Yeah but, Dover or Southampton or Copenhagen?
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
It depends what for, Sid.
Copenhagen for sightseeing - fantastic city.
Southampton for footie - St Mary's is a decent ground, and I think the Saints will go up this year.
Dover for pound shops and shell suits.
True friends stab you in the front.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
and not forgetting the grade 2 listed bomb sites and derilict buildings.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
Indeed so, Brian, but our cruise terminals are to be proud of. They are both ten times better than the Mayflower Terminal at Southampton. Before they spent money on doing it up, it was an extremely dated tatty shack, now it's been done up it's a modern tatty shack. Dover has the beating of Southampton on that one.
True friends stab you in the front.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
andy.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
The very popular ship Disney Magic is back in...docked just a few moments ago. I know many of you like it a great deal, so now you have another chance to see it, and those that havent seen it before can pop along now.
Also try and guess...which one is the fake funnel?? I know we have spilled the beans on that already in earlier posts but if you havent seen them...well you can try and guess.
Dover is looking good this morning in the glorious sunshine. All those cruise visitors will be impressed by its sweeping vistas.
"sweeping vistas"? Is this the new PC name for road-sweepers Paul? Let me guess, the seafront building site? no. How about the Churchill hotel (closed)? erm, no. Well, what about Burlington House? Erm, no. The famous white cliffs (covered in green stuff)? Erm, no. Townwall Street (Britannia pub end)? Rm, no.
So, that narrows it down, Dover Castle. Yep, that must be the only sweeping vista worth looking at.
Now, that was a lot of sarcasm I admit, but doesn't it tell a tale of our fair town and perhaps explain why the cruise passengers would rather jump on a bus and go to the castle or a coach heading for well, anywhere else really?
How do we change that, it's the $64000 question.
How about Kearsney Abbey and Bushy Ruff? Both well worth a visit.... If only someone would signpost them for the visitor.
How about Dover Forumites get together to make a leaflet with a simple map indicating sites worth visiting. It would not cost much to photocopy a couple of hundred (I could do that) and get them to the ferry terminal for issue to incomers.
Wouldn't that be getting off our backsides and doing something?
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I did write to DHB after my visit on board Disney Magic .I advised them Sid of the Bronze Age Boat how many towns can boast about this wonderful piece of history .I also told them about the three parks Diana .I do try
Well done Sue. But the trouble is this. If I were cruising to New York I would visit a park, Central Park. It has a reputation, some cache' and is a well know tourist attraction. Now, reverse that trip. Cruise from the U.S. to Dover and would you really want to visit a local park, no matter how good we know it to be? I suspect not. It will be major historical sites that come first, so Dover Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and then London will be very high on most agendas.
Somehow we need to chang that thinking by packaging Dover as a place to visit in it's own right. I can't help thinking that folks need a reason to visit somewhere and that reason is usually linked to something happening. Therefore we need to really promote the events in Dover as well as the immovable objects, and then perhaps one of those events will develop a reputation sufficient enough to make people want to visit Dover.
However, as we all know, Dover discourages anything the public might enjoy and events that do squeeze through the net are rarely publicised sufficiently to make them outstanding successes.
There are lots of bodies involved in putting on events in Dover, and somehow they need to be brought under one umbrella responsible for helping with planning, logistics, legals and promoting for the whole group. That umbrella needs to contain the relevant expertice which obviously includes the experienced event promoters as well as civil servants.
Some while back Dover celebrated a major anniversary and there was an idea to have a year long series of events to celebrate the fact. Of the meetings I attended on behalf of DCAL, I can only say they were unsructured, uncontrolled, amateur, and destined to ensure failure. Not only did we have event groups thinking in silos we had local politicos point scoring and trying to take credit, for what? The meetings were far too late for any sensible funding to be gained, publicity materials discussed didn't materialise and generally there was lack of cohesion or compromise.
That is all water under the bridge, but serves to remind us what mistakes can be made if the structure isn't right and the leadership is weak.
I could go on, and I dare say Roger would have quite a bit to add.
We could do better for Dover and the folks who live here, but will we?
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I may be being somewhat obtuse here, Paul, but my guess would be that the real funnel would be the one with the smoke coming out of it!
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Very interesting post above Sid..and painfully accurate I suspect.
But back to your earlier post #127 about the 'sweeping vista' that I had referred to earlier. Well yes again and all too true and funnily put re those 'icons' of social advancement , and again you are painfully accurate.
But here is a picture of the sweeping vista I referred to originally. The picture is from the Collection of one David Hannent esq, Deputy Mayor of all Dover. I think it was Andy who compared us to Southampton ..while they have old wharves and tatty warehouses we have the following striking vista, see picture below.( But of course this vista not to be subjected to upclose detailed examination).
This picture was featured in our frontpage Disney Magic feature recently. Lovely shot.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah well now Andy youve got me there...but ..but..when the ship languishes gently against the pier, washing too and fro in the tide...there's no smoke!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
good news that holland america line will be using us next year for some of their cruises.
new york being one of the destinations.
That vista is worth a LOT to the cruise companies - Publicity is paramount and Dover has the sales link - that I knew and was told by Disney. The hinterland was also much admired by the visitors esp the old station location so don't knock it!
D
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Would it be an idea if they had the chance to come down by steam train, call the train The Hogwarts Castle Express, as I`m informed that Disneyland Florida have some sort of new attraction related to it.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Well said Sid.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I do have a lot to say Sid, but as no one now listens, there is no reason for me to do so.
I am just an individual like every one else.
I put myself up for District Council in May 2003 because I wanted the Portfolio for Tourism; I had lots of ideas and most of them didn't require any, or hardly, any funding.
I did get elected, but then found that there wasn't a Portfolio for Tourism - but no one had told me !
I still have lots of ideas as to what to do for the Town, but no one is going to take them seriously now (did they ever ?) as I have had the opportunity and the voice, taken away from me.
A tourism strategy for Dover to be completed; a Dover Town Action Plan half way through; Group Travel, all designed to improve the lot of Dover and the residents and visitors here.
Having the respect of local businesses (apart from one) helped a lot too.
The original list of projects and initiatives were with DTC and the Mayor - there were 23 of them; I can't imagine what the current incumbant at DBS is now doing on a daily basis - according to many local businesses, not talking to them is one.
By the Chamber not allowing the necessary oxygen of publicity for DBS, they are slowly (maybe not so slowly) killing it and they are doing it with their eyes wide open.
Roger
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Well said Roger
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Thank you Marek.
Roger
