The Open Page - Copy16(Raising the Flag, Screen Apathy, Roger's Leaflet)
17 June 2009
Well there was a terrific turnout of Councillors today at the 'Raising the Flag for the Armed Forces' event. There were more gold chains on show from assorted Mayors and Deputy Mayors from around the district than you could shake a stick at. Everybody who was anybody was there, in political terms. In the pictures above I have just captured a small body of the participants. Many illustrious bigwigs have been omitted due to a shortage of space. Their names are ermm ..too numerous to mention! Pity though that Joe Public, you know him, the one that does the voting, had not a clue what was going on. A few of his cohorts drifted by in open mouthed bewilderment, unsure as to why the dressed up individuals had gathered in front of the Maison Dieu House. It was a real headscratcher for some. No doubt they pondered for a few seconds , cast a cold eye on the throng, then drifted idly by.
Top shot shows the lovely lady and top forumite Sue Nicholas, a thorn in the flesh of her onetime DDC Cabinet colleagues, but a sprightly champion of the underdog. Here she is, looking very good indeed, even without her hat, and escorted by two fine lads Roger Walkden and Roger Frayne, and finding there is some sweet life outside the Cabinet.
Just below the picture on the left shows a gaggle, or should that be a brace, of councillors, Julie Rook, Roger Frayne and Jennifer Record, all paying much attention to Bernard Butcher's speech. And speaking of Bernard Butcher, Chairman of Dover District Council, here is the very man himself delivering his words of wisdom to one and all.
Next picture shows a gathering of bigwigs waiting to be photographed. The line stretched much further but I have cropped to the essential. More chains on display here, and you can amuse yourself spotting the assorted faces, just to note though ..our own Mayor Sue Jones is in the centre in light blue, and our Deputy Mayor Jan Tranter is on the righthandside. Apart from that there are chains too numerous to mention!
The bottom shot shows Bernard Butcher again, delivering his entertaining speech, watched by assorted Town Councillors, The Mayor, as mentioned earlier can be seen, plus Ronnie Philpott Mayoress, and Town Clerk Mike Webb. There are rumours of rivalries between the councils but it cant possibly be true!
Pictures and Words Paul Boland.
* * *
A new tourism initiative has been launched in association with ferry operator LD Lines aimed at generating inbound visitor business to Dover from cross channel passengers from the Continent, passengers that come via LD Lines' new fast ferry service from Boulogne.
Discover Dover is a new leaflet in French, the creation of local Dover councillor, Roger Walkden, and 10,000 of these Discover Dover leaflets will be distributed to all passengers travelling from Boulogne to Dover via LD Lines, on board both the "Norman Arrow" and the conventional ferry "Cote d'Albatre". The leaflet will also be distributed at the passenger reception offices in the ports of Boulogne and Dover, and in key tourism outlets throughout the Pas de Calais and Cote d'Opale region.
Discover Dover features the town's tourist attractions, its restaurants, cafes, pubs,hotels and shops.
"I am delighted to have been able to put this visitor guide together as the town has some wonderful history and many other assets, that we should be promoting actively to the cross channel inbound visitor market," says Roger Walkden.
"With the co-operation of this initiative, LD Lines have shown themselves already to be a very forward-looking company whether promoting English visitors going to Boulogne or French visitors coming to Dover, and together we are confident that this can be just the start of many new working partnerships."
Spokesman for LD Lines, Nick Stevens, said, "We are determined to make the new fast ferry route between Dover and Boulogne a success and the early signs are that both tourist passengers and freight hauliers are already finding the new service a really attractive choice of crossing the channel. To help establish and develop the route, we are very keen to look at ways of building the inbound market too and are delighted to be supporting the Discover Dover initiative. The fast crossing time of just one hour and a good timetable on offer from and to Boulogne, now makes a day trip or longer visit to Dover a real possibility for cross channel visitors."
LD Lines new fast ferry Norman Arrow operates four return sailings daily between Dover (Eastern Docks) and Boulogne and a conventional ferry service providing two return sailings daily. Crossing time by conventional ferry is 1 hour 45 minutes. For more information and to book : www.ldlines.com or call 0844 576 8836
The picture above shows Nick Stevens on the left, spokesman for LD Lines, and our very own Forumite Cllr Roger Walkden shaking hands in front of the magnificent new seacat, the Norman Arrow.
* * *
Yes indeed...despite all the discussion, the furore, the doubts, the sackings, the rows at DDC Cabinet level, and so on so forth, the screen is up and running. Here it is in action at 12.30 the other day and wow! look at the impact it is having with your ordinary Dovorians..yes thats it....NONE!! Not a single person is looking at it and Doverforum has other pictures showing the same thing too. People are chatting, having their sandwiches, like they always did in Market Sq and the screen is having no impact whatsoever. As you can see here, it has not attracted more of a lunchtime crowd to the Square either...there is no goggle-eyed mesmerised wideyed throbbing mass, gazing at it with gob-open transfixation!!..no, not at all, so at this moment in time the screen does not appear to be delivering much of a leg up for the immediate businesses. And as the thing is new you would expect some rallying around it. But okay okay...it's early days..so maybe..!?
The smaller picture on the left was taken an hour earlier than the top one. You can see the times on the screen. Although the screen is positioned well in that no direct sunlight reaches it, nevertheless at this time of day the sun is directly behind it. Take a look at those bollard things in the nearground, you can see exactly the direction the very strong shadows are falling. Not too easy to look at the screen therefore.
So will it be a hit? the early signs are not encouraging. Lets hope it doesnt end up as the Burlington House of moving pictures. PB
Leave your comment below, always welcome.
Well there was a terrific turnout of Councillors today at the 'Raising the Flag for the Armed Forces' event. There were more gold chains on show from assorted Mayors and Deputy Mayors from around the district than you could shake a stick at. Everybody who was anybody was there, in political terms. In the pictures above I have just captured a small body of the participants. Many illustrious bigwigs have been omitted due to a shortage of space. Their names are ermm ..too numerous to mention! Pity though that Joe Public, you know him, the one that does the voting, had not a clue what was going on. A few of his cohorts drifted by in open mouthed bewilderment, unsure as to why the dressed up individuals had gathered in front of the Maison Dieu House. It was a real headscratcher for some. No doubt they pondered for a few seconds , cast a cold eye on the throng, then drifted idly by.
Top shot shows the lovely lady and top forumite Sue Nicholas, a thorn in the flesh of her onetime DDC Cabinet colleagues, but a sprightly champion of the underdog. Here she is, looking very good indeed, even without her hat, and escorted by two fine lads Roger Walkden and Roger Frayne, and finding there is some sweet life outside the Cabinet.
Just below the picture on the left shows a gaggle, or should that be a brace, of councillors, Julie Rook, Roger Frayne and Jennifer Record, all paying much attention to Bernard Butcher's speech. And speaking of Bernard Butcher, Chairman of Dover District Council, here is the very man himself delivering his words of wisdom to one and all.
Next picture shows a gathering of bigwigs waiting to be photographed. The line stretched much further but I have cropped to the essential. More chains on display here, and you can amuse yourself spotting the assorted faces, just to note though ..our own Mayor Sue Jones is in the centre in light blue, and our Deputy Mayor Jan Tranter is on the righthandside. Apart from that there are chains too numerous to mention!
The bottom shot shows Bernard Butcher again, delivering his entertaining speech, watched by assorted Town Councillors, The Mayor, as mentioned earlier can be seen, plus Ronnie Philpott Mayoress, and Town Clerk Mike Webb. There are rumours of rivalries between the councils but it cant possibly be true!
Pictures and Words Paul Boland.
* * *
Bringing Visitors to Dover.
A new tourism initiative has been launched in association with ferry operator LD Lines aimed at generating inbound visitor business to Dover from cross channel passengers from the Continent, passengers that come via LD Lines' new fast ferry service from Boulogne.
Discover Dover is a new leaflet in French, the creation of local Dover councillor, Roger Walkden, and 10,000 of these Discover Dover leaflets will be distributed to all passengers travelling from Boulogne to Dover via LD Lines, on board both the "Norman Arrow" and the conventional ferry "Cote d'Albatre". The leaflet will also be distributed at the passenger reception offices in the ports of Boulogne and Dover, and in key tourism outlets throughout the Pas de Calais and Cote d'Opale region.
Discover Dover features the town's tourist attractions, its restaurants, cafes, pubs,hotels and shops.
"I am delighted to have been able to put this visitor guide together as the town has some wonderful history and many other assets, that we should be promoting actively to the cross channel inbound visitor market," says Roger Walkden.
"With the co-operation of this initiative, LD Lines have shown themselves already to be a very forward-looking company whether promoting English visitors going to Boulogne or French visitors coming to Dover, and together we are confident that this can be just the start of many new working partnerships."
Spokesman for LD Lines, Nick Stevens, said, "We are determined to make the new fast ferry route between Dover and Boulogne a success and the early signs are that both tourist passengers and freight hauliers are already finding the new service a really attractive choice of crossing the channel. To help establish and develop the route, we are very keen to look at ways of building the inbound market too and are delighted to be supporting the Discover Dover initiative. The fast crossing time of just one hour and a good timetable on offer from and to Boulogne, now makes a day trip or longer visit to Dover a real possibility for cross channel visitors."
LD Lines new fast ferry Norman Arrow operates four return sailings daily between Dover (Eastern Docks) and Boulogne and a conventional ferry service providing two return sailings daily. Crossing time by conventional ferry is 1 hour 45 minutes. For more information and to book : www.ldlines.com or call 0844 576 8836
The picture above shows Nick Stevens on the left, spokesman for LD Lines, and our very own Forumite Cllr Roger Walkden shaking hands in front of the magnificent new seacat, the Norman Arrow.
Apathy, Apathy...all is Apathy!
Yes indeed...despite all the discussion, the furore, the doubts, the sackings, the rows at DDC Cabinet level, and so on so forth, the screen is up and running. Here it is in action at 12.30 the other day and wow! look at the impact it is having with your ordinary Dovorians..yes thats it....NONE!! Not a single person is looking at it and Doverforum has other pictures showing the same thing too. People are chatting, having their sandwiches, like they always did in Market Sq and the screen is having no impact whatsoever. As you can see here, it has not attracted more of a lunchtime crowd to the Square either...there is no goggle-eyed mesmerised wideyed throbbing mass, gazing at it with gob-open transfixation!!..no, not at all, so at this moment in time the screen does not appear to be delivering much of a leg up for the immediate businesses. And as the thing is new you would expect some rallying around it. But okay okay...it's early days..so maybe..!?
The smaller picture on the left was taken an hour earlier than the top one. You can see the times on the screen. Although the screen is positioned well in that no direct sunlight reaches it, nevertheless at this time of day the sun is directly behind it. Take a look at those bollard things in the nearground, you can see exactly the direction the very strong shadows are falling. Not too easy to look at the screen therefore.
So will it be a hit? the early signs are not encouraging. Lets hope it doesnt end up as the Burlington House of moving pictures. PB
Leave your comment below, always welcome.