Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2014 | Page 115

indefatigable spirit of the
townsfolk clearly endures from
one generation to the next.
Because a new venue has been
built on the site and Ventnor
Haven Harbour have both been
built in recent times, which
is an immensely encouraging
development. Isn’t what we
now need the reintroduction
of a mainland to Ventnor
passenger ferry? One of the
most fantastic places to visit, not
just in Ventnor, but the Island
as a whole, are the Ventnor
Botanic Gardens. Although they
were ravaged in the great storm
of 1987, they have recovered
magnificently and are a must
visit for anybody who either
lives or is visiting the town.
They are located on the site of
the old Royal National Hospital
which opened in 1867 but
closed in 1969. This hospital
was dedicated to the care and
recovery of those who suffered
with tuberculosis and other
chest diseases. And I have met
several people who speak very
movingly about the care they
received at the hospital and how

the beauty of the area and the
mild climate effectively saved
their lives.
Ventnor’s history is one of
looking forward, responding to
changing circumstances and
embracing change, whilst at
the same time not losing what
is best about its history. The
town prospered even after the
Island fell out of favour with
the Royal family, when King
Edward VII ascended the throne.
And it reached a high point of
popularity in the years between
the first and second World Wars;
a popularity Doctor Beeching
did so much to damage when,
along with so many other
beautiful branch lines, he axed
the service that had made the
town so readily accessible. But
Ventnor today is one of those
places that has re-energised
itself. So much so, in fact, that
it was only in 2013 that the
Daily Mail ran a feature saying
Ventnor was a cool and chic
place to visit. And there is no
question that with all that there
is on offer the town is emerging
as a must visit destination.