4 November 2008
17:008631A very serious question for you all, speaking as a concerned Dovorian - is there a 'higher agenda' staring us in the face: namely to suck the life out of the town and move its commercial interests lock, stock and barrel up to Whitfield New Town - which will eventually become a Canterbury satellite (Canterbury Garden City), with nothing further to do with the embarrassment down in the valley that is town of its birth (Dover). Then turning Dover into a vast lorry park and mega-motorway serving the docks will have no further stumbling blocks in its way.
I hope to God I'm wrong, but I fear a six-lane motorway along Townwall Street is far more likely than all the spin about new supermarkets etc.
Anyone fancy sticking their head above the parapet?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
5 November 2008
17:418683Hi Andrew, interesting post. It subscribes to the idea of a conspiracy theory. But who would be the conspirators? Could such machiavellian whisperers exits here in lil ol Dover. No I dont think I could beleive that, unless Donald Trump is lurking in the wings somewhere with plans for another golf course or something, no I reckon we are at last moving forward in the simple DTIZ straight line as was originally scheduled.
Many people were wavering in the belief that something/anything was ever going to happen but to see the Bus Garage demolition first hand was inspirational.
As long as we manage to hold on to all our National chainstores in the centre of Dover all should be fine. I know people bang on about local type shops but its the national ones you need in order to keep a town alive.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
5 November 2008
20:238690i just assumed andrew had made a tongue in cheek posting.
mind you, talking of conspiracies i think i saw paul watkins in ladbrokes putting an each way bet on shergar, he then drove off in a car with adolf hitler(not someone that you would expect to see him with).
they were talking about annexing shepway and building concentration camps on samphire ho.
of course, i may have been mistaken.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
5 November 2008
23:248697Now now howard, you are going a bit too far there.... it was a bet on Shergar to win
6 November 2008
08:388702It may have been tongue in cheek, but good businesspeople do plan far ahead, so a longer term projection of a move of central businesses is a distinct possibility. Anyone care to respond?!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
6 November 2008
08:458703I have posted elsewhere that the DDC will use the recent economic downturn to turn St James DTIZ into a temporary (lasting a century) lorry park.Spin off business like portaloos,hot dog stalls,off licences and hookers will prosper,The townsfolk will be forced to shop out of town or at Whitfield Wellington Garden City.Dover will consist of Wetherspoons,Turf accountants and a newsagents and bugger all else.
The cable car is being introduced so that tourists will not have to pass through or witness Dovers decay.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
6 November 2008
11:358709Spot on, Marek. And no, my posting wasn't tongue in cheek, sadly.
Genuinely think the horrifying scenario of the town centre becoming a huge lorry park is an alarming possibility.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
6 November 2008
12:358710Ah this gives me an excuse to use this picture...dont laugh now!
Here I am looking totally ridiculous in Builder's hat...Bob the Builder's career is safe, but with me here is the ever lovely Marijke Cox, the ever pleasant journo of Your Dover fame...who still manages to look fab in hard hat. This was taken by ColetteB when we were there to witness the official demolition of the Bus Garage and to experience first hand the whole operation moving forward. It's real now. It's moving forward. The recession wont last forever.
ps the picture has been lying dormant in a defunct HP camera only now brought to life as camera fixed.
6 November 2008
12:428711As nice as you look in a hardhat, Paul, I think the gorgeous Marijke Cox just shades it - sorry!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
6 November 2008
13:158716hetting back to marek's post, i am trying to think of a newsagent in town, other than W.H.smug.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
6 November 2008
14:208720PaulB, 'Bob the Builder can he fix it, Bob the Builder yes he can' I expect I will be getting a call from Bob now wanting to be photgraphed with the lovely Marijke
6 November 2008
16:058721Supremely fragrant and eye-pleasing though the comely Marijke clearly is, er, can we perchance get back to the issues? Namely, the fetishisation of concrete, roads, lorries, the fuel-guzzlers' blitzing of our increasingly desperate looking town?
Cheers and that, Andy
6 November 2008
16:068722Everybody knows that I am totally against putting Asda on the prime site in the country and now a clinic on a car park in lieu of a hospital. No room for ud or tourists.
However the news that Lidl are now planning the demolition of the MFI store may be of comfort to some!
It is an atrocious building and what replaces it ( if ever built) must be better. However it was planners that approved the existing building - and the gateway and burlington house...
Many of my clients are demolishing buildings to save rates.
Dont hold your breath.
To add to andrews comment - who decided that we needed the buildings that I hate - was it the people of Dover?
D
6 November 2008
16:068723Well said, David.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
6 November 2008
16:108725well david h the people were asked and you got your answer.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
6 November 2008
16:258730The point I was making above with the picture is this...isnt this all an old argument now. The bulldozers are in, the contracts are signed, its moving forward...not necessarily in a way everyone likes but its still moving forward. Far better that than the delapidation be left there for another 50 years. Its much more likely to turn into Andrews nightmare lorry park scenario if its left there as is. The attraction of a major national chain has got to be good and will put an end to the place been abandoned into a lorry park.
6 November 2008
17:128735Add to this possibly selling off part of Western Heights to help find the extra money for a cable car that most of us will never use, and I guess Dover is gonna be great
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
6 November 2008
18:018740Sorry Paul, demolition is not 'moving forward'. I have heard people get excited about the removal of the trees from the front of Priory Station and yet the work has been put back. The result a muddy bank instead of greenery. Demolition is only a cost cutting exercise that saves money and leaves empty spaces. With the news that DDC wants to sell off parts of what is left of Dover's historical heretige the prospect of a concrete town gets closer. Demolition is not regeneration and it is way past time that DDC (and its DHB etc. partners) consulted the people of Dover as to what they would like. And by this I do mean consult and not prepare a document then tell them what they are getting.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
6 November 2008
21:358748Will do my own (not the Societies) comment on the Heights after I see how the papers reported it.....
Been nice knowing you :)
7 November 2008
09:378763The best comment so far, Chris P. Totally agree with you.
