Agenda and minutes

-                Apologies

-                Declarations of Interest by Members in Items on the Agenda for this Meeting

Presentation by Ruth Wood, Tourism Development and Research Officer on behalf of Kent County Council and Visit Kent.

There will also be two speakers from Thanet Greeters – a free public service which enables visitors to the area to meet with local people from Thanet who are friendly and enthusiastic about the area in which they live.

Presentation by Quex Park Estate, home to the Powell-Cotton family and its collection.

Recommendations of the Board to be announced.

THANET LOCAL BOARD – THANET TOURISM

Minster Village Hall – 25 November 2008

Present:        Cllr Bill Hayton (Chairman)                           Apologies:  

                        Cllr John Fullarton                                         Cllr Robert Burgess

Cllr Elizabeth Green

                        Cllr Clive Hart

                        Cllr Charles Hibberd

Cllr Alan Poole

                        Cllr Chris Wells

                        Emma Carey, Community Liaison Manager, KCC

Heather Batt, Administrative Support, CLM Team, KCC

1. Introductions: All County Councillors present introduced themselves.

Declaration of Interest:

Clive Hart declared an interest in the SCCP grant application from The Royal School for Deaf Children, Margate, where he is the KCC appointed Member on the Committee of Management.

Elizabeth Green declared an interest in the application from The Bandstand Group (Eastcliffe, Ramsgate) as she is a Committee Member.

2. Actions Outstanding from Previous Minutes: No actions outstanding.

3. Visit Kent – Ruth Wood – Tourism Development and Research Officer

Ruth Wood from Visit Kent discussed how the organisation can be instrumental in promoting local businesses through various sources and demonstrated how the public can obtain information on local events. Visit Kent are currently promoting the area through advertising with organisations such as South Eastern Railway which encourages tourists from South London and East Sussex.

Q:        Olympics – what is your marketing pitch?

A:        A fantastic opportunity as 70% of visitors will be from the UK.  We encourage local people and businesses to be ambassadors and promote the activities, excellent transport with Ebbsfleet and the Park & Ride.  Visit Kent are working closely with various tour operators in the UK, France and other close European countries to promote visitors to visit Thanet.

Q:        Is Thanet too far away?

A:        No the rail link is quick and efficient.

Q:        Are you working with Language Schools?

A:        Yes, working with Action Committee for Thanet Students

Thanet Greeters –  Peter Shaw – Director of Operations

                                    David Wills – Director of Volunteers

Peter and David talked about the role of a Thanet Greeter, how they match

the right person to complement a particular request.  Always looking for

volunteers and in particular for Minster as they have no one to cover this area

at present.

Quex House & Gardens, The Powell Cotton Collection –

Anthony Curwen

Based in Birchington and one of Kent’s best kept secrets.  Built in the

Regency period and owned by a Victorian explorer Major Powell-Cotton and

still home to the Powell-Cotton family.  Has many attractions including the

museum which houses authentic treasures gathered by the family during their

explorations.  There is a walled garden, maze, a barn, craft shop, Jungle Jims

to keep the kids occupied and wedding and conference facilities. It has easy

access being near major motorways and rail links.

A member of the public stated that they had taken visitors from France to visit Quex and were very impressed.  It is important to publicise as much as possible.  When we go to other places of interest we should use the opportunity to promote our own local interests.  This would be complimentary and help to promote each  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.