Membership
Please join us either by visiting info@gofolkestone.org.uk or coming along to meetings, the next of which will be held at Wards Hotel on Wednesday 12th February at 6.45pm. This will enable you to receive the thrice yearly magazine weeks before they are scattered around town and give you more chance to contribute articles personally. We at Go Folkestone pride ourselves on being an action group rather than merely a discussion forum.
Current projects
Our Victoria Pier Foundation Stone and Leas Balcony information/mural projects are still progressing, although there remains a lot of regulation to satisfy. We welcome the restitution of Folkestone Sports’ Centre, which now seems very likely. We also broadly support the reopening of the Grace Hill Library. But we also view the closures in Sandgate Road, which is our “high street”, with dismay, particularly if Lloyds Bank closes. At least Motis Surveyors succeeded in enabling the opening of the latest branch of the Grape Tree chain in the former H. Samuel store.
Bus services
Another live issue that Go Folkestone is actively engaged in is the provision of bus services in the town and surrounding areas. We play a strong role in the Folkestone Bus Users group set up by the District and Town Councils, which influences Stagecoach. We welcome your concerns and ideas via our Facebook page and website.
A group of Go Folkestone members has campaigned to get signs, notably a central sign in Bouverie Square. The new bus stops plan is seeking planning permission via Planning Application 24/1650/FH. You can comment online via Folkestone and Hythe planning applications or write and quote references. Past meetings have already indicated that we should press for a Post Implementation Review which highlights any continuing traffic problems. We should probably say in advance where we think those will be and continue to point out that past consultations didn’t ask respondents whether they regularly used buses, which was not fair.
Stagecoach has responded to the District Council by putting in proper contact people at the bus station, but we should press for adequate waiting spaces and rest and toilet times for drivers, and if that needs more Stagecoach office and parking space in Bouverie Square so be it. We are also pushing for partial restitution of the 76 bus serving Creteway Down and Joyes Road, and for buses to stop at both places in the Central Station area where there is often confusion over which to use for which destination.
Seafront plans
We will discuss our response to the latest developments at our meeting on 12th February. Despite the narrow planning committee refusal of the most recent proposals, we fully expect the project to go ahead after appeal with 405 rather than 410 units because a) it is largely consistent with the already approved outline, b) was
recommended by officers, and c) is consistent with the national government’s commitment to growth. However, with only a third of the first 84 flats in Block B sold, it might still be decades before building work starts on the final phase on the Harbour Arm. Plenty of time for second thoughts.
During this time Go Folkestone will scrutinise closely the effects of sea pollution and press for a Rolls Royce water treatment. It should not be forgotten that swimming on Sunny Sands was only narrowly permitted this year.
Electrical Waste Recycling
If you wish to find out more about Go Folkestone’s role in these and other matters affecting the town, please take the opportunity to chat to our volunteers at our Saturday electrical waste recycling stall in the town centre (opposite Boots) between 10am and 2pm. We would also welcome you volunteering in future, even if it is only for an hour at a time. And, of course, bring your own small electricals straight to us, even vacuum cleaners and televisions. Although we have much appreciated FHDC, the Town Council and Rotary support, we do partially support ourselves.
2025 Calendar
Although we are part way through February, you can still buy our lovely 2025 calendar to replenish our funds. At this stage they are only £5 and available at County Fayre and via info@gofolkestone.org.uk.