The Quay (work in progress) from Richard Fleury on Vimeo.
6 June 2011
After an encouraging local test screening last week, I’ve decided to make a one hour rough edit of the The Quay available online. It’s not the finished documentary – we’re still shooting – but I hope it will help people understand why Standard Quay as we know it will be gone in just a few weeks time. Please take a look…and spread the word.
The end is approaching rapidly for many of those who have built their working lives around Standard Quay. Meanwhile Swale Borough Council is seeking public opinions on its latest consultant’s report which recommends:
1. Allowing developers to turn quay buildings currently occupied by maritime industries to be turned into shops, restaurants and potentially housing.
2. Downgrading flood designation to make Creekside land more attractive to developers.
3. Ruling out the use of a Compulsory Purchase Order to put quayside land into community or trust ownership.
4. Writing off any chance of reopening the creek sluice gates and making the Creek Basin accessible for large vessels.
If you disagree with these proposals, please write to Swale Borough Council and express your views BEFORE THE 24 JUNE DEADLINE (Coincidentally, this is also the day many of the quay’s maritime businesses leave the site).
More information HERE.
Thanks
RF
25 March 2011
The Quay film is to receive its first outside funding, in the form of a training grant from Screen South, the film and media agency for the South East of England.
Until now the project has been entirely self-funded, so we’re very grateful for this financial support which will help pay for video editing training at London’s prestigious Frontline Club, founded by Vaughan Smith to champion independent journalism.
A Lottery distributor, Screen South exists to help people get their ideas off the ground, promote talent, preserve our film heritage and find ways of presenting exciting film to new audiences. Many thanks to David Castro, the agency’s Head of Development and Training.
Phil Latham on sailing the Cambria from Richard Fleury on Vimeo.
24 March 2011
Phil Latham was the Sailing Barge Cambria’s mate from 1964-68, working for the famous skipper, folk singer and author Bob Roberts.
He lives in France now but came to Faversham’s Iron Wharf this week to see the reborn barge as a guest of the Cambria Trust‘s William Collard.
Phil was kind enough to spare some time to talk on camera about his years aboard the last British vessel to carry cargo under sail, so we thought we should share the clips with you. Please excuse the rough editing and sound; shipwrights were busy working on the deck behind Phil as he spoke. If all goes to plan, Cambria will return to Standard Quay complete with masts, spars and rigging in around three weeks’ time.
Many thanks to both Phil and William Collard. To see more video of the Cambria being launched after 14 years out of the water, take a look at Gavin Atkins’ In The Boat Shed blog.
Cambria launch, Standard Quay from Richard Fleury on Vimeo.
23 March 2011
You don’t get many glorious Summer’s days in March. But Monday was a special day for Faversham. And a proud one for Faversham’s shipwrights and apprentices who launched the wooden ship they spent three years building with their own hands. On the high tide, they pulled Sailing Barge Cambria gently out of its flooded dry dock to cheers and applause.
Even the uncertainty over the quay’s future couldn’t diminish the occasion. It was a good day. There were no hamburger stands, no gift shops or tourist sideshows, just some sunshine, some bunting and 500 people (including the whole of Ethelbert Road Primary School), who came to celebrate something unique to Faversham. It was like stepping back into the 19th century, when the town turned out to see Goldfinch’s vessels launched at Standard Quay.
Thanks to the skills and support of Standard Quay, the Cambria will still be sailing in a hundred years time. It would be nice to think the councillors who came to see the launch will make sure she won’t be the last ship rebuilt at Standard Quay.
We’ve posted our video for anyone unable to see the launch with their own eyes. It’s a little rough around the edges and apologies for the sound quality; we haven’t had time to edit or mix it properly. We’re not sure how much will make it into the final cut of The Quay but hope you enjoy it anyway.
The last word goes to Faversham’s maritime historian Richard-Hugh Perks, who stood on the creek bank when the crowds had gone and said: “I never thought I would see this day. What a wonderful thing to have done here…”
Swale Council Bans Filming at Public Meeting from Richard Fleury on Vimeo.
16 March 2011
It was a worthwhile experiment. Would Swale councillors try to ban us from filming at a public meeting called to discuss Standard Quay’s fate? Just how public is a public meeting? We decided to put transparency to the test last night and make the results public.
It’s a topical issue. A few weeks ago, the Government launched a ‘transparency drive’, urging local councils to allow filming, audio recording and Tweeting from council meetings.
On 23 February, Communities and local Government minister Eric Pickles’ parliamentary under-secretary Bob Neill sent a strongly-worded letter to all councils, insisting it is “essential to a healthy democracy that citizens everywhere are able to feel that their council welcomes them to observe local decision making and through modern media tools keep others informed as to what their council is doing…”
Mr Neill had been concerned to hear: “recent stories about people being ejected from council meetings for blogging, tweeting or filming… I want to encourage all councils to take a welcoming approach to those who want to bring local news stories to a wider audience. The public should rightly expect that elected representatives who have put themselves up for public office be prepared for their decisions to be as transparent as possible and welcome a direct line of communication to their electorate…”
If you’re interested, you can download a pdf of the letter here.
Many modern councils have already embraced the use of technology to enlighten the public about their work: Southwark and Lichfield to name just two. Cornwall‘s council even streams live video webcast from meetings. Sadly some local authorities, Swale seemingly included, prefer to remain in the dark ages.
I emailed my filming request to Swale’s press office last week but didn’t receive an answer until a few hours before the ‘Local Engagement Forum’ at Faversham’s Alexander Centre. This is not a council or committee meeting held in the council chamber, by the way; it is a public meeting organised by Swale Borough Council.
Initially, Swale said chairman Anita Walker (the lady speaking in the clip) was ‘not happy’ for the meeting to be filmed. After being reminded of the Government’s ‘transparency drive’, she agreed to allow audio recording. Fine if you are a radio reporter, I explained, not so helpful if you’re making a film. Not helpful either if you are one of the many Faversham residents whose long commutes (borough employment figures are below the Kent average) leave no time for attending meetings.
My final email went unanswered, so I decided to take a camera anyway and find out how open local government, Swale-style, works in practice. As you can hear in the clip, one member of the public suggests putting the filming ban to the public vote: a reasonable, democratic suggestion, one might think. It’s a public meeting, after all. But no, the public has no say in the matter. It’s almost as if Swale Borough Council doesn’t want too many people to know what’s going on, as if too much local engagement may not be such a terrific idea…
By the way, the applause which starts the clip was for a powerful speech by Standard Quay’s Sue Cooper.
It was a lively meeting, with some heartfelt and fantastically well-informed pleas from local people desperate to save Faversham’s maritime heritage. I’ll be reporting on it shortly, although ultimately Swale doesn’t appear to have shifted its fatalistic stance on the imminent loss of the quay and councillors appeared content to leave many important questions inadequately answered.
14 March 2011
Standard Quay’s supporters are being urged make their views known at a public meeting tomorrow evening (March 15).
More than 1200 people the signed a petition calling for councillors to save the historic boatyard from development. But many have been disappointed at Swale Borough Council’s non-committal response.
Campaigners are now asking anyone worried about the future of the quay and its skilled maritime jobs to come to the Local Engagement Forum meeting at Faversham’s Alexander Centre at 7pm.
Standard Quay’s Sue Cooper, who will speak at the meeting, says:”Come to the meeting and make sure they understand that development and developers are not wanted. Faversham has the skills itself to regenerate the creek as has been amply shown at Standard Quay. It is no coincidence that during the past 20 years the only part of Faversham Creek that has seen regeneration, new employment creation and substantial silt removal is Standard Quay. We just need Swale to stand up to the developers.”
Sue adds: “If you want to have your say, ask questions about exactly what is going on at Swale with regard to the Creek, apart from a hell of a lot of paperwork, then please come to the LEF.”
Recent joblessness figures showed Swale borough is suffering unemployment higher than the Kent average. Yet the council seeks ‘developer contributions’ to help pay for so-called ‘regeneration’ plans which campaigners believe will ultimately kill off existing shipbuilding industry at Standard Quay.
“It is time to say NO MORE. Stop pandering to developers. Faversham can regenerate Faversham Creek. We don’t need more money spent on plans, consultations or reports. We don’t need property developers to generously donate any so called ‘ contributions’ or ‘Local Infrastructure Levies’ in return for destroying the employment potential of the Creek,” says Sue Cooper.
Swale Borough Council has also asked for Government money for its creek development schemes. It recently applied for a £20,000 grant from the Department for Communities and Local Government to pay for another new plan to ‘regenerate’ the creek, as part of the Government’s new Localism Bill. In a statement, Swale Borough Council leader Andrew Bowles said: “The project provides an ideal opportunity to engender local involvement and decision-making, including a local referendum on the proposed neighbourhood plan. A grant of up to £20,000 would be made available towards the cost of the plan within each neighbourhood.”
The Localism Bill’s intended aim is to involve communities in local decision-making and the grant is only available where proposals involve a community group.
Coun Bowles claimed the council had ‘secured the support’ of the Creek Consortium and Faversham Town Council. But campaigners question whether the Consortium, chaired by Swale councillor Mike Cosgrove, is really a community group.
“On what grounds is the Consortium a ‘community group?” asks Sue Cooper. “It has some really good people on it, but their hands seem totally tied by being chaired by a Swale councillor, having a Swale officer as secretary and having all minutes held at Swale. Sorry, but I don’t call that a community group.”
“Why does Swale assume we need its input in the form of yet more studies yet more consultants report and now, even, a referendum. We just need them to stop putting up land values along the creek by letting developers think that in return for a cheque for ‘Developer Contributions’, they will be allowed a free hand to stop real local employment by building posh houses and coffee shops.”
“Now the Council have decided that Standard Quay needs regenerating so Standard Quay (Faversham) Ltd has no chance of renewing its lease and another company coming in with the same kind of boatyard management skills would also be denied a long lease.
“Because of potential changes in the use classes under the Local Plan this unique facility is likely to be gone for ever. From what I can understand this is so that the Council will be able to attract Developer Contributions or charge a Local Infrastructure Levy. Is this likely to benefit the town even half as much as the probably £500,000 generated on the Quay in the past year? Or replace the tourism and other spin-offs, such as the number of photographs, postcards, paintings that are sold all over the world depicting Standard Quay?
“Will anything in this new plan (or Development Plan Document as it is called) help regenerate the creek? If we learn any lessons from the past, it won’t. It will just lead to the last possible bit of creek available for real mud and nails employment being lost to the town.”
More information at: www.standardquay.com
Sign the petition here.
A new organisation, the Faversham Creek Trust, has launched its ambitious vision for the future of the Kent town’s historic waterway.
The newly-formed Trust aims to work with both local and national government to regenerate shipbuilding and marine activity, creating a vibrant, revitalised working creek and skilled jobs for local people.
Dedicated to protecting and promoting Faversham’s centuries-old maritime industry, the Trust intends to reverse the recent decline in the creek’s fortunes for the benefit of the whole town.
The Trust has invited creekside land owners and operators to participate, and has produced a colour brochure detailing the creek’s history and its importance to the town. It sets out plans for a successful, sustainable future for this tidal link to the Thames Estuary, guaranteeing real employment and training opportunities.
The Trust is asking the local authority, Swale Borough Council, to make a real commitment to protecting Faversham’s heritage and has plans in place to raise funds once the future of significant creekside sites can be secured.
The launch of the Trust comes at a time of widespread public concern for the creek’s future: in particular, the immediate threat to traditional boatbuilding jobs at Standard Quay. Around 1,100 people have already signed an e-petition to the council, calling for the quay, a national centre for sailing barge repair on the site of the famous Goldfinch shipyard, to be protected from inappropriate development.
Faversham is practically the last stronghold of the world-renowned Thames sailing barge. Safeguarding one of the town’s last surviving pockets of creekside maritime industry is an urgent priority for the new Trust. But its scope and ambition extend much further.
Faversham Creek Trust’s aims include:
• The creation of more than 50 new jobs, making the creek one of Faversham’s largest employers and preserving a successful apprenticeship scheme.
• Bringing the swing bridge and creek basin back into proper use and resolving the present silting problems.
• New facilities, including slipways, dry docks, a dinghy building school, a blacksmith’s forge, a marine engineering workshop, and a museum.
• Creek festivals and sailing events.
Trust spokesman David Gwyn Jones, of West Street, Faversham, said:
“Our plans are ambitious but perfectly achievable with the co-operation of owners and the local authorities. Many of the properties are listed but derelict; others just need using.
“Current proposals to allow the historic listed buildings on Standard Quay to be used for restaurants and shops will deny them to the maritime users and barge repairers on the waterfront.
“We are not opposed to house building or business development but new housing has already encroached upon much of the creek. Other sites are suitable for development which do not threaten the marine heritage of Faversham and its people’s jobs.
“This is the quintessential Big Society kind of project which the government seeks to promote. With goodwill and community effort, it can be achieved.”
More information at www.favershamcreek.com
10 February 2011
Without any mainstream media publicity at all, the Save Standard Quay e-petition has reached more than 500 signatures in just five days and is still growing rapidly.
Word spread quickly via Facebook, websites and the fantastic support of blogs such as intheboatshed.net. Thanks to everyone. Supporters both in Faversham and all over the world, including Singapore, the USA and Germany are now calling for the historic site and its maritime skills to protected from development. It shows how many ordinary people care about saving Standard Quay and other threatened places like it for future generations.
Today, with the petition steadily climbing towards 600 names, local papers have reported on the rush to sign up. Thanks to Faversham News’ Katie Alston for a nice, balanced story and for Faversham Times for flagging up the fight to save the quay on the front page.
For those interested in the skills about to be lost from Standard Quay, Coast Magazine is about to run a feature on Faversham’s threatened maritime artisans including master blockmaker Colin Frake, who helped rig both HMS Victory and the Cutty Sark. The story is in the March issue, on sale next Monday (14 February).
More info at: www.standardquay.com
7 February 2011
The e-petition to save Standard Quay has just topped 100 names.
The petition only opened on Friday afternoon but word spread quickly over the weekend via email and Facebook. Proof, if it were needed, that there are significant fears for Standard Quay (outside of Swale House, at least).
This is Swale Borough Council’s first attempt at setting up a web petition and there have been some technical glitches.
Some names haven’t appeared on the list after people have signed up, so please check your name is there. Everyone who signs up should receive a confirmation email from Swale’s website. You must respond to this for your name to be added to the petition. It it doesn’t turn up, please check your spam folder. If it’s not in there, please email epetitions@swale.gov.uk for advice.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the petition and please keep spreading the word.
'No significant fears'...Swale's Mike Cosgrove
4 February 2011
We recently asked Swale Borough Council for an interview about the threat to Standard Quay and a councillor called Mike Cosgrove agreed to answer some of our questions. After his speech about the need to support Faversham’s maritime industries at a recent public meeting, we were interested to hear what he had to say. Coun Cosgrove also heads the Creek Consortium, the Swale-led organisation often criticised for failing to prevent the creek’s dramatic decline.
What he did say, although revealing, will disappoint the many passionate people trying to save the quay. For instance:
On public concern over Standard Quay’s future:
“I don’t think there are significant fears in the town. I would accept that there may be concern from one or two individuals who may be affected by sub-leases.
On Swale Borough Council’s critics:
“People have particular views I suspect because they don’t actually know the process.”
On the quay’s property developer owner Michael White’s claims that Standard Quay will remain a working boatyard:
“I think one must take it that if people make statements, that you actually have to take them on face value, that they will actually undertake those things.”
On the considerable recent media interest in the quay’s plight:
“I read a remarkably purple article in the Guardian by somebody that’s never been anywhere near Standard Quay.”
If you disagree with Mike Cosgrove and believe your fears for Standard Quay are in fact significant, why not let him know? His email address is: cllrcosgrove@swale.gov.uk
By the way, here’s a picture of Guardian writer Jon Henley at Standard Quay researching his accurate and highly informative article which is still online here (Thanks to the internet, today’s news is no longer tomorrow’s chip paper!)
Thanks to Mike Cosgrove for his time.