Westgate Field Notes
Daily life recorded by Illustrator Mick Buston of life in his home of Westgate-on-Sea, a small coastal town on the North Kent coast of England.
Scroll down to see illustrations and a little bit of background to each one. Come back regularly or sign up to newsletter to get a monthly reminder to come back to see what’s been going on.
Best enjoyed on a laptop or desktop with a larger screen. Click on any image to enlarge and enjoy as a scrollable gallery.
September 2024
2024-09-16 Baker at work in Staple this morning as I enjoyed a decaf Flat White
2024-09-16 Headphones and crash hat - unusual pairing sat outside Beano cafe on Station Road.
2024-09-15 Cool mid-century vibe of the Westgate Library.
2024-09-14 Perched on the corner of Cuthbert Road and St Mildreds, The Lauderette is a landmark in the area.
2024-09-13 As I walked Dolly dog last night, the rain started to fall. Summer came to an abrupt end this year and the change in peoples clothing and emergence of umbrellas again in really noticeable.
2024-09-12 Although only a small seaside town, Westgate-on-Sea has a strong mix of residential, retail, leisure, commercial and industrial use buildings. J Peacocks is one of the car garages in the town situated on Cuthbert Road.
2024-09-11 Little Brown Fairy Cake undergoing a facelift before its re-opening on September 14th.
2024-09-10 This skeleton sits patiently each day showing people along Station Road the way to the antiques shop along Ethelbert Square.
2024-09-09 Rainy days and Mondays. Dolly looking out of the window from her favourite spot waiting for the rain to clear.
2024-09-08 Rainy day's call for drawing from indoors. Sketched sat on stairs looking out to the sea across the rows of back gardens in Roxburgh Road.
2024-09-07 From the kitchen window looking down to Roxburgh House.
2024-09-06 For Sale - Reduced. Saxon Road. £300 k
2024-09-06 Trade waste.
2024-09-05 St Saviours Hall on the corner of Ethelbert Terrace and Ethelbert Road. Built in 1925 by Fright and Dallas builders and designed by architect F.J. Cornford M.S.A. with commemorative stone laid by Archdeacon of Canterbury E.H. Hardcastle.
2024-09-04 Homeless or holiday ?
2024-09-03 Working coffee break at Staple, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-09-03 Purple Banger 108
2024-09-02 Beautiful parade of Victorian homes in Fosbraey Court.
2024-09-02 Quick coffee at Staple.
2024-09-01 A row of unused chairs left outside Roxburgh House care home.
August 2024
Click any of the 35 drawings below to view a scrollable slideshow of summer in Westgate-on-Sea
2024-08-31 Enjoyed a decaf flat white and Dolly had a puppucino at Press on Station Road.
2024-08-30 Roxburgh House care home getting a fresh lick of paint.
2024-08-30 Family waiting for a Canterbuy bound bus at the corner of Norman Road and Westgate Bay Avenue.
2024-08-29 Sunny, warm and calm seas call for paddleboards.
2024-08-28 As much a part of the summer landscape as our lifeguards, the Bay Inspector's manage the beach huts and generally keep a little bit of order along large sections of the promenade.
2024-08-27 Didn't see any fire walkers or knocked over bar b que but must have been a reason someone left this sign on promenade outside St Mildreds Bistro.
2024-08-26 Lovely mix of sunshine and breeze was the perfect excuse to fly a kite on the promenade along St Mildreds Bay on Bank Holiday Sunday.
2024-08-25 The Waitrose bag on the floor kind of sums up the feel of Westgate-on-Sea although our local 'supermarket' is a Coop.
2024-08-24 Thanet District Council have permitted only a limited number of drawings to be 'exhibited' in these shelters. Mike in the process of reluctantly removing those not permitted.
2024-08-24 A group of friends meeting up for coffee and a catch up in Staple bakery, Westgate.
2024-08-23 Feels like the seasons are about to change as Summer prepares to give way to Autumn signified by this dropped leaf seen on a walk with Dolly last night.
2024-08-23 Not quite sure what this shed type structure is. Looks pretty abandoned. Maybe it was part of the crazy golf that I think was originally adjacent to it. For now, it seems to be the last resting place for this dumped mattress.
2024-08-22 As the beach cleared yesterday afternoon, some people were enjoying playing with a frisbee in the empty space at St Mildreds Bay.
2024-08-21 An irregular dog walk when the wind is too strong down by the beach. This sheltered area runs along Beach Road and site elevated from the sea. Some beautiful places to sit and enjoy the shapes the path and hedges carve.
2024-08-20 Something very pleasing about the symmetry of someone sat on the bench outside the church at the corner on St Mildreds Road.
2024-08-19 This beautiful post-war Telephone Exchange building in Saxon Road is still in daily operation used by BT and Openreach engineers. One of the architectural gems we love so much here.
2024-08-18 This was from a photograph taken at the beginning of August of a young man enjoying the sunshine and working outside Press. The Victorians would never have understood our ability to be digital natives when the promenaded Station Road a century ago.
2024-08-17 Prentis greengrocers - one of the stalwart independent businesses situated below the canopies of Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-08-16 No Ball Games. No Cycling. No Skateboarding. No Fun.
2024-08-15 Everybody is seeking shade at the moment as the sun continues to bless us with it's presence.
2024-08-14 Melting pot of shapes, items and figures from recent dog walks.
2024-08-13 Campbell's Florist keeping their plants shaded.
2024-08-12 As we continue to enjoy summer, the wise seek shade under beautiful parasols as they walk along the promenade.
2024-08-11 Sun is out and feels like you could be anywhere in the world right now and these beautiful palms all add to the illusion of us living somewhere more exotic.
2024-08-10 The Best Beano Cafe on Station Road. This is open 7 days a week and is always busy. Love sitting tucked away in the back and people watching here.
2024-08-09 Toe dippers. It's not about how deep you go, sometimes it's just nice to dip your feet in the sea and chat with a friend. St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-08-08 Maybe not the most glamourous building in Westgate-on-Sea but one of the most important if you need it. Our public toilet block is a regular stop off point for refuse collectors, taxi drivers and local builders as well as an ad-hoc pit stop for the general public.
2024-08-07 If you leave the bin door open, don't be surprised if a seagull helps themselves to easy pickings. Adrian Square, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-08-06 Hidden high above the shops at the Roxburgh Road end of Station Road, the old Jackson Stables signs look magnificent above the rooftops. Best seen from the footbridge over the railway line by the public toilets. Horses were kept there at one point for ferrying train passengers to their homes and hotels.
2024-08-05 Saturday morning queues outside Dadds Butchers in St Mildreds Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-08-04 Just caught this person flying along the promenade on their Penny Farthing style bike. Normal for Westgate on a Sunday morning
2024-08-03 Cash from the Coop whilst the sausage dog looks on. Maybe the dog thinks it's a treat dispenser.
2024-08-03 Browsing for houses. This lady was looking in the window of Miles and Barr estate agents. They retain the shop but its just a window now for displaying properties since they removed all their staff from the Westgate-on-Sea office.
2024-08-02 It's the flat tyre that I always notice when I walk past. Do they ride it flat or is it just chained there waiting for air?
2024-08-01 The F100 truck makes another appearance but this time from a more interesting viewpoint - see from above from our top bedroom window as we look down Station Road.
July 2024
A big month - a new government, a good run in the Euros and the sun made an appearance just in time for the start of the summer holidays.
Click on any image below to open a scrollable gallery of 46 drawings from the month.
2024-07-31 A moment of quiet reflection sat on a groyne with their feet in the sea at St Mildreds Bay.
2024-07-31 Early morning walk with Dolly and got to enjoy the hazy start to the morning when all the colours are muted and all you could hear were seagulls and swimmers enjoy early morning dip at St Mildreds Bay.
2024-07-30 A really cool F100 truck parked on Staton Road. Think it might be something to do with Wonky Donkey garage.
2024-07-29 Monday is always bin day but this week recycling takes centre stage.
2024-07-29 No Parking
2024-07-28 A beautiful sunny morning - perfect for enjoying the Sunday papers perched on the bench overlooking St Mildreds Bay.
2024-07-27 Anyone who ever drove down Westgate Bay Avenue would have seen one of these massive ex Army trucks. Couldn't resist them as a drawing subject when two were parked so close together back to back in Sea Road.
2024-07-26 Lifeguards board staked at the shoreline seen from the promenade at St Mildreds Bay.
2024-07-26 Saw these sunglasses left neatly on the edge of the tennis courts. Could this be any more summer cliché ?
2024-07-25 Is a dropped ice cream or lolly the saddest sight you can ever see? Someone left disappointed at St Mildreds Bay yesterday afternoon.
2024-07-24 Too wet to draw outside yesterday as it started raining as I reached West Bay so managed a quick photograph of the lifeguard giving the windows of their look out post a wipe.
2024-07-24 Rain stopped play so whoever previously resided on this deckchair was now sheltering in the beach hut.
2024-07-23 We don't see too many sail boats here but this one was moored up at St Mildreds bay for a while. Looked so small against the open sky and sea.
2024-07-23 Monday is bin day so you often see the oddest assortment of things on the pavement. Today was no exception with a bar stool and bin bag left out by the palm tree outside Press Westgate.
2024-07-21 Met some friends and their dog for a swim yesterday at St Mildreds. As we were swimming this really elegant person was sat in a meditation pose and they left at a similar time to us so I captured a quick photo so I could sit with them again this morning. They just oozed calmness.
2024-07-20 Haven't seen this guy before but he's been diligently scanning St Mildreds beach here in Westgate-on-Sea. Wonder what treasures he's unearthed?
2024-07-19 Joe sat in his garden messaging me as I watched him and grabbed a quick photo. I first met Joe in Beerwolf in Falmouth and we exchanged pleasantries a few times in passing. Fast forward a few years and Joe and his partner moved 2 doors away from us about a week earlier than we did to Westgate-on-Sea in 2021. Small world eh. Joe is a fine artist and we share works in progress and stupid jokes on a near daily basis now and have dreams of opening our first gallery, Turds and Condoms.
2024-07-18 I really want to find someone who is a resident at the allotments on Lymington Road as would love to spend longer in there drawing and painting. Allotments are their own little village system and fascinate me.
2024-07-17 Have wanted to have a look over at the skate park on Lymington Road for ages. Some lovely geometry in evidence and shadows playing their part.
2024-07-17 A monochromatic pencil sketch of the war memorial on Sea Road at the bottom of St Mildreds. Really conveniently placed steps provided both a perfect seat for me and shade for Dolly dog.
2024-07-17 Took Dolly on a sketch walk starting with a coffee at Press in Station Road. Selection of goodies on the counter was a nice exercise to warm up.
2024-07-16 Waiting for buses. Roxburgh Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-07-16 From a photograph last night of a couple enjoying a walk on the beach at St Mildreds Bay and stopping to stare out to the horizon.
2024-07-15 When hope was still high. This from a photograph yesterday when the atmosphere was palpable as England faced Spain in the Euro 24 football final. Sadly it didn't come home this time but there is always the World Cup in 2 years.
2024-07-14 A special place for us. When we used to come looking at homes here to buy, it was during Covid so no cafes or restaurants were open. We'd go to the chippy or kebab shop and get a takeaway, sit here looking at the sea and discussing the properties we'd seen. For us this will always be called the kebab hut.
2024-07-13. You can't get much more Italian than people eating in Hotwood pizza with their Lambretta parked outside. I saw their open faced helmets on the floor through the window first and as I walked further, I saw the beautiful scooter.
2024-07-12 2/2 of drawings sketched live today of an old sofa left outside some lock up garages.
2024-07-12 Want to get more comfortable drawing outside so as there was a pleasant break in the weather, I packed my stool up to draw household items dumped outside some lock up garages. 1 / 2
2024-07-12 The canopied walkways offering shelter as you browse the shops along Station Road are one of Westgate's most revered features. Nestled under the canopy is the amazing Hotwood Pizza.
2024-07-11 An odd pairing. An old armchair left next to a telephone box.
2024-07-10 Every week there is a different car on the back of this breakdown truck on Sea Road, Westgate-on-Sea. Not my first time drawing this and likely not my last either.
2024-07-09 A monochromatic tonal study of Adrian Square as seen from Westgate Bay Avenue.
2024-07-08 Not sure if this caravan has ever moved since we have lived here. Sure it probably has but I think it suits the little garage that it sits outside on Saxon Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-07-08 This coat was hung on the school gate along Elm Grove, Westgate with the name Kiki painted onto the gate. Not sure if they are connected or not.
2024-07-07 Drew this from a photograph taken during my morning walk with Dolly. She always stops to have a sniff in the cat sized gap in the middle of the gate.
2024-07-07 A week into Wimbledon so seems apt to sketch the newly painted tennis courts. Really looking forward to seeing people enjoying them now they have been totally refurbished. Was also a good excuse to test out some watercolour pencils.
2024-07-06 Waiting for buses. Drawn from a photo reference taken on Thursday whilst sat outside the bookies on St Mildreds Road whilst waiting for bus into Margate. 4B Koh-I-Noor Progresso on cartridge paper
2024-07-05 Wind farm as seen from St Mildreds Bay. Felt apt to paint in red watercolour to reflect the result nationally of the 2024 General Election although the local seat here in the newly formed Herne Bay seat went to Roger Gale (Conservative).
2024-07-04 Third and final Polling Day sketch today of the Christ Church Hall on Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-07-04 A voter heading to the polling station to cast their vote in the 2024 General Election.
2024-07-04 Christ Church Hall on Westgate Bay Avenue is our designated polling station today for the General Election 2024.
2024-07-03 There are a few of these little community libraries here but none of the others are surrounded by beautiful Lilies. St Mildreds Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-07-03 Someone had taken great care to secure this child's jacket to a railing in the hope it's reunited with it's owner. Love how they took the extra care to put the hood up so the face was visible.
2024-07-02 Similar to yesterday, it is the geometry and perspective, with the addition of colour, that made this view of the footbridge across the railway at Westgate-on-Sea station so visually appealing.
2024-07-01 I found the geometry and symmetry of the two hand rails really pleasing as I sat waiting for my train to mums at Westgate-on-Sea train station.
2024-07-01 No need for this homeowner to take down their flag as England made a last minute squeeze past Slovakia last night in the Euros '24.
June 2024
Click on any image below to open a scrollable gallery of 31 drawings from the month.
2024-06-30 Lost Soles. A pair of child's shoes left along the promenade.
2024-06-29 A glass of something to celebrate the weekend sat on the bench overlooking St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-29 Early Friday evening and a group have set up on the ramp at St Mildreds and are enjoying an alfresco dinner of Fish and Chips
2024-06-09. Ok a little cheat today as managed to photograph these Parakeets sat on a telegraph pole but it was just outside the Westgate-on-Sea boundary but going to include it until I can draw these elusive little characters within the town.
2024-06-28 Bloody Football. This little sketch in my concertina sketchbook was going so well until I rushed it and the colours bled. Kind of like it though and the extra meaning now applied as the nation groans with our national teams performance again.
2024-06-28 Digital 'watercolour' of a house and tree on St Mildreds Road, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-27 Playing with drawing and sketching on handmade concertina or accordion sketchbooks made with single sheets of cartridge paper.
2024-06-27 A trip to Screen Two of The Carlton Cinema, Westgate-on-Sea to watch The Bikeriders. Enjoying being able to work across couple of pages of the accordion sketcbbook.
2024-06-27 This little fella was left high and dry on the shore as the tide went out at St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-27 An abandoned beach towel and sunscreen left at St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-27 Bar Stools hanging up outside Millies cafe, St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-27 Yellow buoy left on the shore as the tide went out on St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-27 Quick study out of our lounge window of the roof of the Roxburgh Care Home across the road.
2024-06-23 Walking back along the promenade at St Mildreds Bay as a couple of male swimmers get changed after a swim at low tide.
2024-06-22 Painted from a photograph taken at the Adrian Square bus stop, Margate-bound, on Westgate Bay Avenue.
2024-06-21 Patriotic car decorated for the England game against Denmark in the Euros 2024. Parked in St Mildreds Road, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-21 People watching the England Denmark game in the Euros 2024 in Press, Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-21 England flags outside the Garden Bar, Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea last night for the England vs Denmark football game in the Euros 2024.
2024-06-20 Early morning sunlight coming into our bedroom on Roxburgh Road, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-18 Camper vans preparing to stay overnight at Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-18 Roadwork barriers and cones discarded in the greenery of the bunding by Sea Road, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-17 A shrine on a step in Adrian Square, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-16 Sandcastles on St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-16 Bay Inspector is back looking after the beach huts on St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-15 Joes's Mini
2024-06-15 Feels like the entrance to a hidden garden. Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-15 Enjoyed the late afternoon soon at the beach huts beside Millies cafe, St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-15 Seagull on guard on top of the beach huts overlooking St Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-18 This guy guards Dadds Butchers, St Mildreds Road, Westgate-on-Sea
2024-06-22 Enjoying late evening sun on the concrete by West Bay cafe, West Bay, Westgate-on-Sea.
2024-06-14 First in this series of illustrations of daly life in Westgate-on-Sea and thanks to Ellie for letting me draw her beautiful balcony doors. This series was inspired by David Gentlemans book, London, You're Beautiful and this first image is a direct nod to one of his illustrations from the book.