Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
I wasn't implying that a bowling alley would be Dover's saviour, I was just saying that it's a case of missing out again. If perhaps the old post office building could be used for something, anything other than housing then it might be the start of some sort of regeneration. It's good that Morrisons are coming to Charlton Green, it might shake up ASDA into starting DTIZ which has been dead in the water for far too long.
As to the big screen, as Paul says it won't ever be used for things like the RM concert, that would only be covered as a news item.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
I really dont agree that we are in any way losing out by having a bowling alley and ice rink in Canterbury on the New Dover Road with easy access to Dover, the opposite in fact.
We already know leisure companies are not interested in placing these types of facility in Dover so its time we stopped fooling ourselves that we might get such a thing. Having these at a reasonably convenient place to travel to is the best we can expect and should welcome this investment.
Just think for a moment. You are the Chief Exec of a leisure company. You are looking for somewhere to invest. Knowing the demographics and catchment of Dover compared to Canterbury, Ashford or, say, Westwood, where would you want to invest? It would not be Dover.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,020
Of course is a nail in the coffin .Every time people go out of the town for leisure they spend money in another town .I know my own family do that .They buy food and use other towns car parks .
Some people dont have a car and anyway I trhought we were trying to stop the use of a car as a form of travel .
If you spin the story long enough some fool will believe it .
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,020
It was definitly stated the screen would be used to cover large events in the district .I think plays from schools was an excample .
Spin spin .
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
I see Sue, so you think I should not go to the multiplex in Ashford for instance?
Come off it Sue, just think about what you just said. One of the silliest things I have read for yonks.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,020
No im not saying that Barry ,Dover does not have a large cinema so you have to traverl to Ashford ,you could let the train take the strain .I go to Canterbury for clothes as Dover does not sell the well known brands .
Nigel is very proud that we have all these extra buses and soon the High Speed train link but it takes more people out of Dover .
I have been on the council as you know for 22 years and i see little improvement since the eighties .
You can keep on banging your head against a brick wall but its Vision Vision and spin spin
You should take a wander up to DDC sometime see all the lovely glossy pictures of vision .
What people need is clean streets ,toilets,decent shops and some leisure .How old is our leisure centre Barry ??
Sports grounds so the list goes on .Most importantly Jobs .
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Sue - the fact is we will not get these facilities in Dover so we should welcome the fact that they are reasonably accessible to us in Dover in Canterbury. To describe it as a nail in Dover's coffin is simply wrong, it just means a trip to Canterbury instead of Gillingham or Ashford when you want to partake in these activities.
Sue, think about what you say. If you have been on the council for 22 years and have seen little improvement, I am wondering to whom we should look............
I cannot argue with the need for clean loos, streets and better shops, but writhing in envy about Canterburys "luck" or Ashfords "gain" will not get us appropriate regeneration. Dover is not Canterbury - Dover is unique, with unique attractions and potential by the bucket, and it is different to Ashford, Canterbury et al. Part of the probelm with local councils is the struggle against each other and little or no partnership working.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,020
I thought you would pick up on that point Bern .During my years on the council we have had changes in Admin .Conservative then Labour /Lib then Ten years Labour and now Conservative for six and until recently I was part of the cabinet however my remitt was Housing .I have always had to fight hard in my corner and we do now work more in partnership with other authorities .I wanted to keep Tourism high on the agenda but the Community Safety unit won the day .
You see cabinrt members according to the great and good say we should speak with one voice .
Im not a town councillor so my work lies in my own ward .I do still report things when I see they need attention such as the blocked drains outside of Biggin Hall which are now being sorted out .
If I am honest, I rather admire the way you have stuck it for 22 years! And without taking a pickaxe handle to anyone in cabinet, too!!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the whole issue of a bowling alley and skating rink is only ever brought up as a means of bashing the council.
it has been made quite clear by people in the know, that there is not the population(with enough spare oncers) to keep such luxuries going.
the district plan seems to be aimed at ending that by building more dwellings.
a great number of people are against that, so if they win, the shortage of facilities will go on.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
TERRY
You are correect this is another missed opportunity, and as you say venues are there.
I have posted on this before a cllr many years ago did get 3 diffrent companies happy to run a bowliing alley at no cost to the council but sadly neither labour lib dem or tory ran with it, so that cllr has now joined the many frustrated EX cllrs and gave up.
SUE
You are incorrect to say a MINORITY of youth play sports such as football, from schools football to volunteer footy a lot of youth play it, in very organised way.
takng many youth off the street and helping them to stay healthy.
DT1
Funny this, i usually agree with your posts, but not your last one im afraid.
Whenever i visited all the local schools on a regular basis all of them were saying they hated travelling out of town and the poor transport as well as lack of feeling safe, so its not adults thinking for the young its the yoof themselves saying it.
Im lucky enough to be a volunteer for a club that includes youth so i get a rough idea of the ideas of the youth.
On the issue of the screen its here some like it some dont, but its here lets try to make use of it, and yep it was quoted to be used for local events and i hope thats still the case.
On the clarendon play area gone very quiet again aint it
On politics locally, bern its not correct to say politicians dont get on, realy under ANY govt the councils have little room to do much themselves and so it doesnt matter which administration was in control.
Many of the present themes were started by the last administration and this administration has reaped the benefits.
There is also things like the high speed rail link, championed by many from all walks of life all political backgrounds(not 1 person) without all this support it probably wouldnt have happened.
And this is just one example of many of parties working together.
I found in my short time on KCC/DDC that ANY party with big majorties stop listening and remove themselves freom local opinion,
It would better if parties got in with a 1 seat majority making them work and more importantly making the parties work together.
So theres always tommorow ????
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
Keith, I'm not saying that young people do like travelling out of town. However they really don't see it as a big deal, travelling to Canterbury is no more complicated than most of their journeys to their schools! My point is that the age group you speak of wouldn't sustain a large bowling or ice rink in the town. They would not use it enough, or spend enough money, it is the people who can drive that could keep one going, and that group can get to Canterbury/Ashford!
Teenagers when asked what they would like to see for them, often respond with 'Bowling Alley' or 'Ice Rink' however this is just the rather unimaginative response placed in their heads by adults. The reality is that when teenagers go bowling their interest trails off around halfway through the second game. They enjoy it, but it is generally few times a year experience (speak to kids in Margate that have 2 on their doorstep!)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Keith you have made that assertion before "a cllr many years ago did get 3 diffrent companies happy to run a bowliing alley at no cost to the council" and provided no evidence at all.
There was never a planning application, no business plan, no explanation of who or what funding they might have. It is all pie in the sky nonsense. If there was no planning application just what would a council have to 'run with'? Nothing is the answer. Whoever told you this was talking, shall we say, excrement of bulls!!!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
susan
yet again you bring up the subject of the screen.
how do you know what will be shown?
perhaps you could enlighten us and the company running it.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Barryw
I am talking FACTS
Something you should try now and again
this cllr had ikt all planned, details, business plans etc
nevrer mind as terry says another loss for Dover
But lets look at the positives ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Speaking as one of the former "kids in Margate that have 2 on their doorstep", I may have only gone to each of them once or twice in the years that I was there. bowling never came up as something to do, and for a kid it wasn't particularly a cheap thing to do !! A decent cinema would be more likely to be of interest...
How about some Playstations linked to the big screen - that will be of more interest to them !
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Bowling alley/ice rink in Canterbury - wonderful - 20 minutes away. Cinema in Canterbury same. Big cinema complex in Ashford half an hour away. Bowling alley in Ashford and in Margate and in Whitstable - 40 minutes away. My 14 year old grandaughter and her friends can buy a bus ticket that takes them anywhere in Kent for a very small amount, they love travelling around and see lots of different towns. Why does everything have to be on our doorstep? When I go out socially I love to go somewhere different. I live and work in Dover and I love my hometown, but I also like to go to other places in my free time.
With regard to the comments referring to planning permission being refused for a bowling alley in Dover, I clearly remember reading somewhere that no such application was ever made and that this was just rumour. Unfortunately I can't remember where I read it but I know I did so Barry is right about that.
Our own Nigel Collor has worked so hard to improve our transport system by updating our buses and bringing the high speed link to Dover so why not be glad and use it. As has been said on here more than once, Dover doesn't have enough people likely to use a bowling alley on a regular basis so no firm is likely to build one here anyway.
With regard to football, Sue is right - it only appeals to a few of a certain age. Yes it's good for lads between 6 and 16 who like the game and want to play. I believe there may even be a girls team or two in existence, but these are only a fraction of the kids of that age - not everyone likes football.
I hate seeing all the empty shops as much as anyone but - and I think it was Rick who said this - out of town shopping is the future. People no longer want to trapse up and down a high street going in lots of shops. They want to park free and walk into a nice big shopping complex where they have lots of shops under one roof. As Dylan said - the times are a-changing.
So what I want, and I know not everyone will agree with me, is for all of us Dover residents to rejoice in the positives of our town, accept that life is changing and appreciate what we have. Oh and stop moaning and start smiling more
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
It's important to look at other towns for ideas but when deciding what's best for Dover then you should consider what's best for the people of Dover. I take the point that Canterbury can sustain a large bowling alley and Dover can't. So build something that the people of Dover can afford, maybe a roller skating rink, indoor version and maybe you might get some people from Canterbury visiting Dover, for a skate. Using the demographics and catchments of Dover as a way forward is surely better than using it as an excuse not to move forward?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
GaryC - who build these things? It has to come from commercial leisure enterprises and they are not interested. There is an economic scale for such venues due to high fixed costs, that is why they need a wide catchment. If you are thinking a Council should build it, forget it... that is not the job of a council to speculate with taxpayers money.
Keith - it is pie in the sky and naive in the extreme to suggest what you are doing. There was no planning application, if there was you would have identified it by now to prove me wrong and you have never done it. Do you actually know what a business plan looks like? Are you aware of what needs to go into the raising the finance and promoting such a project? Someone who told you this is either equally naive having been told porkies or is telling them himself. The project would have been well publicised and that was not the case except for some wooly words from yourself.