Tanya Gold is wrong about Thanet

Recently, I had a little fun with the daft idea from Thanet Council trying to ban swearing. I picked the news up from a random Evening Standard column that I stumbled upon written by Tanya Gold.

Tanya calls Thanet unlovely which – I put it to you – is objectively incorrect.

Change the language, change the reality: that’s the theory, because it’s cheaper. Thanet District Council, which administers a somewhat unlovely part of Kent […]

Tanya Gold, Evening Standard (emphisis mine)

Perhaps Tanya’s journalistic tenure does not stretch back to 2008 when Bob Geldof called Margate “ugly”. Her first byline appears to have arrived four years later. If Bob Geldof came and apologised, perhaps Tanya Gold should likewise come and apologise. Not for being rude, mind you, but for being wrong.

I may not be Thanet’s best photographer but even a total beginner like me can find plenty that is lovely and worth a second look.

Thanet is full of colour, beautiful views, and points of interest. If I (and others) can find them, Tanya should be able to find some too.

Unlovely means something that is without any attribute to attract love. I happen to love many parts of Thanet. After all, why else would I point my camera at them?

Michael shares historical images of Thanet not because they are fundamentally horrible but because these views of Thanet are, at their core, lovely.

Turner came to Thanet not to hate it but because he loved to paint the skies. The view from the coast inspired his art. That’s why we have a gallery named in honour of Turner.

Sure, Thanet, like pretty much every part of the UK, has a few rough patches. Yet we don’t demand Pre-Raphaelite perfection before we call a painting art so why should anywhere be held to such an impossibly high standard? By that metric, everywhere and everyone is unlovable and horrid.

These three images, for example, were taken one sunny day around the derelict hoverport. Yeah, there is some unsightly concrete but nature finds a way to dress even our rubble in finery. Even there you can find much that is lovely.

Like photography, beauty and things you can love about an area are determined by where you choose to look. You can keep your eyes on the gutters and see grime or you can look up and see the sky. Which would you rather look at?

There is much to love about Thanet. Perhaps Tanya Gold should come down here and see that for herself.

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