More seaside heritage

Another Folkestone landmark was the Rotunda. Designed by David Pleydell-Bouverie, John Betjeman cited this as one of his five favourite modern buildings in a poll taken in 1939. Playful in design it might have been, but I remember it as a fairly grim affair as an amusement arcade in the 1980s, soiled and unlovely, stuffed full of bleeping digital and mechanical boxes of fun. This is all that remains of it - a circular footprint on the concrete plain at the foot of the Leas.Others have documented its demise - here and here and here. A shame, perhaps, that a future could not be found for this aspect of Folkestone's heritage, taking a leaf out of Southwold's book.