ABSTRACT

The Isle of Thanet, in the south-east corner of England, consists of the three towns Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, and a rural hinterland. Its reputation is as a resort area and an area for retirement. The aim of this chapter is to outline the continuing local government role in the local economy, and the controversy it has led to in recent years owing to its relative lack of success and to the divergent interests of the local population. It will be argued that these experiences have been strongly influenced by Thanet’s unfavourable position in relation to central government policy and to market processes.1