Sheerness

Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island. Sheerness began as a fort built in the 16th century to protect the River Medway from naval invasion. Because of the raid on the Medway in 1667, the Secretary to the Admiralty Samuel Pepys established a Royal Navy dockyard in the town in 1669, where warships were built and repaired until its closure in 1960. Beginning with the construction of a pier and a promenade in the 19th century, Sheerness acquired the added attractions of a seaside resort. Industry retains its important place in the town and the port of Sheerness is one of the United Kingdom's leading car and fresh produce importers. The town is the site of one of the UK's first co-operative societies and also of the world's first multi-storey building with a rigid metal frame. The main commercial and leisure areas of the town are located around the north coast, where there is easy access to the pleasure beach. The industrial areas are in the west, beside the wetlands and the River Medway. The Bluetown industrial area and the Port of Sheerness are in the northwestern part of the town. The residential districts of Mile Town and Marine Town are in the central and the eastern areas respectively. The Port of Sheerness is a significant feature of the Isle of Sheppey's economy. Covering more than 1.5 million square meters, it is one of the largest foreign car importers in the UK, and it handles thousands of tonnes of fruits and meat products from all over the world. Inexpensive land and good infrastructure, including a rail network that branches off the main passenger line, have attracted industries to the port area, including producers of pharmaceuticals, steel, sausages and garden gnomes.

The major employers are HBC Engineering Solutions, Sheerness Steel, Regis Furniture and The Bond Group. The steel mill was established in 1972, designed to recycle scrap steel into rods and coils. It has survived a number of closure threats and changes of ownership. Since 2003 it has been operated by Thamesteel. The seafront is popular with tourists, and as of 2007 Sheerness' recently refurbished town centre had more than 200 shops. Sheerness' sand and shingle beach was awarded a European Blue Flag for cleanliness and safety. Flower gardens decorate the seafront, and a sea wall forms a promenade along the coast. The Sheppey Leisure Complex located near the beach contains a swimming pool and badminton, squash and tennis courts.

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Temperature (min/max)-1/1 °C
Pressure1000 hpa
Humidity83 %
Last update: 21 Nov 2024 @ 23:20

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