The post you are reporting:
A couple of things have come to mind and prompt me to point out, about this Gala Dinner.
It is a Corporate Event - big companies like Shell, who are buying tables for some very important and influential people, are helping to fund the whole week-end.
The Chairman of Dover District Council (like every Chairman before him) has an entertainment allowance and is buying a table.
There'll be many people who can do Dover a lot of good who will be attending and so too will the Leader of the Council as he will be talking to them about Dover and what they can do for us. Paul has some powers of pursuasion.
As everyone knows (?) more business decisions are taken in a social environment than anywhere else - it's very conducive for it.
The company organising the event are taking all the risk and this Gala Dinner is part of the revenue process; the people of Dover are getting an excellant event at virtually no cost to the rate-payer; don't forget that all of this has gone through DDC, in fact, the process started a couple of years ago, it's been through Scrutiny and the Council.
There are many organisations and bodies involved in this weekend - Fleet Air-Arm, Air-Traffic Control, the Coastguard and of course Calais.
I understand there may be a relative of Charles Lyndburgh and Bleriot attending, but that has yet to be confirmed.
There'll be people from France and Italy (it was an Italian company that made Bleriot's engine); there'll also be marquees on the seafront for various activities including Corporate Entertainment tents and as it was in Edwardian times, how about dressing up in Edwardian clothes ? great fun.
All in all, a great week-end for all of us and as I said earlier, these "expensive seats" are expensive for a very good reason - they're Corporate, to raise funds so it can go ahead.
Let's wish all those spenders a great time - they're helping to pay for the week-end, including the Firework display on the Saturday evening (about 9pm).
What's for starters ?????
Roger