❌ History buff has ‘no animosity’ over rejection of ‘insulting’ war memorial plans
Plus: Opening date for new town centre library confirmed, and work on coastal park play area refurbishment begins
A local history enthusiast who hoped to turn a Victorian toilet block into a war memorial says he has “no animosity” towards councillors who rejected his plans.
However, Robert Mouland says that members of the Folkestone & Hythe District Council planning committee who voted against the proposal will have to “live with their conscience” after throwing out his vision for a tribute to soldiers who passed through Folkestone en route to the Western Front during the First World War.
The public convenience that Mr Mouland sought to transform into a memorial to the fallen was discovered on the Road of Remembrance by council staff who were working to clear vegetation following landslides that closed the road in January 2024. His proposals included a silhouette of a soldier, a flagpole and plaque at the toilet block, and information boards on the opposite side of the road closest to the sea.
Mr Mouland’s contention was that soldiers marching to the harbour down the Road of Remembrance, which during the First World War was still known as Slope Road, would have used the urinals as they passed. However, this idea received a sceptical response from the New Folkestone Society in their comments on the plans.
“Although we applaud the applicant’s efforts to restore the Victorian latrine, we have concerns about its mis-association with the military as a memorial,” the civic group said. “There is no evidence that the facilities were ever used by soldiers marching down the hill—they would have still been in formation with the ‘step short’ command, and their destination was in sight.”
Speaking to the Dispatch following last week’s rejection of his plans, Mr Mouland—who has previously been given a written warning by the council over his preservation efforts in the town—responded to this objection by questioning whether the point could be argued conclusively either way.
“I cannot prove that the soldiers used that structure,” the 77-year-old admitted. “I cannot prove that, but nor can the opposition prove that they didn’t. So what we are now saying is that soldiers ‘most likely’ used the latrine. So they can’t come back on that one.”
The proposal for the memorial went before the district council’s planning committee on Tuesday last week, and the report from officers put before councillors included the recommendation that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.
Despite that recommendation, a number of councillors spoke out against the plans. Cllr Anita Jones, a Green ward member for Hythe, said: “I think it is insulting to the armed forces to be thinking of making a memorial out of some Victorian toilets. I don’t think it is appropriate at all.”
Cllr Mike Blakemore, a Green ward member for Cheriton, expressed scepticism about the toilet block’s links to the First World War. “It’s very unlikely that the troops would have used the toilets there when they’re marching down,” he said. “They wouldn’t have been allowed to break out of the march and use them.”
Speaking at his home in Grace Hill on Monday, Mr Mouland disputed the suggestion that the toilets themselves would be the memorial. “We are not speaking of a memorial inside a toilet, we are referring to the outside of the latrine,” he said.
Of the councillors who voted down his plans, he said: “They came in one-by-one, throwing a grenade in to kill off the application. Our heritage is certainly not safe in their hands. But I have no animosity towards them, they will live with their conscience in depriving those gallant men a memorial.”
Opposition to the proposed memorial was not universal, however, and Cllr Clive Goddard, Conservative ward member for Walland and Denge Marsh, spoke in favour of the plans. “I think this will attract people to the area,” he said. “There’s a certain group of people that go around the country looking at memorials and this could be good for the area.”
Despite this intervention in support of the application, the majority of the committee lined up against the plans. But this meant they needed to come up with legitimate grounds on which to refuse them, as council officers had advised that concerns over the historical accuracy of the applicant’s submission would not be sufficient to refuse.
Following further discussions, Cllr Adrian Lockwood, Labour ward member for East Folkestone, took the lead on drawing up a motion to reject the proposals and after some deliberation a draft wording was agreed.
It stated that permission should be refused because “the proposed soldier silhouette will result in unnecessary visual clutter within the street scene, detract from the setting of the existing war memorials and be detrimental to the character and appearance of the conservation area” and that because the toilet block itself is across the road from the pavement “the proposed development will give harm to the safety of pedestrians and all users of the highway”.
The motion was passed by nine votes to two, and permission was therefore refused.
Mr Mouland dismissed these reasons for refusal, arguing there was no intention to entice people to cross the Road of Remembrance and questioning the potential visual impact of the memorial on the wider area.
“We don’t want [visitors] going there, we want them on the pavement on the opposite side reading the information,” he said. “This is one of the excuses that this individual [councillor] is using, but with the boards on the opposite side there is no need for people to run across that road. Not at all.
“He says that it’s in a conservation area, it would be clutter in a conservation area. Well I suggest he goes to the Road of Remembrance from the top to the bottom with a black bag and a pair of tongs and picks up the filthy rubbish in a conservation area.”
We asked Mr Mouland whether last week’s rejection of his plans means the scheme will now be dropped. He ruled out an immediate appeal against the decision, but said he would consider reviving the proposals again if the make-up of the council should appear more favourable following future elections.
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News in brief
📚 Kent County Council has confirmed that the new Folkestone Library and Community Learning Centre in Sandgate Road will open to the public on May 26. This will bring a full range of library, registration and archive services to the town centre for the first time since the closure of the library’s former home in Grace Hill back in December 2022. The new facility, in the former home of Woolworths, will also be home to classrooms and learning spaces for adult education and the local history collection. The temporary library currently located inside the Shepway Youth Hub building in Grace Hill will close on May 2.
Brian Collins, deputy leader of KCC, said: “I’m really pleased that finally after three years residents in Folkestone will be getting full and comprehensive library services back. We’re turning 14 Sandgate Road into a modern, flexible space that really works for the community. We’re looking forward to welcoming people into a building that’s been designed with comfort, accessibility and everyday use in mind.”
🛝 Work on the refurbishment of the children’s play area at the Lower Leas Coastal Park was due to begin this week, following the completion of cliff stabilisation work above. The £750,000 revamp will feature “more equipment and more inclusive elements” than were part of the previous play area. Following feedback from residents, there will also be additional seating as well as buggy and cycle parking. It is hoped the refurbishment will be completed in time for the busy summer season.
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesman said: “The project is starting to gather some real momentum and we’re all very excited about reaching this milestone. We are sure that children of all ages, interests and abilities will be thrilled by the new Lower Leas Coastal Park play area when it opens in a few months’ time.”
🇳🇵 The home of the Folkestone Nepalese Community Centre has been secured for a further five years thanks to an agreement with Kent County Council. The centre, which occupies the ground floor of Cheriton Library, provides support to both the town’s well-established Nepalese community and to armed forces veterans. A new five-year agreement for the use of the site will now allow the centre to continue to deliver services for former Gurkha soldiers, veterans and their families.
Captain (Ret’d) Rambahadur Pun, chairman of the Folkestone Nepalese Community, said: “We are extremely grateful to Kent County Council for its continued support. Having a secure and affordable home allows us to focus on what matters most: supporting veterans, families and the wider Nepalese community, and helping people to thrive as part of life in Kent.”
💃 Pupils from Folkestone and beyond had a chance to show off their skills at the fourth annual Turner’s Got Talent competition. Organised by the Turner Schools Trust, it saw youngsters from primary and secondary schools impress the judging panel with their special talents. Event organiser Michelle Foxwood, director of creative arts at Turner Schools, said: “This was another exceptional evening of talent and I would like to thank everyone who took part, practised and gave their all in their performances. We are extremely proud of every young person who took part.”
🌊 South Kent Mind—the Dispatch charity of the year for 2026—is staging a sponsored sea dip at Sunny Sands this weekend and there is still time to get involved. A spokesman for the charity said: “Whether you paddle, plunge, or just brave your ankles, Dip for Mind is open to all abilities as every splash helps us support local people experiencing mental health challenges.” The event takes place on Sunday, April 26, and you can find out more on how you can take part here.
What’s on this week
🎙️ There should be laughs aplenty at the Quarterhouse this evening, April 22, as comics Cecily Hitchcock and Rob Auton preview their Edinburgh shows. The work-in-progress double bill kicks off at 7.30pm and you can get tickets here.
💬 Author Jean Hatton will be giving a talk about the birth of the Quaker movement on Saturday, April 25, at 2.30pm. The event, which is organised by the New Folkestone Society, is taking place in the Back Hall at the Cornerstone Centre in Castle Hill Avenue. More information can be found here.
🎭 There will be a screening of a Royal Ballet & Opera production of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute at the Quarterhouse on Sunday, April 26, at 2pm. The audience can expect an ‘enchanting production’ and a story in which ‘nothing is as it really seems’. Tickets for the screening can be bought here.
🗑️ Local litter heroes the Folkestone Wombles will be staging their latest litter pick on Sunday, April 26. Anyone wanting to come along and help keep the town tidy should meet at the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue for a 10am start. All equipment will be provided. You can read more about the Folkestone Wombles initiative here.
Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!
That’s all from me this week. As always, do drop me a line if there is a story you think the Dispatch should be covering. A reporter is only ever as good as their contacts, so get in touch if you have any tips to share—big or small. Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.
All the best, Rhys
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