Authority and, subsequently the national tourist boards and their regional offshoots. Critics
argue that the management structure which has developed over forty years is unnecessarily
complicated and bureaucratic, leaning towards the processes of administration rather than in investment in innovation and creativity, the purposes for which the act was drafted.
Slimlining, goes the argument, could open up new opportunities for county and district tourism promoters to improve the visitor economies of their patches. Certainly, a diverse range of quality assets - scenery, historic and heritage associations, leisure venues and amenities - as well as the advantage of proximity to London and mainland Europe give Shepway and its neighbours a massive list of USPs. Hereabouts, there is no lack of ideas to holler about them loud and clear.

Chris Kirkham, manager, Discover Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh

‘Information, please’ numbers increase

WELL targeted promotion and PR activities have helped to more than maintain the momentum of public interest in finding out about Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. The number of requests for printed and other information during the past three months continues the consistently upward trend since DFHRM was re-organised in 2006.
Postal, telephone and e-mail enquiries totalled 1,334 in April, 1,044 in May and 1,477 in June. Website traffic: April, 19,480 visits (554,324 hits); May, 25,379 visits (630,108 hits);
June, 45,414 visits (652,246 hits). The figures again show substantial interest from the near-Continent.

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Making it easier to find out
WE now have our own content on Room Check, a national website for accommodation bookings. Information includes pictures and text about places of interest in the vicinity of Shepway hotels and other providers whose details are available on the Visit Kent Destination Marketing System network to which DFH&RM is linked.

Is the staycation trend sticking?
DO the figures in the ‘Information, please’ item encourage your expectations that interest will translate into firm bookings? Compared with last year, is your business faring better, worse or ticking over so-so? As always when it comes to gathering opinions, the answers to these kinds of questions depend on who and when you ask. The prognostication for Shepway, according to views expressed by range of operators, stays at the ‘cautious optimism’ level where it has been since last year. County-wide, the Visit Kent Business Barometer for May notes that business for smaller accommodation providers was unchanged from the corresponding month in 2009 but below that of 2008. Larger hotels enjoyed four per cent more. There were eleven per cent fewer visitors to attractions. TIC traffic (footfall, telephone, e-mail and postal) was down nine per cent.

Kentente cordiale
DFHRM and the Communaute d’Agglomeration Boulonnais (CAB), already close partners on projects to boost tourism and trade for resorts and towns on both sides of the Channel, are teaming up to exhibit at World Travel Market (London ExCel, November 8-11), the tourism industry’s biggest global event, an all-trade show providing opportunities for destinations to present their offers to thousands of buyers - tour operators, ground handlers, creative travel agents, wholesalers and carriers - plus travel writers and others who influence holiday choices.

Says Chris Kirkham: “Showcasing the ‘Channel region’ at WTM will provide great opportunities to present a unique two-country destination to generators of business looking for new ideas. We believe it will be a WTM first for transfrontier promotion at resort level and we look forward to working with French colleagues to tap into new sources of mutually rewarding domestic and inbound business”.

DFH&RM and CAB, together with Shepway District Council, Canterbury City Council, the Kent Wildlife Trust and Boulogne Shepway/Canterbury Co-operation, are also partners in the Transmanche Green Network, an EU-funded project to boost tourism and improve environmental management in rural areas of Kent (Romney Marsh and Reculver) and northern France (the Arena centre, near Boulogne).

B&B for golf enthusiasts
VISIT KENT invites hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs to register their interest in providing bed and breakfast accommodation for visitors to the 2011 British Open Golf Championship when it comes to Royal St George’s, Sandwich, July 10-17. Pre-qualifying rounds are to be played at Littlestone Golf Course, June 26, 27, with the final qualifying round there on June 28.

Registration on www.opengolfsandwich.co.uk is free for quality-graded accommodation;
fee for other providers, £60. For information, call 01304 240477.
More than 180,000 spectators stayed between one and seven nights when the Open was
staged on the Sandwich course in 2003. The event was estimated to have generated more
than £17 million to the local economy.

New Quality Assessment scheme
VISIT ENGLAND is to make changes to its accommodation quality scheme. A new non-star entry level is to be introduced as well as ‘less prescriptive’ standards for the facilities and services necessary at each star rating level. Details are to be announced shortly.

In its report about its Strategic Framework for 2010/2020, VE notes progress on action plans for rural, events, transport, business and sustainable tourism as well as discussion with public and commercial interests about the modernisation of visitor information.

The national body has presented the coalition government with a ten-point plan embracing the Framework whose aim is to provide the industry with ‘the necessary robust foundation on which to grow by five per cent year on year’.

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New plan for printed promotion
PRODUCTION of a new edition of the DFH&RM Holiday and Leisure Planner has been re-scheduled so that it comes into use for autumn and winter 2010 and early 2011 marketing programmes. Fifty thousand copies will be distributed through outlets in areas which are the main sources of stay-over and day visitors, at major UK and near-Continent travel trade events and in response to postal, telephone and e-mail enquiries.

Sufficient copies of the current edition have been reserved to meet demand until the next is available. Because of the effects of the recession on the advertisement revenue which funds the guide, publishing arrangements of future editions are under review.

DFH&RM and Shepway District Council have jointly produced three event guides covering the summer season. Five thousand copies of each have been distributed via the DFH&RM literature pick-up network, as well as via other outlets in the District.

News in brief

Lower Leas Coastal Park is Britain’s twentieth best place to eat outdoors, according to a vote by the British Guild of Travel Writers.

Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins has been appointed a member of the select committee of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The department’s remit includes tourism.

Folkestone Multi-Cultural Festival 2011 is to take place from Thursday, June 9 to Sunday, June 12, organiser Folkestone Town Centre Management has announced.

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway has been named among Kent’s top ten attractions in a Sunday Telegraph feature.

Free trial of Findsyou.com has been negotiated by Visit Britain. It is available to serviced accommodation providers until the end of September.

New version of Discover Folkestone video - ’shorter, snappier and with a younger feel’ -is now on view on www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk

www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk has again been nominated for the Kent E-Commerce Award. The website took second place in public voting for last year’s award. Click on to www.theicelab.co.uk to register your vote.
Hythe Visitor Guide 2011/2012, published by Hythe Chamber of Commerce & Tourism to provide information about local places of interest, attractions, accommodation, restaurants, etc. is now available from High Street shops and businesses, RHDR stations, Stop 24 and, outside the town, from DFH&RM literature pick-up points in Folkestone and France.

Lydd Club Day organising committee has named Saturday, June 18, as the date for next year’s event
Tourism South East is organising two autumn events for coach and tour operators and
wholesalers: a road show in September; and familiarisation visits to Kent and Sussex in
October.

Group Travel Organiser magazine is again collaborating with Visit Kent in the production
of a Kent Group Travel Guide. Details of the 2011 edition, to be published in January, will be announced shortly.

Last but not least . . .
WELCOME BACK. The Leas Lift, historic water-powered link between Folkestone town centre and seafront, an attraction much loved by generations of visitors, has re-opened following extensive restoration.

The Oldtimer Rally on The Leas, Folkestone, is a free annual classic car festival on August Bank Holiday Monday which attracts about 300 entrants, including a Continental contingent.

‘Oldtimer’ is the modern Continental English for ‘classic car’.   Car rallies have been held here at least since 1896;  the first one marque car rally ever was held here in 1933, for Rileys (one of the Riley brothers lived locally);   in 1964 there were more Rolls-Royces per head of population in Folkestone than any other town in the world, and in the 70s the rally became established as the Rolls-Royce Parade.   In the 80s & 90s it became part of the local authority sponsored Shepway Airshow.

In the new century as the Oldtimer Rally it has reverted to its roots – a good day out for participants and anyone else who wants to come and have a look and enjoy the atmosphere.

Its situation, on The Leas in front of The Grand, is probably one of the finest such spots anywhere in the world, with a backdrop of majestic late Victorian and Edwardian buildings and views across the busy shipping lanes of the English Channel to France on clear days.   And clear days they are – quite remarkably over the last 30+ years there has always been fine weather on the day of the rally.

But should it rain, The Grand’s Palm Court glazed terrace overlooking the rally site couldn’t be a finer retreat.   As can be seen from the links to this page, refreshments and meals are readily available there and in the adjacent accommodation which also contains rooms and apartments for those who wish to make more than a day’s outing for the annual occasions.

More information HERE

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Folkestone’s major archaeological project ‘A Town Unearthed: Folkestone Before 1500′ (ATU) has announced its first series of walks and talks for the summer season.

ATU is an exciting programme of archaeology events and education that will run for the next three years in Folkestone. It aims to help local residents understand their local heritage and become actively involved in unearthing Folkestone’s past and preserving it for its future.

The main project is funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund award and is being led by Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury Archaeological Trust and Folkestone People’s History Centre. The programme of walks and talks start in July with three events providing budding archaeologists and historians the opportunity to take part in unearthing Folkestone’s past.

Lesley Hardy, Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and American Studies at Christ Church University, is leading the project. She said: “Walks are very memorable ways of exploring our countryside, streets and ancient sites especially when led by someone with specialist knowledge.

“This summer the project is offering an exciting opportunity to learn more about the hidden history of Folkestone through a series of walks and talks led by historians and archaeologists that will bring the landscape and history of Folkestone to life.”

Andy Linklater, Senior Archaeologist at Canterbury Archaeological Trust, will host the first talk of the series: ‘From Cult Site to Port’. The talk will take place at the University Centre Folkestone on Thursday 15 July from 6.30pm until 8pm.

To coincide with the talk, there will also be two walks on Saturday 17 July from 11am until noon and also on Tuesday 20 July from 6.30pm until 7.30pm. The route will take walkers through Old High Street, Harbour and Bayle.

The walks and talks have been sponsored by Shepway District Council Community Chest, the De Haan Charitable Trust and Folkestone Town Council.

All the events are free to attend; however, places are limited on the walks. To book a place, please contact: townunearthed@canterbury.ac.uk or call 01303 850614

Walks and Talks Programme – August and September 2010:
Talk – Thursday 12 August – ‘The Medieval Town of Folkestone’ – Dr Richard Cross, Archaeological Officer, Canterbury City Council – University Centre Folkestone: 6.30pm-8pm

Walks  –  Led by Eamonn Rooney:
• Saturday 14 August – 11am until 12noon
• Tuesday 17 August – 6.30pm until 7.30pm
Route: Guildhall Street to Bayle Pond. Buggy and wheelchair friendly

Talk – Thursday 2 September – ‘Castle Hill: An Historical Perspective’ – Dr Paul Daulton, Dean of Humanities, Canterbury Christ Church University – University Centre Folkestone: 6.30pm-8pm

Walks – Led by Andy Linklater:
• Saturday 4 September – 11am until 12noon
• Tuesday 7 September – 6.30pm until 7.30pm
Route: Crete Road West to Castle Hill and back.

Talk – Thursday 16 September – ‘Folkestone’s Roman Villa and East Wear Bay’ – Keith Parfitt, Canterbury Archaeological Trust – University Centre Folkestone: 6.30pm

Walks – Led by Dr Andrew Richardson:
• Saturday 18 September – 11am until 12noon
• Tuesday 21 September – 6.30pm until 7.30pm
Route: Folly Road and East Wear Bay. Buggy and wheelchair friendly

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Kent Free Trees Scheme - Begins Mid July

This scheme offers individuals and organisations up to 25 native trees each, free of charge. All you have to do is collect them, plant them and care for them as they grow.

It is easy to apply for your free trees, and make your personal contribution to Kent’s natural environment. [READ MORE]

Why are you giving trees away for free?

Trees have a positive effect on the landscape and biodiversity of Kent’s countryside. Planting trees also helps to reduce carbon emissions.

What are the trees like?

The trees are two-to-three year old ‘whips’, typically up to 1metre tall. They may be supplied bare-rooted. Twenty-five trees will easily pack into a bin bag and fit into the boot of a car.

How do I apply for my free trees?

The 2010 Free Trees Scheme will be launched in mid-July, with a closing date for applications for trees at the end of October 2010. Look out for details in the press or on the Kent County Council website.

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