Last week was English Tourism week and on the Friday I met with Sandra Matthews-Marsh, the chief executive of Visit Kent, to discuss the importance of this vital industry to our county. Tourism is one of our largest employers, and accounts for around 12% of all jobs in Kent. Whilst visitors from the rest of […]
‘Art Buff’, the mural created for Folkestone by the internationally renowned artist Banksy is to return to the town. This is excellent news and our thanks are due to Sir Roger De Haan and the Creative Foundation for their tenacious legal battle to secure its future. Last year when the work was created by Banksy […]
As 2014 passes we can look back on a year to remember for our area. A particular high point came on 4th August with the visit of Prince Harry to Folkestone to dedicate the Step Short First World War centenary memorial arch. Folkestone’s significant and appropriate marking of this important anniversary was shown around the world […]
The local economy is much stronger now than four years ago, and unemployment is 40 per cent below the rate in 2010. I want to see this progress continue by making sure that we are doing all we can to support the growth of local businesses, and by helping people who are looking for work […]
Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport joined me in Folkestone last week for a guided tour of the Triennial Arts exhibition, with Roger De Haan and the Creative Foundation’s chief executive, Alastair Upton. We visited a number of the most popular works including the new Payers Park by the London […]
When the internationally renowned artist Banksy recently placed one of his works (worth an estimated £400,000) on a wall at Clacton on Sea it was scrubbed off by the council. Yet the appearance of one of his distinctive paintings in Folkestone produced an entirely different response. Banksy's painting near Payers Park, was instantly protected by the council. People […]