Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#21
I feel there is so much more could be done in the charlton centre
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#22
There is Keith, but if I go on about what I think could/should be done there, as I have with the Town itself, I'll be told to shut up, so I'm not even going there.
Roger
Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
#23
So do I Keith but it involves bulldozers!!
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
#24
The butcher in the Charlton arcade is top class but the place is seedy at best. I'd like to see the good shops in there move down into the high street and let developers utilise Charlton Centre.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
#25
Yes, Beddy Buys gives excellent service, we have bought from them.
The owner of the business used to live in Tilmanstone.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 664- Registered: 23 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,039
#26
That's it, David, the businesses there are fine, it's the surroundings. I guess it's their choice to stay put.
Roger, your hard work has not had the results it deserves - yet.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#27
Thank You Andrew - very much.
I doubt now that it ever will; there's so much opposition to me personally (no I am not paranouid just realistic) that, although I still want Dover to do well, I will not be able to play any part in it.
Roger
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
#28
Roger, I'm not aware of any personal animosity towards you, as you know you were invited to a Town Team meeting and we're more than happy for you to come along again if you feel you have an idea or something to contribute.
However, we simply don't have the money to initiate the plans you have put forward, it really is no more complicated than that.For example, I have said to you until I'm blue in the face, if you can find the funding to support a Town Centre Manager nobody will object, but you know as well as I do there simply is no money available.
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
#29
Roger Walken.
Will you be standing for Councillor at the Priory Ward next time?
Thank you
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#30
If circumstances stay the same - yes Christine.
Roger
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#31
Thank You David
Yes, you are right, I did attend a meeting of the Town Team a few weeks ago to talk about the street market; my suggestions were openly turned down and there was some hostility from one or two T.T. members, but I won't cause trouble by saying who they were.
Your letter/email to me very shortly afterwards, was a very good put-down (polite, but a put-down nonetheless) and I was surprised that two replies to your email were supporting your (put-down) comments - to be honest, I was somewhat suprised that I was copied in on them.
As regards a Town Team Manager; I have also said more than once, that if a good quality business plan was written (and that should be easy as you are all business people) and appointments and a personal visit made to the pertinent stake-holders to discuss it and them helping support moving the Town forward with a donation towards the Manager's salary and salary related costs - in fact, if the new manager was self-employed, that would save you money too, I'm sure you would have a much better chance of success than creating a consultation paper and inviting all the stakehiolders to an open meeting.
I do not have any personal animosity to you David at all and know that you are doing your best, but some of the Town Team may well be good at running their own business, but not the Town.
I wish you luck and hope that the market is a success; I do think that you should have taken on a market manager - it wouldn't have cost you anything up front as any money would have come out of the stall-holders costs, but would have greatly helped to make it a success.
Roger
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#32
I think we all know by now how both parties feel about the market, if the two of you want to squabble why not do it by private emails to each other.
Sorry about this but this public bickering is beginning to irritate.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#33
To be quite sincere, I don't think the roads starting after the Town Hall, including London Road, are the sort of places people take delight in to do their shopping, on account of the heavy traffic.
Guest 782- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
#34
I agree with Jan. I really feel that this subject has been done to death and although you are a very good man with Dover's best interest at heart Roger, it is time for you to stop banging this particular drum. Unfortunately your documents reveal nothing new and do not adequately show how the goals are to be scored. This may be why none of the recipients have (to my knowledge anyway) taken you up on your proposals. The Town Team has done what it has done and is doing what it is doing because we took part in the Portas Bid process, by attending the DCLG de-briefings, by taking advice from those who are doing similar things and gaining the confidence of local decision makers.
Members of the Town Team regardless of how you feel about some of us, are working very hard and are now joined by some of the "big guns" of the business community. DDC and DTC are fully behind what we are doing and supporting in every way they can. DHB are also engaged with us which is extremely encouraging.
David consistently points out that there is not sufficient money available right now to employ a manager on any level. However we cannot carry on doing it ourselves and there is a plan to engage with a suitable person. We are determined to hold on to our credibility and to do this we must initially deliver the Market which means that we (with proper advice) are doing it ourselves in the immediate term.
This is not a project that has been entered in to lightly by the TT and indeed it has cost some of us some thousands of pounds of our own (not reclaimable) money. In simple terms and in our own small business way, we are putting our money where our mouths are.
I have this evening collated the applicants for the stalls and I can report that the first "term" will be well stocked with a variety of traders. This is something of Dover for Dover delivered by a small group of people without any hint of politics, ego or self promotion. What it is doing is costing us money as I have said, but more than that it is costing us a very significant amount of time for which we need nothing, not even a thank you.
6th November is the day this all starts and I desperately hope that the people will come to Town, support the market, pop in to shops, grab a coffee and make this Blue Bird Market the success that Dover needs.
Guest 782- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
#35
On the subject of the Charlton Centre which of course this thread is about!
The site needs redeveloping but this will not happen until the Sainsbury's lease comes to an end. They are paying a rent of £250,000 per year to the landlord. This, in investment terms, means that the property is worth lots and lots of money, but in REAL terms means that because it is nowhere close to a market rent, the capital value at the end of the lease term means that whoever buys it would be committing a kamikaze act.
The other problem is that the new owner is unrealistic about just about everything and has skilfully managed to attract tenants on very low rents which help to make things even more unsustainable. Then of course, they have a planning application for flats on the first floor which will be a disaster. It will create a ghetto of yet more nasty sub standard accommodation which Dover really does not need.
There are of course some very good shops, but I am sure that they would welcome a more attractive frontage and more neighbours?
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#36
On many levels you are right Simon
The planning application for flats is ludicrous - Dover most definitely does not need more 1 bed flats, but on the other hand it does need people living above shops.
As for shopkeepers moving down to the centre of town, when rental (whether per sq ft or yield) matches the levels they enjoy in secondary locations like London Road then they will move until then they are being positively discouraged. Equally many retailers do not need nor do they want to be in primary locations.
London Road works as a "local" and secondary shopping area and serves its community well; the bit that really is struggling in Dover is the High St from the Victoria Hospital up to the junction with Bridge St/Tower Hamlets Road. It is these retailers that need to be convinced that their future and current prosperity is better served by moving down towards the main town centre. This will not be an easy task due to the number of businesses involved - in the LRCF area (Ladywell up to Buckland Bridge and back) has well over 150 businesses in it; something the town centre simply cannot accommodate.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Judith Roberts- Registered: 15 May 2012
- Posts: 637
#37
Gosh. Is Sainsbury really still paying rent? When does their lease end? The Charlton Centre itself is very unattractive, but has some good family businesses, presumbably paying realistic rents which are not available more centrally. The most depressing walk in Dover is through the Charlton Centre to Morrisons. If I owned the centre and car park it would be my priority to link the two shopping areas with a pleasant attractive walk.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#38
The Charlton Centre car park is depressing by way of its very nature of being a multistory car park made of cement.
For some strange reason, cement buildings are often left unpainted (see Burlington House), leaving the ghastly grey cement in full view.
They could easily wallpaper the car park from inside and give it a plastic coating from the outside, for example in a light green colour.
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
#39
Ahh..They could "wallpaper" Burlington House
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#40
That comment about wallpapering the Charlton Centre car park made me laugh out loud and splutter my coffee all over my keyboard, would that be floral or toy car paper Alex.
More seriously I agree the CC and car park are dated so are in need of a facelift if they want to attract more footfall.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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