Christmas Lights- Pictures and Report.
- 30 November 2008 09:249983
Well I ambled over to Market Square last night for the switch on. I caught up with BWS there and we watched it unfurl. There was lotsa loud music with the obligatory pulsating beat and some chap on stage was giving it some voice over welly. A crowd, looking smaller than before, of about 150 people, seemed to be enjoying it.
The switch on came. Call me an oul humbug if you will, but I had that dejavue feeling of anti-climax. The Mayor doing her best, and Andy Hessanthaler of Dover Athletic who nobody seemed to know, were doing the honours of pulling the majestic switch. When Andy came on stage the DJ made something of Dover Athletic's 3-0 win that afternoon, but again nobody seemed to know..or care all that much if the truth be told, as the references to DA went down like a lead balloon.
The crowd trying hard to have a bit of fun, needed a celebrity at this point.
Then the switch was pulled. The rudimentary lights came on and failed to muster even a minor gasp of excitement, and at that point we drifted off along with many, and went to Wetherspoons where we teamed up with daughter BB on a flying visit, and her boyfriend. We had a cheap meal and a pint, and the place was full or fullish and getting fuller as we left. It seems to be the only place left in Dover now on saturday night that has a busy social atmosphere.
I took the picture above on my way home. It was still early evening and as you can see Castle St is already deserted. How the few establishments survive in Castle St is beyond me as its only about 8pm on the night the Christmas Lights were switched on, and there is already no sign of terrestial life. Is that a tumbleweed I see blowing down the main street!
The celebrations in Market Sq brought no business to the immediate establishments as all, The Firkin, The Bar Ellie, were next to empty. La Vie Romana although mostly empty had a few tables going but appeared to have no atmostphere at all, with bored staff looking out the window. Chapter EIGHT appeared to have a bit of a party atmosphere going, the only one, so maybe they attracted some business from the event.
The Mayor and Mayoress did the honours.email: dover7@msn.com - 30 November 2008 09:469985A very sad disillusioned view of the switch-on there Paul.
I was helping out a little, outside the Town Council offices in the morning, up until about 12.30, then went home and brought Jean down and we stayed in Town all afternoon.
I've put a posting on the other "lights" thread, so no need to repeat it here.
There seemed to be lots of people about and happy faces too. We went to the Charlton Centre to see the Belly-dancing, then down to La Salle Verte to enjoy afternoon tea and sandwiches (Thank You Haydn and Diane) with the Mayor and her friends and helpers
(Thank You Diane).
Maybe the lights aren't "big-city" lights, but I am reliably informed that next year's will impress.
Roger - 30 November 2008 10:309989The lights look pretty with the Castle in the background. Where ever there are Christmas lights we always seem to think they looked better in years gone by. I say the same every year about the lights in Oxford Street in London.
- 30 November 2008 11:129991I agree with pauls post,I do ask myself tho,is it any wonder they did not invite many gasps,the lights have been there for the last couple of years at least,so people have been able to see them on a daily basis.l
- 30 November 2008 11:249992I didn't stay for the switch on - the shops were closing, vacuums were being run around the floors, no-one seemed very enthused or bothered, there was nothing to say when the coffee shops closed although it was clear they were closing and staff were looking bored and idle. If the coffee shops had stayed open I might have had a coffee and bun and waited for the switch on, if the shops had been inviting I might have spent some money, if there had been any joy around it would have been nice!! The people having the most "fun" appeared to be some young kids who, needing attention, were shouting and whooping for no apparent reason in an irritating but natural way.
- 30 November 2008 14:2410004It's a shame that there didn't seem to be a lot of enthusiasm in the local shops, but as said beforehand most of them had closed before the switch-on. It would have been nice to have had a Panto star to pull the switch as it would have given a bigger Christmas feel on the build-up to the evenings frolics.
PaulB and I bumped into BB and her boyfiend Aaron which was a nice suprise, followed by burger & chips and a pint of Abbott ale in the Eight Bells for less than a fiver - now that's what I call a Bargain (not high cuisine, but it filled a hole and the ale went down smooth as silk).
I expect that maybe a big factor in the lack of enthusiastic spontaneous sparkle could be that a good deal of the crowd who turned up may not have jobs to go back to after being laid off. - 30 November 2008 15:3010008A point well made, Barry.
- 30 November 2008 20:4810024i have raised this issue every year, why do the local shops close down when a big crowd is building up?
the entertainment was good as usual, great to see the kids having a good time.
i cleared off home before mr hessenthaler done the switch on, just wanted to get back in the warm.
if Mr H got a muted reception that is sad, as he has been an achiever all of his working life, not like some ham actor from a soap. - 30 November 2008 21:0610027I wouldn't say it was muted Howard,some people that don't know the beautiful game didn't know him,but does that make him any better/worse that a 'c' list Celeb,he came did the job and went.What I will say was the whole day's entertainment was excellent,well done Ronnie,Anne,Sue and all those Cllrs who helped and especially the Town Council Staff.What was disappoining is that I saw Town Cllrs walking thru the Town not helping/joining in,and many were missing.
Now I don't want to promote what I did but I volunteered my services for the day and had a great time,giving away mulled wine (it was lovely stuff Jeanette) with Terry and minced pies,1700 of them.Watch Priory Fields School kick it off,went and saw my old mate Barry Goss,went round Pencester to see Dominic Castle with the Football skills,then got dressed up as Poo from the Tellytubbies saw Leanna from the Swingtime Sweethearts,then helped with some security on the lights switch on.
Saw loads of forumites as the day went on Paul Posh Barry Marek Howard Terry and Jeanette Chris (I got a ponytail that Graham Tumber hasn't) brilliant day.If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble! - 1 December 2008 13:3310032At least the mighty Mr Hess gets a good reaction from the 1,000-plus regulars up at Crabble. We adore all five-foot four of this genuine football god, even if the rest of the town is mired in its usual torpor and indifference.
As for the Christmas lights, I'm not surprised the reaction from the, er, masses was underwhelming. I think the last person to be genuinely wowed by a 40-watt bulb was Edison.
I do miss the garotted Father Christmas we used to have hanging over the road by the Town Hall, though. Ah, memories.
Regards all,
Andy - 1 December 2008 23:1210073WEll tonight I saw the Christmas lights and I thought they looked magical,simple in style but very colourful.We are not Oxford Street so I say well done Dover Town Council .I think the local business people could have brightened the town up more if they put some imagination in to their window displays .Some towns run a competition for the best dressed window .
- 1 December 2008 23:2310076agree with you totally susan, the town council can only do so much.
local businesses could try harder, in my opinion.
has jeremy the vet in castle street done his excellent display yet? - 2 December 2008 03:1810085Well what a sad write up of what I thought was a lovely day.
Really, what does Dover have to do to impress some people? So many complain there's nothing here & no entertainment but when DTC push the boat out & attempt to occupy everyone all we hear is complaints!
What we saw during the day were many enthusiastic, happy, smiling faces enjoying every minute of the xmas cheer provided & I haven't seen the town so busy in months so what more can you do?!
The LRCF do run a best dressed window display for our area & the Town Centre Management also did one so maybe DTC will carry that on?
On another note, if a simple christmas light display is the order of the day then at least make sure it's done well. We can see from Paul's photo that bulbs are out on every strip in Castle Street but the High Street lights are even worse with 5/6 bulbs not working in each section. Looks tacky.
Thanks for your help Roger, Phil & JHG it really was appreciated. Was lovely to see Marek as ever & especially Ross!I know a million ways to always pick the wrong thing to say - 2 December 2008 07:5210087It is true the lights are lovely - I was coming home last night and it was uplifting to enter the town with the lights - yes, simple is often best (although point taken Jeanette). So well done those who made it happen. I am just a bit disappointed with the shops, who one would think might want to put themselves out a bit, especially now. It really did sap a bit of the joy out of the switch-on to see all the shops idly and unsmilingly vacuuming, slamming doors and locking up, and without much Christmas pazzazz going on. It would have been nice (and profitable!) if we could have had coffee and mince pies/cake/buns/something frothy and sweet in the warmth of a coffee shop just before and even after the switch on. And that might have encouraged a bit of spending in other shops..........
- 2 December 2008 10:1610101Mince pies and mulled wine were given away by DTC outside their offices and we had some characters dressed up - unfortunately I was not ambulatory but did see david Lloyd ( who was organising the swich on).
Bearing in mind the poor weather it was at least an event to get people out. Next year I will be back in my blow up father christmas outfit again!! Pity that it always seems wet and dark when we do this !!!
As there is now no organisation for retailers to co-ordinate their opening it is unlikely that an individual would do something - we were open all day til 6pm and only PaulB came in! Funny that no-one wanted a survey done ..... If they had , they would have had a smile and a warm welcome(as ever)
As far as decorations in Castle St are concerned - its next weekend (hopefully!!!? only at the moment I am having a little difficulty with the ladder.
D
