Destinations Chosen for Wayfinding Signage at The Oval

First, it’s important to note that The Oval Bandstand itself and Northdown Road were already allocated dedicated wayfinding “fingers” from the outset. Because of this, they did not appear as options in the survey, but they are retained on the final signage due to their importance as everyday destinations for visitors and local residents.

Town-level destinations on the coastal route

The Queen’s Parade entrance at The Oval sits directly on the coastal path, where visitors frequently ask how far it is to neighbouring towns. For this reason, we have retained broad town-level destinations for places outside Cliftonville:

• Margate
• Broadstairs
• Ramsgate

These destinations are included specifically to support long-distance walkers, cyclists, and visitors using the popular Viking Coastal Trail. Once people arrive in those towns, there is already local signage explaining cultural venues, attractions and facilities, so our signage does not need to repeat that level of detail.

A focus on hyper-local Cliftonville destinations

In contrast, the majority of the remaining fingers on the sign focus on destinations within Cliftonville, reflecting both the survey results and how people actually move around the neighbourhood.

When all survey responses were analysed together — including tick-box selections, written descriptions and additional comments — a clear group of destinations consistently emerged as the most popular. These destinations were mentioned far more frequently than others, demonstrating strong shared value and relevance.

In particular:

• The Margate Caves and The Shell Grotto were among the most frequently mentioned destinations overall. Their high level of support reflects their importance as distinctive cultural landmarks that are within walking distance of The Oval but are not always immediately obvious to visitors. Including both responds directly to strong community preference and supports cultural discovery.

• Walpole Tidal Pool was one of the most consistently selected destinations across responses. Its popularity reflects its role as a unique coastal feature and a key walking destination from Cliftonville, making it especially appropriate for signage at the Queen’s Parade entrance on the coastal route.

• Community Sauna was mentioned as a destination of interest along the seafront. Given its proximity to Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, we have chosen to include it on the signage as part of a group of nearby coastal destinations, reflecting both its location and its role in supporting wellbeing-focused activity in Cliftonville.

• Tom Thumb Theatre received moderate-to-strong support despite being one of the shortest walking distances listed. This suggests people value wayfinding not only for distant destinations, but also for nearby cultural venues that can be easy to miss without clear signage.

• Winter Gardens received steady support across the survey, placing it within the upper tier of destinations. While not as frequently mentioned as the very top results (possibly because it is currently closed), its consistent appearance demonstrates that it is widely recognised as a relevant and useful destination within walking distance.

This focus on hyper-local destinations is also why we have chosen not to include large, well-known Margate attractions such as Turner Centre or Dreamland on this sign. While these places were mentioned in survey comments, they are already well signposted elsewhere, and including them here would reduce space for places that are closer, less obvious, and more directly connected to Cliftonville.

People Dem Collective was mentioned several times in survey responses, reflecting support for the community activity taking place at Margate Creative Land Trust’s new development on Harold Road. For the signage, we have chosen to reference the site as Harold Road Workspace, to ensure it remains accurate, inclusive and useful as more organisations join the space in future.

Distribution across two wayfinding posts

Some popular destinations identified through the survey will appear on our second wayfinding post at The Oval’s Eastern Esplanade entrance, including:

• Dane Park
• Ark Cultural Centre

Splitting destinations across the two entrances ensures the signage remains legible, uncluttered, and relevant to the routes people are most likely to take from each location.

Wider wayfinding and walking trails at The Oval

The fingerpost signage at Queen’s Parade and Eastern Esplanade forms part of a broader wayfinding approach we are developing across The Oval. In addition to the directional signage, we are planning to install large-scale illustrated maps on our notice boards, providing far more detailed information about the surrounding area. These maps will identify a wider range of local destinations, cultural venues, green spaces, seafront routes, amenities and facilities, giving visitors a clearer picture of what’s nearby and how places connect. Because these maps are not constrained by space in the same way as fingerposts, they allow us to include much richer information, including routes, landmarks, and points of interest that wouldn’t be practical to show on directional signage alone.

Alongside the maps, we also plan to introduce a series of suggested walking trails, encouraging people to explore Cliftonville and the wider coastline at a relaxed pace. These trails will be themed and clearly mapped, helping people choose walks that suit their interests, time available and mobility, while supporting active travel, wellbeing and local discovery.

A balanced approach

Overall, the fingerpost signage at our Queen’s Parade entrance reflects a balance between:

• survey feedback and community priorities
• the physical location of the sign
• the needs of coastal path users and local walkers and cyclists
• clarity, legibility, and long-term usefulness

We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the survey. Your input directly shaped the thinking behind these decisions, and it will continue to inform future wayfinding improvements across The Oval and Cliftonville.