Unregistered User
19 February 2011
15:3093320Alex, I don't need to say more.
That is the consumer writing.
Thanks Bern.
Watty
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
19 February 2011
15:3493321Bern, your theory, even if it were corresponding to a reality, leads to the same conclusion: the more people were to shop in Dover, all the less would they shop elsewhere.
Somewhere along the line, someplace somewhere would be losing customers in order that people shop more in Dover. Does that make sense?
What point is there in towns having more supermarkets than necessary to attract customers from elsewhere? The costs involved do not justify the return. Should Canterbury and Deal shops go bankrupt so that people from Canterbury and Deal come to Dover and shop?
Try looking at it from a larger perspective, not just Dover, but East Kent!
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
15:4893324I think they call it communism Alex. The control & command policy.
No consumer choice.
Not another UKIP policy.
Watty
19 February 2011
15:5093325That made me laugh out loud!
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
19 February 2011
17:5293343Jimmy, had to climb tree to cut it down as cutting from the bottom would have guaranteed a' you've been framed' moment.
Keith, you are correct, I did have a bacon butty last time but hadn't realised bacon butties are made of meat.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
19 February 2011
18:0593346Being somebody who rarely enters any shops as I have a personal shopper to attend to all that and she doesn't like me to come along as I only fill up with essentials - magazines, meringues, cream buns, etc - it seems to me to be potty to be building yet more shops when there are few takers for the surplus ones we have already.
Quite clearly nobody is interested in the DTIZ and I think the best thing now would be to pull down the planners' mistakes of yesteryear and grass it over. Divert the Dour so it meanders through the new park and forms a water feature. Buy one of the cancelled Nimrods at scrap value and have it as a centrepiece together with a bandstand performing "Requiem for a Nimrod" at weekends. Plus a statue of Vera Lynn of course.
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
18:1893348Visitors by the million Ed.
Will DTIZ take the Nimrod wingspan?
Is Dame V. mounted on top?
Watty
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
19 February 2011
18:2893351Brilliant idea, Watty.
Dame Vera could be in the cockpit pretending to fly it!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
19 February 2011
18:3193352don't like the idea of a statue, someone half inched the one we had on the seafront.
can't turn your back for a minute.
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
18:4493354I'll leave it there Ed. it could damage the image of a national institution.
That one was only on loan Howard.
He couldn't find a coal seam on DHB land.
DDC just rehoused him as a temporary resident.
Watty
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
19 February 2011
18:5393358Back in the 70s Dover had an amazingly eclectic mix of retailers (national chains, regionals and independents) so much so that more people came across from France to shop here than went the other way. Sadly the early 1980's recession put paid to that and since then general indifference of national, regional and local government to town centres almost nailed the lid on the coffin. It is encouraging to see a number of local independents as well as regional and national chains bucking the trend and opening on the main shopping streets not only in Dover but elsewhere. Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend away from out of shop "one size fits all" shopping sheds and a recognition that whilst the internet may be "king on price" people will pay for the human touch; particularly high quality service and expertise.
"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
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
19:0293363Ross, I think you'll find French & Belgian shopping had more to do with exchange rates against the French & Belgian francs & the proverbial day trip syndrome of the time.
Watty
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
19 February 2011
19:0393364Perhaps - but it is also true that at the time Dover had a fantasticly eclectic retail experience
"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
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
19:0993365Just to add to the posting obviously Dover was more commercially active with freight forwarders etc before the advent of the Single Market. Castle St, Russell St, Townwall St , Snargate St. Bench St,all buzzed & the Market Sq. was the place to be.
Then came the A20 to add to the Single Market, not forgetting the A2 & the Folkestone Rd. were previously the designated accesses to Dover.
Discuss!
Watty
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
19 February 2011
19:1393366PaulW, what does no consumer choice in Dover mean, with all the supermarkets about, including Tesco up in Whitfield?
Have you considered that too many new retailer outlets can cause those already there to lose customers and potentially get into financial problems?
I'm trying to be realistic, it's neither a UKIP policy nor communism. Where-as Morrison really get the bulk of customers, and I assume Tesco too, some other supermarkets in Dover seem to be rather empty in comparison.
I think Ed's idea is good, we could have a Dour Estuary flowing into the Sea, with a green park.
I would suggest a monument to the Bronze Age Boat and some monumental scenes of Dover as a commercial seaport starting from ancient days long befoire the Cloaca Maxima in Rome and going on through the Middle Ages.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
19 February 2011
19:1393367The A20 and the cutting of the town off from the seafront and port bound traffic also played a significant part in the near demise of the town.
An attractive, appealing development on the DTIZ sight that is visible from Townwall St would go some way to encouraging people to allow themselves a bit more time on their outbound or inbound journey so they could stop and explore - the previous plan of a damn great white wall just created a roofless tunnel - encouraging people to get the hell to their destination as quick as possible
"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
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
19 February 2011
19:2693370paul
the single market was a disaster for dover's freight forwarders, no demand for lengthy import entries to keep businesses ticking over.
ports like folkestone and tilbury were largely unaffected as their businesses were worldwide based.
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
19:3493373Ross I seem to have lost a lengthy posting that dealt with the Single Market & the point you make about the A20 severance of TownWall St.
The time span you identified was when Dover really buzzed from Freight Forwarders, Customs at their heyday.
Castle St, Russell St, Bench St, Snargate St, all fed Dover's prosperity & the Market Sq buzzed.
The Bucklnd Paper Mill was turning out quality paper, Dover Engineering Works led the drain cover market & the International sorting Post Office at Charlton Green added to the HQ of the National Coal Board offices for Kent next to the Yacht Club [hence the siting of the Miner Statue].
Kath will no doubt turn out the archives. Bob would have been in Snargate St. I expect with a combination of Stan Wells & George Pepper with Terry S in his prime & Bill running the old printing presses that consistently broke down.
Watty
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
19 February 2011
19:5593379Apart from losing the Freight Forwarders etc. another factor in the demise of the town could be when the ferries went week on/week off instead of 12 on 24 off. Under the old system all the crews lived in or around Dover and you had to get lodgings if you didn't live locally. Under the present system crews are pulled from all over the country and after doing their week or fortnight on go home to where ever they come from.
Unregistered User
19 February 2011
19:5993380Agree Alec.
I seem to remember many got the brown envelope at the end of the season. Times change.
Watty