The Great Balloon Fiasco....
4 January 2008
(also now see the readers comments added below).
It was very interesting to see the newspaper coverage of the now infamous Balloon Launch event in Pencester Gardens. This was the event that was intended to bring the Festival of Dover 2008 to the public's attention with a big impact. Sadly it failed abysmally to do just that, as is clear to one and all by now.
But yes the actual coverage, let's get back to the coverage. The Dover Mercury played the whole thing very straight and reported the event dutifully and without much emotion, leaving the reader with the distinct impression that it all went swimmingly. Ermmm no...not exactly chaps.
The Dover Express on the other hand took a more tabloidy approach and indeed had a scoff or two at proceedings, which as it turned out was the more accurate of the two, or more in tune with the public's view of it anyway. "Festival High Hopes Deflated" they said wryly in their headline.
The photographic coverage was fairly poor, but then again there was probably nothing much to photograph. The Mercury used a photograph so small that you couldnt see who was launching what. Were they councillors in the shot? was it the general public? perhaps they were superstars flown in for the occasion? Gawd knows! You or I wouldnt know. The Dover Express used a larger picture but you were hard pressed to tell who was in the photo. They managed to lose Jan Tranter's head in the shot as she launched her balloon into the wide and crisp blue yonder. Jan's poor head is thrown back too far to register. She just isnt visible. Being quite familiar to Doverforum it was possible to recognise her jacket and scarf, thats how I knew it was her anyway. Lyn Young's face has also vanished, hidden behind her loftily held arm. Not the photographers fault as such, as the hapless photographer just fires away at these things, as I know from experience, and tries to catch the essential and vital ballooons leaping skyward. But it shows how the luck was out on the day, and how the event seemed dogged by misfortune right from the word go.
Both newspapers at least managed to get a photographer to the event which was more than we managed.
Indeed. We at Doverforum never made it to the event as we knew nothing of it. We were never officially told or indeed asked until a day before. We heard about it initially second hand, via a posting from Vic Matcham, just a day and a half before the event, when something else was already planned, it being Christmas week. And as we all know by now, nobody else knew about it either. Eventually we were told officially but the horse had already bolted from our particular stable and we couldnt do it. Odd we were never told or got any mailshot on it, but not surprising knowing the Town Council. We have in the past been the only solitary media outfit to go to a number of Town Council Events, having recently photographed the rather sumptious Mayor's Dinner at the Town Hall, and at The Mayors Raffle in St Marys Church Hall and so on, so on, so forth. No one else took the trouble to turn up. But there we are. Weird isnt it. We still dont officially get anything via email or any other route. All we are trying to do is to get the word out on their behalf.
It is also worth the organisers realising, which I dont think they do as yet, realising that it takes more than throwing a few ballooons in the air to get the people of Dover to turn up. It is essential I would have thought, to organise a number of things in tandem that offer the public much much more, a prospect of some level of entertainment, and then maybe..just maybe.. somebody will come. One remembers the Jazz big band concert in the docks for example off the top of one's head, organised at great expense... but again ...nobody turned up, even to that one. Its not easy.
On our Letters Page Cllr Nigel Collor put up the Festival Events for the first two months or so, and it didnt make the blood rush to the head with a throbbing palpable excitement. Still, let us remain optimistic for better days ahead.
Paul Boland
Latest. Ive added Nigel's List of Festival Events, See following....
Sunday, 30 December 2007 - 10:29am
Nigel Collor said....
Sue has already explained both our involvement with the Festival and that of the District Council.
Having read some of the (recent)comments and having picked up my fridge magnet... and the list of events for January, February & March. To help things along a little, the events listed for the first couple of weeks in January are as follows:
Wed. 2 Jan
10-12am Artful & Crafty Club, Galeria Varietique
Fri. 4 Jan
7 - 9 pm Adult Art Classes, Galeria Varietique
Sun. 6 Jan
10.30 am Morning Service, Dover Baptist Church
9.30 am Cycle Training, Fowlmead Country Club
10.15 am Health Walk, Visitor Centre, Fowlmead Ctry Club
6.00 pm Evening Service, Dover Baptist Church
Thur. 10 Jan
10.15 am Shrub Clearing, meet top of Noah's Ark Road
Sun. 13 Jan
10.30 am Morning Service, Dover Baptist Church
10.30 am Cycle Training, Fowlmead Country Club
9.00 am Duathlon, Fowlmead Country Club
10.15 am Health Walk, Visitor Centre, Fowlmead Ctry Club
6.00 pm Evening Service, Dover Baptist Church
...Newspaper Coverage.
(also now see the readers comments added below).
It was very interesting to see the newspaper coverage of the now infamous Balloon Launch event in Pencester Gardens. This was the event that was intended to bring the Festival of Dover 2008 to the public's attention with a big impact. Sadly it failed abysmally to do just that, as is clear to one and all by now.
But yes the actual coverage, let's get back to the coverage. The Dover Mercury played the whole thing very straight and reported the event dutifully and without much emotion, leaving the reader with the distinct impression that it all went swimmingly. Ermmm no...not exactly chaps.
The Dover Express on the other hand took a more tabloidy approach and indeed had a scoff or two at proceedings, which as it turned out was the more accurate of the two, or more in tune with the public's view of it anyway. "Festival High Hopes Deflated" they said wryly in their headline.
The photographic coverage was fairly poor, but then again there was probably nothing much to photograph. The Mercury used a photograph so small that you couldnt see who was launching what. Were they councillors in the shot? was it the general public? perhaps they were superstars flown in for the occasion? Gawd knows! You or I wouldnt know. The Dover Express used a larger picture but you were hard pressed to tell who was in the photo. They managed to lose Jan Tranter's head in the shot as she launched her balloon into the wide and crisp blue yonder. Jan's poor head is thrown back too far to register. She just isnt visible. Being quite familiar to Doverforum it was possible to recognise her jacket and scarf, thats how I knew it was her anyway. Lyn Young's face has also vanished, hidden behind her loftily held arm. Not the photographers fault as such, as the hapless photographer just fires away at these things, as I know from experience, and tries to catch the essential and vital ballooons leaping skyward. But it shows how the luck was out on the day, and how the event seemed dogged by misfortune right from the word go.
Both newspapers at least managed to get a photographer to the event which was more than we managed.
Indeed. We at Doverforum never made it to the event as we knew nothing of it. We were never officially told or indeed asked until a day before. We heard about it initially second hand, via a posting from Vic Matcham, just a day and a half before the event, when something else was already planned, it being Christmas week. And as we all know by now, nobody else knew about it either. Eventually we were told officially but the horse had already bolted from our particular stable and we couldnt do it. Odd we were never told or got any mailshot on it, but not surprising knowing the Town Council. We have in the past been the only solitary media outfit to go to a number of Town Council Events, having recently photographed the rather sumptious Mayor's Dinner at the Town Hall, and at The Mayors Raffle in St Marys Church Hall and so on, so on, so forth. No one else took the trouble to turn up. But there we are. Weird isnt it. We still dont officially get anything via email or any other route. All we are trying to do is to get the word out on their behalf.
It is also worth the organisers realising, which I dont think they do as yet, realising that it takes more than throwing a few ballooons in the air to get the people of Dover to turn up. It is essential I would have thought, to organise a number of things in tandem that offer the public much much more, a prospect of some level of entertainment, and then maybe..just maybe.. somebody will come. One remembers the Jazz big band concert in the docks for example off the top of one's head, organised at great expense... but again ...nobody turned up, even to that one. Its not easy.
On our Letters Page Cllr Nigel Collor put up the Festival Events for the first two months or so, and it didnt make the blood rush to the head with a throbbing palpable excitement. Still, let us remain optimistic for better days ahead.
Paul Boland
Latest. Ive added Nigel's List of Festival Events, See following....
Added Extra from our Letters Page
Sunday, 30 December 2007 - 10:29am
Nigel Collor said....
Sue has already explained both our involvement with the Festival and that of the District Council.
Having read some of the (recent)comments and having picked up my fridge magnet... and the list of events for January, February & March. To help things along a little, the events listed for the first couple of weeks in January are as follows:
Wed. 2 Jan
10-12am Artful & Crafty Club, Galeria Varietique
Fri. 4 Jan
7 - 9 pm Adult Art Classes, Galeria Varietique
Sun. 6 Jan
10.30 am Morning Service, Dover Baptist Church
9.30 am Cycle Training, Fowlmead Country Club
10.15 am Health Walk, Visitor Centre, Fowlmead Ctry Club
6.00 pm Evening Service, Dover Baptist Church
Thur. 10 Jan
10.15 am Shrub Clearing, meet top of Noah's Ark Road
Sun. 13 Jan
10.30 am Morning Service, Dover Baptist Church
10.30 am Cycle Training, Fowlmead Country Club
9.00 am Duathlon, Fowlmead Country Club
10.15 am Health Walk, Visitor Centre, Fowlmead Ctry Club
6.00 pm Evening Service, Dover Baptist Church
- OMG! Just started reading Hot Letters...didn't know they were there, don't get on here much these days.
Sorry! I'm a bit out of date and don't want to cause further stir. - Alison I appreciate the contribution. Many thanks for that. Just to let you know the HOT LETTERS are just the headline tip of the iceberg..there were quite a few more letters in LETTERS PAGE from disgruntled citizens.
I dont think it is particlarly this event they are disgruntled about in earnest. I think it is more to do with the inefficient way things like this are handled overall. This was just a massive highlight of same. - alison makes a very good point here, the organisers of events are usually so involved
with their work and dealing with last minute panics, that another entity is needed to promote things.
around my way we are lucky to have sheila, who will come on here and let people know, and also she knows so many people personally that she can stop people in the street and let them know.
we must remember that most people on dover get their information from the dover express, going by what people have said to me.
the editor of the express is also involved with the folkestone organ.
it is a pity that we have the magazine here that promotes so many events and the other website that has an events calendar, yet the press seem not to be too interested - Yeah well why am I not suprised? From the bottom to the top this town culturally, economically, artistically or anything half-way dynamic this town has little to offer. Having moved here some twenty years ago any unique charm that may have been there has all but been replaced by a dull, grey and very depressing air of disenfranchisement and that of a barren wasteland. In this particular case, nobody bothered to tell any of the townsfolk of the event (Oh! it was in the Dover Express!!!!!). Whether it was or wasn't advertised in that dispicable little rag is neither here nor there as it was probably a total non-event anyway judging by past experiences in these matters. Whenever there is an event put on for the locals inevitably it consists of some sort of burger bar van for food, cheap mini-fairground rides for the "kiddies" a couple of stalls selling the worst of possible barrel scrapings left over from an unsuccessful boot fair alongside "attractions" which certainly do not attract anyone in their right mind with the notable exception of any passing wino gracing the event with their presence. They really are thoroughly depressing and do nothing for the town whatsoever. They never have anything to better the minds or immagination and always somehow link to the town's cliqued past with the second world war .
- .........hmmn didn't realise there was a word limit on this. Anyhow having said all that in my previous rant I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. There are things that do keep me here so much so that when I am away visiting family or on holiday I look forward to coming home to walk on the cliffs, take in the sea ai......well you get the picture from living here yourselves. Ask many locals (the sensible ones at least) and the impression they give is the same. This town is run by overpaid jobsworths who do not live the town and care little for it. They install a flippin windmill up in Honeywood Towers to whose benefit? It is so sad to see a once marvelous place such as this treated this way. You people running this website do care and hats off to you all for all your care-you have an uphill battle on your hands and I wish you all the best of luck.
- Well Paul, at least there are people who are willing to give their time, get up off their butts and work hard to put on events in this town.
Unlike others who are only capable of making moronic and ignorant rants at those who actually do something. - try to be fair here barry, paul is expressing frustration, aiming at the people up at the fort.
from info i have been given most do not live close to the town centre.
you live right in the thick of things, are you satisfied with things at present?
things are looking up, thanks to certain councillors and officers that have risen above the pessimistic comments.
we have to keep fingers crossed that things progress. - Paul I do find some of your comments about events in Dover a bit harsh. I help run Carnival in Dover and when we took over in 2004, it was in serious dire need of a boost. We listened to what people wanted which was to see more bands, and we are steadily building on that each year.
However bands do cost anything from £500 upwards, and if you want someone like the Royal marines then it's about 3.5K.
We do not collect huge amounts along the route, and expenses have to be paid. We do our best though, but when I look at comments like the ones you have made I wonder "WHY BOTHER"
I agree that some of Dovers events are poor, but as voluntary non-profit organisations, we rely heavily on the genourosity of sponsors. The rest has to be met by us going out fundraising ourselves.
I throw down the gauntlet to you Paul. Come join us at DCAL for 6 months, get your police check done, and really find out how hard some organisations really work, not just DCAL, but others to.
YOUR CALL!!! Now I am no fortune teller, but I bet I can guess the response.
Regards Mandie (DCAL Chairman) - The fact that events fail has nothing to do with overpaid jobsworths - in fact they are NOT jobsworths at all, but very capable people who are paid for the skills they bring to their job - these skills have been acquired over their working life
What it does have a lot to do with, is (many) Councillors ignoring the skills that those people have brought.
The Town Clerk was appointed for his business acumen, his marketing and promotional skills.
It was the (Labour) Councillors who stopped using those skills.
It was the (Labour) Councillors who set up their own media/publicity Committee
It was the (Labour) Councillors of that Committee who haven't sat for over six months.
So how can you blame the Officers ?
Like I said somewhere else, it's no disgrace not to know everything (say marketing or publicity), but it IS a disgrace when you know you have that expertise in-house and don't use it- for what ever reason (political, personal prejudice or whatever).
Roger - Actually Howard, he was having a go at the events put on by hard working people on a voluntary basis. Perhaps he meant his vitriol to be aimed at DDC officers but he actually hit those of us doing something. Maybe its ignorance but he should make sure he gets his facts right.
One of his targets being the Hellfire Corner Weekend, one of the most successful and largest events in Dover's year.
To be frank I do not care less that WW2 commemoration is not 'his thing' he can at least acknowledge the contribution by those who work so hard and the enjoyment that many members of the public get out of it. - Roger,
not surprizingly your talking rubbish.
The town council has 18 cllrs one a tory!!
so decisions in a democracy is al cllrs not just LABOUR as you well know
This attack on labour politicians is unfortunate as both labour and more
recently INdies are having internal issues.
im aware of a big fall out between verril and Our D Hannant both indy
but it does no good that this goes on as Dover is the loser
We can all easily be critical in the Tory led County or/and District
but it just switches people
It does you no justice
I'm back to working WITH the people FOR the community
in a non political way - roger
i am disappointed that you have dragged an important discussion down to a party political issue.
paul has contacted the town council to try to ascertain who is responsible for what.
i posted earlier that it is not a time for apportioning blame, the festival of dover is now active, it will not help that you try to turn into a petty yah boo party matter.
we uld all be working together to promote our town, in this special year. - barry
i can appreciate your chagrin over the posting, bearing in mind your involvement with the hell fire weekend.
i believe that the poster was actually having a go at the powers that be in our town, just did not word his post that well. - Howard yes that is interesting re the Party Politics. You often hear the general public and indeed councillors themselves tell us that Party Politics dont matter at this level. Ive been listening to that one for years on our assorted forums, as Im sure we all have. Yet as soon as something goes wrong, up pops the Party Politics right on cue.
Clearly Party Politics is still very much in fashion.
Yes I have written to the Town Clerk to see if he wants to make a response re Ken T's earlier posted letters, in the interests of fairness...but nothing as yet. They may still be off on christmas break.
- Keith - what part of my posting is rubbish ? Just because you don't like what I've put, doesn't make it rubbish.
Whether it's 18 Councillors or 108, the fact is, it is Labour controlled.
Labour decide who chairs what committee.
Labour decided to have a Media/Promotions committee - not the one Tory, nor the Indies.
Labour decide when that committee is to sit.
Sheila - are you on the Media/Promotions committee ? can you tell us who is ?
Can you tell me what part of my previous posting is rubbish ?
Roger - Howard
It's not that I am bringing it down to party politics, but earlier postings were laying the blame (of the lack of marketing/promotion/publicity), at the Town Council officers, including the Town Clerk and his Deputy and I wanted to show that it had nothing to do with them and that their expertise was being ignored.
That point I think, is a very important one.
Roger - roger
lighten up,
you maybe paint a bad picture!! like the tories control DDC and KCC they have a majority but every CLLR has a vote and voice
I could go on here for page upon page of how por the tories are at DDC and KCC but who does it benefit???? no one!!!!
Im getting back to preparing for te senior citizens bingo in Aycliff
and now all age groups
and footy in many parts of the ward
POSITIVE thats the way forward - Thanks Keith
I am "light". The point I am trying to make is that if you have a problem (as in lack of marketing/promotion, of events), you need to analyse it to come to a solution.
There is a problem at the Town Council with a distinct lack of promotion and marketing of events because the Town Councillors are not using the skills that they have in-house - for what-ever reason and then they set up a committee to meet, discuss and decide what to do about promoting and marketing their events, but then don't sit for over six months.
The solution is in their own hands.
Roger - Roger
And my point is, there are many cllrs on Dover Town council, and i unaware of any tory/independent campaigning to change the minds of the labour cllrs, or push for better toursm etc ideas
its up to other party cllrs to do there bit as well - paul
have you had a reply from the administrators at the town council yet?
all the decorations at home have come down now. - Hello Howard
Unfortunately it now seems that the Town Clerk is not allowed to make any kind of public comment. I learned this information yesterday. So regretfully there will be no contribution from the Town Council at this time. - seems like we will never learn the truth paul.
why is the town council a secret society?
should the town clerk not be allowed to answer questions. then surely the council top dogs should speak on his behalf.
ok they recieve no remuneration for their work, but the whole thing still comes out of our council tax. - Well I'd thought I'd let the dust settle and see the reaction to the comment I posted some time ago and was not disappointed. Actually I was somewhat disappointed and felt slightly deflated at the same time.
I wasn't disappointed because in my own mind I foresaw the inevitable reaction from those involved which consisted of a party political slanging match and felt that my powers of clairvoyancy were close to matching Dovers own celebrity clairvoyant.
However, on the other hand, I felt sad and deflated that most people though not all had missed the point.
I agree with the person who said that I had probably not made my point very well. I am the sort of person who if makes a mistake will be the first to stick up my hand and admit to it.
My main point was to critisize the ballon debacle on two levels.
The first was the fact that there was no, none, zilch, zip, nix, nothing to advertise the event anywhere in town. A simple note posted to a town events notice board would have sufficed (hey there's an idea a town notice board advertising events in the area!) but sadly there is no such facility.
The other aspect to this I raised was the fact that in general most public events put on in Dover sadly lack anything which would really attract anyone. This is why I cruelly generalised events in the way that I did and although they don't all conform to this depressing model, most do.
In my mind, it is better not to do a job if you are unable to do it well especially when it come to public events. The best that can happen is that nobody turns up and the worst that it puts the town in a bad light.
I am a mere humble member of the public. I do not have the time to devote to aid those to organise these events but as an outsider,so to speak, I expect those that do to take on board concerns of those who bother to critisize and not launch some sort of tirade against them. That is not on at all and shows a certain defencive streak by some.
Rather like someone expressing a view against the Government of the day, you wouldn't expect people to say "Go on you become a government minister and change things otherwise shutup".
No this is not cricket.
Ditch the burger vans, don't use the mini fairground rides, forget the tat stalls and go see what others do to make civic events successful.
Go on beat me up. I don't care. Tell me all I can do is snipe from the sidelines, that's fair enough. But doing so will solve nothing.
Like I said before, hats off to all you people who have the energy to do something and improve this town in whichever way you can. But please don't shoot the messenger. There are many who think along the same lines as me. - The point is though Paul. It is very easy to sit on the sidelines having a pop, but actually getting off ya butt is something else.
Those like yourself who don't assist,but then have a go, make it twice as hard for those of us who put in our own time, and money to put an event on.
I get digs about Dover Carnival every year, but ya know what I don't care, and the reason I don't care is because an average of 3,500 people attend that event to watch, and have a brilliant time while they are there, as opposed to one who has a moan.
It's super easy to talk the talk,but when you start walking the walk, by all means feel free to have a pop.
It simply isn't enough to say "I don't have time to be involved". You don't actually know what any of the roles involve, so to say you cannot find time is a defeatest attitude to begin with. Or is it more of a case of cannot be bothered? Let someone else do the work, and I will just pick faults with it? - paul does make some good points here, if people cannot do better, why do they not say so at election time.?
i still say that he was not having a go at genuine volunteers. - Thank you Howard for your words. You all by now know how I feel about the various public events put on by different groups over the past few years so I won't bother to bleet on about them again I promise.
Listen. This town has the potential to be one of the best places to be in the whole of Great Britain. I am not kidding. I am not drunk or under the influence of any drug legal or otherwise. I have come to this conclusion over many years of hope and expectation dashed by the realisation of circumstances beyond my control or maybe anyone elses.
Consider these facts.
The topographical shape of Dover lends itself to a vista commonly seen in the Med where many mice in their million hoards go to take a holiday in the summer. It is truly magnificent especially on a hot balmy summers day with saling boats and swimmers converge on the seafront to enjoy the special secret which is Dover Harbour.
Walking Northwards towards the town once comes across the town centre which sadly has been ruined over the years (immediately post WW2 to sometime recently) by a collection of corrupt local politicians in the early days post war to the inept in later years. What was once a place of charm has been swept aside to admit the charmless and down at heel collection of charity shops, mobile phone outlets, low price tat emporiums and other such places which I now avoid at all costs by taking other routes to one of my favourite walks which is the seafront.
Trudge further back Northwards along the London Road and "Abandon hope all ye who enter" springs to mind as this is just to much for my little brain to cope with. A mess of just.......... well you've been there, what more can I say? Words are beyond me.
I intend to live here till I have to meet my maker as it's grown on me regardless of the very obvious downside which I must confess to turning a blind eye to more and more lately.
Look at other towns which are successful and have a certain vibrancy about them.
I am of the opinion that what will kick off the REAL regeneration of our town is not simply a big shop and hotel and bland housing and more pointless retail outlets but something much deeper. Something which could turn this place into a dynamic place to be.
It is.....................................
The middle classes.
Discuss. - Please disregard my last posting. Looking in the cold light of day I do talk alot of florid nonsense. Once I'm on a roll I do tend to get carried away (so say I should be ho ho!).
- Howard - why do you think you won't get to the truth just because the Town Clerk cannot come on here and say anything ?
I have told the truth as to why events are not publicised - pure and simple; I do not tell anything but the truth, some people may not like what I say sometimes, but it is honest.
Paul what you say about Dover is very true too; there is too much tat and cheap stuff here and while we'll never be a Windsor or a "posh" coastal resort like Eastbourne or Bournemouth, we could be so much better than we are now, by creating Pride in our Town - which, when you look at the litter in the streets and gardens, the chewing gum all over every pavement, buildings (business or residential) in urgent need of a make-over, it is an up-hill struggle that hasn't even been attempted.
In another thread, Sue Nicholas put a very eloquent posting about the number of people on benefit, higher I believe than any other neighbouring Town.
Our problem is two-fold (probably many more in reality) we have too many people on low, or no income - most of them have little or no academic achievements so cannot command any higher level of pay than the minimum wage - that's if they want to get a job.
Because of this they have low expectations and low aspirations, so don't expect (in many cases don't want) anything better than tat - because it's cheap.
The other side of this is, are all those on benefits, on there because they need to be (in which case we must help them) or are they choosing it as a way of life ? if it's a way of life, they must be reported and taken off of benefits - there are so many training programs now, there is no excuse.
We need to instill a desire for a better, or higher education and its benefits: a good education is the key to everything - the key to escape from poverty, the key to give you choice as to how you want to live your life, as well as where; also the key to a better quality job and home.
Life is about dreams and aspirations, good teaching is about making them come true - helping young people to realise them and giving those children a view of how life can be.
No one is born stupid or thick, we all have the capacity to learn, it's about good parenting and good teaching, then we can have a higher quality Dover too.
There is so much I could say and try to do, but I am not in a position to be able to bring any of it to life, nor will I be given that position, so I sit and spout on here.
Weather's lovely !!
Roger - roger
i think you are being rather simplistice here.
you say that is should takes your opinion as gospel?
would you take mine as such?
someone at the town council must take some responsiblity for something, whether they are councillors or council officers.
one could get the impression that they are all in the same lodge, judging by the secrecy. - Howard
Why do you say I am being simplistic ?
Why do you say the events about media/marketing and publicity, are opinions ? none of what I have put relating to the media/promotions committee is an opinion, it is fact.
It's a fact that a Media/Promotions committee was set up - not an opinion
It is a fact that this committee has not sat or met, for over 6 months - again, not an opinion.
I really don't want to be argumentative Howard and I apologise if it sounds like I am being, but I am trying to put across that I am not being opinionated, but factual.
That's my opinion !!!!!
Roger - roger
i appreciate what you are saying, my argument is that the town council can carry on without explaining any of their actions or inactions.
you are a district councillor.
i, and others, want to hear the side of the story from the people involved.
i said earlier that the dover festival year can fly by, we have to make sure it works. - still no word from the town council.
is there still a festival of dover?
i think that we should rename their offices.
i would suggest the "kremlin", any other thoughts?
We really need somebody, a well-known, approachable, friendly, hard-working, Dover caring-person to whom anyone in Dover wishing to put on an event can go to and get them to promote their event.
If this dynamic person's salary were funded by the Town Council so much the better. This would benefit all voluntary groups within the town, and of course Dover Town itself.
Having been very much part of putting on an event in Dover, for two years running I know how hard it is to promote the event when you are totally wrapped up in the organisation of it. And it seems that however hard you promote there will always be someone who says on the day "We didn't even know about this until we came into the town today."
Dover needs a seperate entity to promote ALL it's events, whomever they are organised by.