Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Would it be a good idea to renovate the former cinema in Castle Street and use it for theatre and musical functions? For example we could have bag-pipe displays from Northumbria, Scotland and Ireland; Kentish groups with local performances and groups from all over England and the British Isles; and from France and Europe. A fiver per person for a two hour performance could be enough to bring in revenues to the performers and give great entertainment to the spectators, and could suffice to include a constant revenue for Dover Council. People could come from as far as Canterbury City, Folkestone and Thanet to attend. If it works with Dover's Saturday market with many people coming over, then it could work if we had entertainment. Train and bus connections are present in plenty! I would propose a number of free seats for school children and their teacher during day-time performances.
It would also be nice to get some of those disbanded Scottish Regiments back marching and playing their fabulous bagpipes, for example along the Seafront and in Pencester Gardens, and, of-course, at Dover Castle! Together with a Northumbrian bagpipe Regiment. Just think, thousands of unemployed people all over Dover and Deal and the Garden waking up, jumping out of bed and marching to the nearest factory and demanding work, boots marching, arms swinging! And I'm going to go and plant an orchard in May, in Kent's Garden of England, with spade and hoe! If we get UKIP councillors in this coming May, then watch this space!
The coming Election campaign will be rallying to the Flag! Dover will succeed, come what may!
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I take it you're referring to Snoops, Alexander.........well, although it's a decent idea, the problem with that building is the foundations, which have basically had it. The building is owned by the mighty Wetherspoons, and even they can't afford to do it up. I think everyone's just waiting for it to fall down.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Yes this Snoops building is beyond saving Alexander. I walked up the sideroad next to it the other day and the door at the side was off its hinges and inside it is a complete shambles, its completely gutted. Too much dithering for far too long has left it in an unworkable state. The ediface looks okay but inside it has had it. Demolition is the only route now Im afraid. Great pity as it did have some real potential.
Due to pressure the owners Wetherspoons cleaned up the outside but alas its just a too true case of painting over the cracks. Good ideas there though Alexander.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I'm reliably informed that my info about Snoops is long out of date, and that it's now owned by DDC. It doesn't change the fact that it's falling down!
True friends stab you in the front.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the power of the forum reigns, i did not know until just now about the foundation or that our fuhrer had taken charge.
last i heard was wetherspoons kept putting in spurious planning applications to make it seem that they were doing something.
after reading the posts from andy and paulb, the question is "how dangerous is it to the public"?
Answer? Not as dangerous as the Eight Bells I suspect Howard.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I expect that it's a long way from caving in, Howard, but the fact is that the foundations are certainly not suitable for building on; my wife was at the Town Council (in those days in the building opposite) when workmen went in to begin the works that were to lead to it reopening, only to stop work completely when the true extent of the foundations was discovered a week or so later. As a building, its working life is over but I don't think it's nearing collapse.
True friends stab you in the front.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,701
But don't we already have 2 stages we struggle to fill with shows? namely the Roundhouse at the library and the Town Hall.
Once these are full on a regular basis then of course lets talk about a third stage, but frankly Dover has greater problems than the apparent lack of a theatre.
As for marching bands etc. you clearly have no idea of the cost of hiring one; or all the associated costs with them marching even if it was restricted to the seafront or one of the parks.
If you and your colleagues in UKIP want to get elected then start coming up with realistic affordable proposals to make this town more attractive to employers and the law abiding majority of residents
"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
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Ross, You have a very good point there,But I have lived in Dover all my life and and have been taking up on your points for the past 25years or more and will carry on with just doing that along with alot of other members of the Dover public.As you know I have already been on two councils in the past .UKIP do have realistic proposals for the next locals in MAY as you will see later on.But we are and always will be against the sell of our PORT.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
if snoops is in bad nick what of burlington house,word has it thats allso crumberling.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Will there come a time when all the agencies will work together to brighten up Dover, whether it's snoops, or the town centre itself.
As a lifelong Dovorian it's embarrasing to go down town and see it.
Over to you all the agencies
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Thats being to hope full,I along with most of you would like to help on that one.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,701
Vic sorry to be thick but what has the port situation got to do with Alexander's proposal?
Regarding local politics and policies all parties need to recognise some home truths:
The central government grant to local authorities will be cut
Local working people will not accept a significant increase if any in local tax
Budgets will have to be cut
Some things that are currently free will have to be charged for
Some things that have a minimal charge will have to be increased in price
Unless employment opportunities are created in the town and its environs, social service budgets will be further stretched leading to deeper cuts elsewhere
Third party providers will not be likely to offer the same service for less money potentially leading to service loss and further detriment to the town
Shared services with other local authorities will need to become the norm not the exception in order to maximise service for spend otherwise services will continue to deteriorate despite the best efforts of the staff
I like most others here are increasingly becoming bored with the brazen attention seeking tactics from a number of local parties, particularly when coupled with a blatant disregard for providing any meaningful detail. If you politicos really care about the town then for gawd sake start talking about what you are proposing, share the best ideas and lets all pull together to put Dover back on its feet.
"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
interesting points raised by ross.
i have been banging on for some time about people putting their heads together and working jointly for the town.
central government funding will continue to be cut to local authorities so pipe dreams will have to be curtailed and pragmatism will come into play.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
My late neighbour once wrote a letter to the local paper suggesting an up-market theatre was built on the site of the old cinema in Castle Street. Dover could certainly do with a good theatre or concert hall. Just one more thing it needs in a "Smarten Dover Campaign". As has been said, it IS embarrassing to go past such run-down places.
---------------------------------------------------
Lincolnshire Born and Bred
True Kath, but then again some of us haven't actually been in positions where we had the influence or opportunity to do something about it. I find it a bit rich ex-politicos complaining about the state of the place when it was within their grasp to make it so very different.
In Keith's time the Labour DDC chose to spend hundreds of thousands of tax payers money on roadside shelters for the youths. A failed investment that cost US huge amount of money. Imagine what else could have been done with that investment.
No good crying over spilt milk, but we do have a lot of politicos and ex-politicos contributing on Dover Forum yet none appear to have any sensible ideas of how to rejuvenate the town.
I happen to think the basic premise of Alexander's idea to be a good one. The guy who ran/still runs (Idon't know) Blackfish Academy believed a thriving arts scene would be a big step forward, and he was right. However, little or nothing on the arts front, apart from the Market Square monstrosity, has happened in the last 5 years which is a terrible shame.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
ross,allthough i agree with your post,i must disagree with your point of talking.now is the time for action and start rebuilding the town from foundations upwards.the ddc have been talking for 13 years plus to regenerate dover,but at this point as people have said on here dover is enbarasing to walk round,[and to shop in to].
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i don't remember the reds spending a fortune on yoof shelters.
maybe jhg can shed some light, only him and keith were part of that administration.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
HOWARD
We can all moan and groan about who did what wrong(without the info)
what's best way forward is for everyone to work together for sa better Dover, not laying blame.
