A new interactive map has been designed to allow families to enjoy a free fun day out and boost high street footfall.
Visitors and residents in Herne Bay can now step back in time with the augmented reality app, Time and Tides, which has been produced by Canterbury City Council.
Cllr Dan Watkins (centre) with other creators of the new Times and Tide app
It includes a map for a walking tour through the town, highlighting its history with interactive animations.
Guided via the user’s phone camera, the free application combines live images of the real world with geo-tagged computer-generated pictures.
Dinosaurs at the promenade, Roman ships on the shoreline and smugglers at the Prince of Wales pub are among the illustrations.
The two-mile tour begins at Herne Bay clock tower and includes checkpoints along the promenade and Mortimer Street.
Canterbury City Council Dan Watkins, who helped create the app, told KentOnline it is a fun way for people to get outside and learn about Herne Bay’s heritage.
“What we really wanted to do is to draw people into the town,” said the Conservative councillor.
“It takes modern technology to make a walking tour really fun, but you’re still active, you’re outside getting exercise and you’re still supporting local shops.
“Because if you follow the trail, it will take a while and at some point you’ll probably want to stop in for a coffee or a beer.”
Cllr Watkins says the app was developed over two years and on a “shoe-string budget of a few thousand pounds”.
Visitors and residents in Herne Bay can now step back in time with an augmented-reality app designed to entertain families and boost high street footfall
Funding for the project came from Kent County Council’s councillor grant scheme, such that it can be made available free-of-charge to the community.
Local production company, Manoghosts Studios Ltd, developed the app in conjunction with Crash Studios CIC, sourcing technology creatives from local universities.
The time travel elements of the app design were inspired by Dr Who creator Anthony Coburn, who lived in Herne Bay.
T.W. Burgess, director of Manoghosts Studios, added: “In 1962, the Dr Who writer and producer, Anthony Coburn was considering a whole new means of time travel from the tranquility of his Herne Bay home.
Dinosaurs at the promenade, Roman ships on the Herne Bay shore and smugglers at the Prince of Wales pub are among the illustrations in the new Times and Tide app
“Today we are inviting residents and visitors to follow in Anthony’s footsteps and experience the seafront of yesteryear with the Times and Tides tour.”
Time and Tides is available to download for free on the iOS App Store and Google Play.