Post by Madhatter on Sept 18, 2008 3:03:07 GMT
I'm starting this thread because this site has become what is basically a blog for my opinions, it was never intended as such, but with a lack of other people's opinions, ideas, views, that's what it has become. I have been told I'm more often than not negative with my views, which I personally consider a positive, reason being that positives don't need fixing, negatives do, yet aren't because no one notices that could fix it, no one bothers or someone doesn't want it fixed because that costs money. This site is for people with positive comments, they're always welcome and remind us that both positive work including fixed negatives are appreciated and enjoyed. It is also for people to air what they feel are negatives, to have their say, to tell us that they think things have gone wrong and need fixing.
I drive and cover the whole country for my work and I often see things or meet people that make that day memorable, both for positive reasons and negative, but more often positive, which is probably why I like driving around this fantastic country so much and why I'm writing a site about it. It's so interesting, fascinating rich vibrant, beautiful pretty, historic, charming and an almost infinite list of other positives to describe it, even some of the negatives give positive connotations eccentric, awkward and dated for example.
I also go on days out and to events which I usually enjoy and make me realise just how good we are at entertaining and giving people pleasure with such basic attractions and facilities.
Look at Summer in the Square for example, take a trailer, park it in a market square, add a band and some tables with chairs, tell people to buy their own beer from wherever they like an several thousand turn up. It's not that simple for the planners of course and involves having to pay the band, insurance, emergency cover etc, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. When I said I wanted a tea party in the square for my wake I thought it was mad, eccentric, different yet now doesn't seem quite so.
Eccentric events happen all over the country, ours is our very own Shrove tuesday ball game, It is OUR event, no other town has such a ball game, there are similar but non as like as ours. Two hours of play, one and three quarters kicking it up and down the main street with that distinct thud before it flies through the air, followed by a 15 minute scrum to see who can hold onto the ball on the sound of the claxon. I was reminded of just how purposeless Atherstone Ball game is was sat in a fish n chip restaurant in Matlock bath at the weekend. The girl behind the counter was busy telling the others all about how the upards (or was Linda a downard) was hard cos they've won it for four years running now. Ashbourne shrove Tuesday ball game she was on about of course. She went on to tell us (as I'd joined in the conversation by now) how the town is divided in to two halves depending on which side of the river you were born. One side is Upards, other side is Downards, and each have goals. When I pointed out we don't have goals Linda just didn't see the point of our Shrove Tuesday ball game, and I have to admit, I agree, it would be much more sensible if it did have goals, in fact I think it probably did in the past and morphed into this version of it. I like it though, it's ours and it's unique anyway who knows one day we may get goals.
The eccentricity of the town that I was sat in and the purpose of my visit was the venecian illuminated boats of Matlock Bath Rowing boats with coloured three dimensional shapes on covered with hundreds of miniature lamps. Rowed up and down the river Derwent past the beautiful town park and it's illuminations to music. Various entertainments are provided each week, sometimes it's morris men others it's a band or even firework night spectaculars.
The town is struggling though, it's lost many of it's gift shops and browsing shops due to it attracting the wrong trade, it attracted the wrong trade due to it not having the right shops and facilities and lack of maintenance, it's a slippery slope that many towns have found themselves in, Matlock has far too many take aways and restaurants, rock shops, arcades, basically seaside shops. Many are run down with shaby looking shop fronts, which is a shame as many are really nice buildings. The town could offer so much more though, better shops, and present itself better, tidy those buildings, put flower planters along the prom, with benches, concentrate on upgrading the illuminations. The illuminations could be as good as walsalls if the wanted.
Makes me realise just how good Atherstone is, the shops are in better condition, we've got a lot wider selection, we have got flower planters in the streets, on the down side we haven't got a big park with flowers and gardens and central grass area for events, the town is choked with cars and it's not advertised on the A5 at all.
It hasn't even got a proper advertised tourist information point, even though it actually has three, The Library, North Warwickshire Borough Council's One Stop Shop and Atherstone Town Councils Offices. This evening I saw two men starring up at the school entrance way, at the stone plaque above. I crossed to them and it was commented on how shabby it's looking. ( it is probably the most shabby looking building in the town apart from Veros factory and the back of the old All Hire Building) They commented on it's age, and the 1500's on the plaque, saying that it can't possibly be that old, which it obviously can't be. I looked at it and said I think its about the same age as the station, 1847, but I think the school house is older. I walked on ahead and came home, I thought for a second looked and found one of the new town trail leaflets and went out, caught up with the outside the Conservative Club and let them have it. I love that look of disbelief when i do such things, it makes it well worth the effort. Try it some time and you'll see. Do a selfless totally unexpected act and see peoples surprise and appreciation. Where did you get that they asked, thank you very much they said.
It got me thinking, they had been walking around the town, looking, taking pictures, not found much info. You can read boards but can't take them with you. So why don't we, until the hubs open at least, see if we can get one or more of the pubs to keep copies of the Town Trail, Country Trail, and Town Guide. The old swan could display them in it's unused shop window, the Market Tavern could have a copy of the Town Trail as a poster both with signs available here underneath. They'll probably get extra trade if people do go in and the guides are available. That way the guides are available until the pubs close at 11. Plus they get to go in the pubs and chat to locals and find out how friendly we really are.
I drive and cover the whole country for my work and I often see things or meet people that make that day memorable, both for positive reasons and negative, but more often positive, which is probably why I like driving around this fantastic country so much and why I'm writing a site about it. It's so interesting, fascinating rich vibrant, beautiful pretty, historic, charming and an almost infinite list of other positives to describe it, even some of the negatives give positive connotations eccentric, awkward and dated for example.
I also go on days out and to events which I usually enjoy and make me realise just how good we are at entertaining and giving people pleasure with such basic attractions and facilities.
Look at Summer in the Square for example, take a trailer, park it in a market square, add a band and some tables with chairs, tell people to buy their own beer from wherever they like an several thousand turn up. It's not that simple for the planners of course and involves having to pay the band, insurance, emergency cover etc, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. When I said I wanted a tea party in the square for my wake I thought it was mad, eccentric, different yet now doesn't seem quite so.
Eccentric events happen all over the country, ours is our very own Shrove tuesday ball game, It is OUR event, no other town has such a ball game, there are similar but non as like as ours. Two hours of play, one and three quarters kicking it up and down the main street with that distinct thud before it flies through the air, followed by a 15 minute scrum to see who can hold onto the ball on the sound of the claxon. I was reminded of just how purposeless Atherstone Ball game is was sat in a fish n chip restaurant in Matlock bath at the weekend. The girl behind the counter was busy telling the others all about how the upards (or was Linda a downard) was hard cos they've won it for four years running now. Ashbourne shrove Tuesday ball game she was on about of course. She went on to tell us (as I'd joined in the conversation by now) how the town is divided in to two halves depending on which side of the river you were born. One side is Upards, other side is Downards, and each have goals. When I pointed out we don't have goals Linda just didn't see the point of our Shrove Tuesday ball game, and I have to admit, I agree, it would be much more sensible if it did have goals, in fact I think it probably did in the past and morphed into this version of it. I like it though, it's ours and it's unique anyway who knows one day we may get goals.
The eccentricity of the town that I was sat in and the purpose of my visit was the venecian illuminated boats of Matlock Bath Rowing boats with coloured three dimensional shapes on covered with hundreds of miniature lamps. Rowed up and down the river Derwent past the beautiful town park and it's illuminations to music. Various entertainments are provided each week, sometimes it's morris men others it's a band or even firework night spectaculars.
The town is struggling though, it's lost many of it's gift shops and browsing shops due to it attracting the wrong trade, it attracted the wrong trade due to it not having the right shops and facilities and lack of maintenance, it's a slippery slope that many towns have found themselves in, Matlock has far too many take aways and restaurants, rock shops, arcades, basically seaside shops. Many are run down with shaby looking shop fronts, which is a shame as many are really nice buildings. The town could offer so much more though, better shops, and present itself better, tidy those buildings, put flower planters along the prom, with benches, concentrate on upgrading the illuminations. The illuminations could be as good as walsalls if the wanted.
Makes me realise just how good Atherstone is, the shops are in better condition, we've got a lot wider selection, we have got flower planters in the streets, on the down side we haven't got a big park with flowers and gardens and central grass area for events, the town is choked with cars and it's not advertised on the A5 at all.
It hasn't even got a proper advertised tourist information point, even though it actually has three, The Library, North Warwickshire Borough Council's One Stop Shop and Atherstone Town Councils Offices. This evening I saw two men starring up at the school entrance way, at the stone plaque above. I crossed to them and it was commented on how shabby it's looking. ( it is probably the most shabby looking building in the town apart from Veros factory and the back of the old All Hire Building) They commented on it's age, and the 1500's on the plaque, saying that it can't possibly be that old, which it obviously can't be. I looked at it and said I think its about the same age as the station, 1847, but I think the school house is older. I walked on ahead and came home, I thought for a second looked and found one of the new town trail leaflets and went out, caught up with the outside the Conservative Club and let them have it. I love that look of disbelief when i do such things, it makes it well worth the effort. Try it some time and you'll see. Do a selfless totally unexpected act and see peoples surprise and appreciation. Where did you get that they asked, thank you very much they said.
It got me thinking, they had been walking around the town, looking, taking pictures, not found much info. You can read boards but can't take them with you. So why don't we, until the hubs open at least, see if we can get one or more of the pubs to keep copies of the Town Trail, Country Trail, and Town Guide. The old swan could display them in it's unused shop window, the Market Tavern could have a copy of the Town Trail as a poster both with signs available here underneath. They'll probably get extra trade if people do go in and the guides are available. That way the guides are available until the pubs close at 11. Plus they get to go in the pubs and chat to locals and find out how friendly we really are.
. Spud and Paul Bostock were also very gracious and helpful as well.
