Although doubting the memorial project is well known locally, let alone wanted locally, it is clear to see that its sole intention is to attract money to Dover shops, and that the assumption is, this money spent in Dover shops will then "create prosperity" for all Dovorians.
So I assume the shops will divide the cash among all residents here?!
Well they won't!
The argument for this memorial is based on promises that can never be held.
In the same way as the idea that building hundreds of houses on Western Heights would mean bringing prosperity to Dover is a pure fantasy of the mind.
We have the Castle on Eastern Heights, and some consternation has come up on the Forum in the past about visitors to the Castle not coming down to Dover town to spend money in the shops.
But hey, even if they did, would the shops distribute this money to the residents. No!
We have had the Saturday market project, that promised mass "footfall" to Dover, and again the argument, that these many people abandoning shops elsewhere in Dover District, and possible neighbouring districts, would invest great sums in local shops by way of shopping.
The idea being, the shops would then hand this money out equally to all residents?
Again, the great clamour of walking feet was not heard in Dover, darkness did not fall on Market Square (the shadow of thousands of people carrying shopping bags, busily leaving one shop and entering the other). Had the project worked, perhaps shop keepers elsewhere in Dover District, and neighbouring districts, might have complained they had lost their business owing to a DDC plan, as opposed to free market regulation.
So now it is: the masses will come from all over Britain, drive their car up Western Heights, park God knows where!!!, visit a war memorial searching all day for a name among millions of names (two World Wars, remember), and then, drive their car back into town (Oh my GOD!!!), park it somewhere ....
... and then, yes you've guessed it, do theeeeiiiirrr ... Shoppppping! Wow! (Brazilian goal: goooaaaallll!)
And yes, you and I will then go each night at closing hours and receive our part of the shares from happy shop-owners!!!
My God!
So, perhaps the idea is, to charge parking fees for hundreds of thousands of cars then?
Meanwhile, a few thousand people who at present do not live in Dover will be settled in new houses along the same Heights.
Somewhere in this confusion of mass coming and going, local people will still find the will to go up to the Heights and "enjoy the green area". Begs belief!