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137 Snargate Street
Dover
Web site:-
http://doverseaanglingassociation.co.uk/
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The above advert was placed in the Dover Mercury 16 October 2007. |
Again, outside of Barry Smith's original list, this establishment is in
effect a restaurant and banquet hall. Below has been taken and adapted from
their web site.
"Blue Birds" of 137 Snargate Street, Dover, was a builders' store for R.
J. Barwick until bought by Dover Sea Angling Association. The purpose built
historic site now houses a plush Restaurant with fantastic views of the
yachts moored in the Marina directly opposite. They can provide Silver
service for 200 persons in the spacious surroundings.
They have a vast array of menu options available, catering for all types
of functions large or small and covering all dietary requirements as well.
Any special requirements can also be accommodated. Price list available on
request. Functions that are regularly cater for include: Weddings,
Christenings, Anniversaries, Funerals, Hen and Stag Nights, Retirements,
Luncheons, Formal Dinners, Charity Fundraisers, Speakers Dinners, Birthday
Parties, Family and Friend Reunions.
The second floor houses a carpeted Banqueting Suite incorporating a
stage, fully licensed Bar and provides seating for up to 250 guests. The
Banqueting Suite can be booked for 'Special Events', such as Weddings,
Conferences, Dinner/Dances, Seminars and so forth. The smaller room on the
first floor can seat up to 80 guests. Disabled facilities are also
available.
Wonderful views of the Marina and Harbour are visible from this floor.
The Association stages a number of Shows and Cabarets throughout the year,
tickets being available at both Blue Birds and the Club Headquarters. Lifts
operate between all floors from the indoor parking area on the ground floor.
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From the Dover Express, 10 June 2010.
Bluebirds given two years to takeoff.
Function room' hopes to revive its fortunes.
Report by Yamurai Zendera
A TRUSTEE of Bluebirds function room in Dover has scotched rumours it is
still for sale and insists it is open for trade. Bob Duffield said the
confusion started when the Snargate Street business was put on the
market 18 months ago due to dwindling custom. However, Dover Sea Angling
Association, which owns the premises, took it off last month and
entrusted Mr Duffield with reviving its fortunes.
The 63-year-old said: "We can take bookings and we will take bookings.
"It's a case of use it or lose it. I have been given two years to get it
on an even keel otherwise we could put it back on the market and sell
it."
The former carpenter, who has been with the angling association for 40
years, said it would be a "real shame" if Bluebirds were to close. The
venue, as it is now, opened in 1997, but before that it was a place
where anglers would weigh their catches, hold competitions and park
their vehicles.
Mr Duffield, a married father of-two, said: "In the 1980s it was just a
corrugated steel-framed shed with a little bit of parking. It was
decided that we would develop the site and we came up with the idea of
building a function room and restaurant.
"Things took off and it was initially very successful. But then over the
years it just sort of fell away.
"It was not a thing wanted by the anglers. They preferred to use our
clubhouse in Priory Road, which has been with us since 1976, but
Bluebirds was a more upmarket place used mainly by the public.
"The economic climate now has not helped the situation at all and the
building was put on the market to see what kind of interest there was."
Rumours
Rumours over Bluebirds closure surfaced when it no longer took advanced
bookings due to the uncertainty caused by the possible sale.
The ex-Archers Court pupil added: "Over the last couple of years people
have been phoning in to make bookings in advance for
the following year or even beyond that.
"We have not been able to say
yes we can take your booking because we could not guarantee we would
have the place.
"We were losing bookings on that basis. "But now that
I'm trying to put it on an even keel, it would be a real shame if it
turns out to be something people do not want."
Dover-born Mr Duffield
believes it should prove easier to rejuvenate Bluebirds as its mortgage
was cleared last year, removing a major overhead.
• To contact
Bluebirds, call 01304 226586.
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From the Dover Mercury, March 21, 2013. 80p.
ANGLERS APPLAUD VOTE TO SELL OF BLUEBIRDS VENUE
ANOTHER popular venue in Dover is to be sold.
"Bluebirds," which is run by "Dover Sea Angling Association," is said to
have lost money every year since it was opened 14 years ago.
The move comes just days after the closure of "Club Dover" at Old Park,
Whitfield, also because of financial difficulties.
The decision to sell "Bluebirds," the club's conference centre and
restaurant in Snargate Street, was taken at a packed annual meeting at
the Dover Sea Angling Association's clubhouse amid what was described as
a “power struggle” between angling and non-angling members.
After the death of the club's president, Bill Solly, two candidates
for president were proposed for election at the meeting, one a lifelong
angling member and the other a lifelong non-angling member.
The club's anglers turned out in force to elect Dover angler Alan
Barker as their new president by 44 votes to 21.
Fears that the club would be taken over by the social members
prompted many members to attend.
The meeting also passed a new rule that to vote at any meetings
members had to be full angling members.
The future of "Bluebirds" was another major issue on the agenda and
when one angler, who is also an accountant, spoke in favour of selling
the building to halt the decline of club funds, he received rousing
applause.
The proposal went through with only one vote against.
The committee will have the final say on selling or franchising the
business and it was stressed that "Bluebirds" will continue until the
end of 2013 to honour all of its commitments and bookings.
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LICENSEE LIST
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