howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 February 2011
23:1192924why so aggresive jimmy?
jan and others work for nothing in these charity outlets that are all busy with customers.
you are right on the business rate aspect as the rest sell new goods, but wrong with age uk who only flog donated stuff.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
17 February 2011
00:0892934Jimmy, I hope you and yours never have to make use of the Riverside Centre ,without the funds our shop brings in it might not be able to continue.
In a few days time I will be 68 what would you have me aspire to, using the Riverside Centre or possibly the grave, being active keeps us oldies alive.
1) Would you rather have 10 unkempt empty shops.
2) Would you prefer the less well off going without a much needed warm winter coat they can buy from us for the paltry sum of £3.
3) Would you rather that good item of clothing went to landfill.
4) Would you prefer the very occasional high valued brick-a-brac was lost to landfill.
5) What are you doing, apart from whinge on here, to improve this town that is nowhere near as bad as you paint it.
Charity shops raise ESSENTIAL money for good causes, you might not like it but they are badly needed, even more so after the cock up (
sorry all) what I assume to be your party made of the country.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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17 February 2011
00:4892936Dear Jan,
I think you are not ameniable to other peoples right to comment on how they view the town.
I have my opinion and you rightly have yours. It ill becomes either of us to start slinging brick bats at each other. I shall answer your points in the order you have placed them
1.
If we had the development that Paul Watkins has been promising us all (Me included) all these years there would be no unkempt shops, the town would have no need for them.
2.
No I would not want a situation where the poor and needy could not buy goods second hand,but surely even you can accept we do not need 10 charity shops. Commercial areas of a town by there very nature are supposed to encourage entraupenners not charity shops.
3.
No I would prefer the needy obtain good items of clothing, or anything else for that matter.
4.
Please refer to answer no3.
5.
And now for my most controversial observation.
If it was not for people like me who "Whinge" as you put it, then what incentive is there for Mr Watkins and his chums to get on with improvimg the towns peoples lot. Cant say I have seen you getting angry about the state of affairs that is our lot in Dover. I do not know much about you but I am quite happy to tell you I have lived in Dover for 22 years and since the day |I came here the town has been on a down hill slide,Now surely you are not going to tell me I have got that wrong as well
P.S.
I was stationed at Dover castle in 1959,then Connaught barracks and I can tall you the town looked quite prosperous then, now look at it, a sorry site indeed
17 February 2011
00:5692937Howard,
Nothing to do with being aggresive.
I admire Jan and people like her who give of there time for charitable causes nothing to do with being aggressive.
Lets not split hairs over what is sold in which charity shop. My complaint is because of a lack of investment charity shops are like the Triffids and are getting every where.
If I put a smiley icon here will it help to dispel your opinion that I am agressive?? Lets try it
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
17 February 2011
09:5592955Riasing much needed funds by way of charity shops is a uniquely British thing and does encourage people to bring footfall into the Town centre, whereas in Europe once a shop closes that can be it. I have seen recently whole towns in France that no longer have a single functioning shop because of the multi nationals opening out of town. Those shopfree towns are a very depressing sight.
There is a book by Lorraine Sencicle that quotes how many shops Dover had about 100 years ago and it said there were 35 milliners amongst others, so shops closing cannot be a new phenomonem.
Jimmy I would accept your caustic comments about Dover and Paul W if they were tempered with your solution to filling empty shops but as they are not your comments are merely the ramblings of a 'grumpy old man'.
Perhaps if you believe you have the solutions required we can all look forward to seeing your name on a ballot paper in May
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
17 February 2011
10:5092960charity shops seemed to be associated with decline, not actually true.
prosperous places like canterbury and hythe have plenty of them.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
17 February 2011
20:0493052Isn't Oxfam at Kensington one of the most popular ?!
Been nice knowing you :)
17 February 2011
22:0993073Dear Ken,
thank you for your rather caustic observation that I am a "Grumpy old man" based on the premise that I have no solution to Dovers decline.
I would point out that being 70 years old does place some restriction on what I prefer to do.
I have to say I feel quite flattered that you have taken the time to cast your observations on some one you do not know.
I shall tell you where I stand on the subject. I do not care that much about what happens in Dover purely based on the supposition that the council not only does'nt care but does not have any solutions to the ongoing problem.Why should you expect the likes of me to come up with the solutions?? (Which I cant) honesty never hurt anyone.
It does not really matter how many books one reads on the subject about Dovers past commercial history. The answer lies with those who have opted to take resposibility for decision making today, and may I add accepted payment for such decisions.
17 February 2011
22:2493074I love charity shops, and the clue is in the title. They give a lot of pleasure (I love rummaging ad get some great books and bargains), they recycle clothes and things than might otherwise fester in a skip, and they raise money where it is needed. They do not contribute to Dovers decline or look untidy - they pay some rates, use what would be an empty neglected shop, and enable people to buy things at a low cost. Job done.
I used to live in Amersham - you wouldn't believe the stuff I bought in the charity shops there! Designer this, quality that, some of it never worn. Hurrah!
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
17 February 2011
22:3393075I love charity shops. They are the 'State' of retail.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
17 February 2011
23:4093081Jimmy mentioned there were 10 charity shops, I can only think of 8 who have I forgotten?
Age Concern, Bernardos, Heart Foundation x2, Hospice, Scope, Sense, YMCA.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
18 February 2011
00:0093087I also love crossing over from Iceland and into the charity shop; alas I have just had to pay my national insurance, so it will be some time yet, Jan!
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
18 February 2011
10:1293117The tag line for being a'grumpy old man'is to give your age as a negative reason for something.What does concern me is the fact that I shall be your age in 2 years, does that mean I shall have to stop European truck driving,felling a 20 foot high tree by climbing it and going to Kids Planet every Saturday with my grandchildren and lose my alleged lust for life and take up decrying everything and everyone that tries to better my life.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
18 February 2011
10:1693120-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
18 February 2011
10:5993129getting back to post 27, there used to be an oxfam shop in sloane square stacked high with designer clothes.
the ladies living nearby could never be seen wearing the same outfit twice.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,926
18 February 2011
11:1693134jimmy l
ken has a vested interest in charity shop survival, but thats neither here nor there.
jimmy, you have every right to post your views on here, and they may well differ from the general opinions on here, but please don't be put off by that.
it can be frustrating but like you say there has to be those people able to be critical.
with regard to out of town shopping, i stated so many years ago that out of town shopping will kill the town and others warned the same, now we are seeing this is now reality
no one is against charity shops, but dover deserves more
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
18 February 2011
12:3793148Keith, my vested interest in charity shops? Would that be the fact I source nearly all my books from them or that I once bought a brand new suit from the Sense shop for £15, of course not,it's because my wife is employed by Age UK. This implies that without the shop my wife and The Riverside Centre would not survive. Jan will agree with me when I say that without the shop the facilities at the centre would not be as good as they are, but as the shop donates less than 10% of the running costs for the centre and staff my vested interest is not as great as you make out.
Jimmy your comments are there for debate and are most welcome, by me especially and you would be most welcome to join me at Riverside for tea and a bun along with the othe 'grumpy old men',me included.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,926
18 February 2011
12:4493149i will say no more ken
does that mean my bacion roll has been down graded to a bun?
or is it off the agenda altogether
lol
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
18 February 2011
16:2693179I would like to say thanks to Ken?? and Keith Sansum1,
Both of your comments are practically friendly, although I shall not push my luck!!
I think the main point of my diatribe has become a bit obscured.
I really do not have any objection to charity shops, provided they do not become the main stay of the commercial heart of the town., which I am sad to say seems to be the case.
Lets face it if our dear leader prefers to do his shopping in Deal or Canterbury why has no one had the guts to ask him why he does not shop in Dover?? could'nt be the quality of the shops, could it??
Ken,
As a mere 69 year old you have to appreciate that us old uns (71) have to slow down ,not by choice but by nature. Once upon a time I also was a very active man, why, I would get up a sweat making a cup of tea, As for walking round to the corner shop for my paper I was always properly attired, running shoes, sweat band shorts and of.course the obligatory dog on a lead. I have had to fore go all these physical pleasures. If you can do all those things you claim you can do then I am exceedingly jealous!!
18 February 2011
16:3493180Jan Higgins,
Sorry for quoting 10 charity shops when according to your wise councel there are 8
Two gone bust perhaps!!!
