howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i was told this morning by a couple of irate residents that d.d.c. residents are now having to pay to visit the museum.
having now checked this out it appears that we will have to shell out £.3.50 to visit but there are special season ticket deals.
family days will be free to all comers.
all rather stealthy, surely one of our councillors would have known about this.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
This was mentioned about a year ago when it first came up, if it secures the future of them museum then it can only be good ?
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i think this could have the opposite effect and start a slow death for the museum.
since i was told this morning i have spoken about it to 6 different unconnected people who all were indignant and stated that they would not pay on a point of principle.
prior to the may elections we had a war of words between red gordon and paul the fuhrer over the future of the museum.
gordon claimed that within 6 months of the election the museum would be hit, he may have been right.
i certainly hope i am wrong.
The people of Dover, are not stupid, bless 'em....they will vote with their feet...as with the Castle.....
Some long extinct king......said the Grounds of the Castle would always be free to walk in for the people of Dover.....Oh Dear...money to be made
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that could be the problem mr norman, if they do vote with their feet it will give carte blanche to the powers that be to close the
museum.
the castle is a different kettle of fish, much work has been done over the years at the castle to make it a successful visitor attraction.
the museum has alays been financed out of council tax and income from visitors from outside the district.
If you look and listen on the ground or the grassroots...or attended the meeting at the Town Hall regarding the People's Port...there is a general feeling of disgust, betrayal, and dislike of the Council and the DHB ( I will not go into the later) this time.....
The castle/especially the grounds were free to the People of Dover....taken away......
The museum and Discovery Centre OK financed out of Council Tax...and who pays that.....................the People of Dover....and that ain't cheap....
Visitors this and Visitors that...........but push comes to shove the People of Dover live here and pay a price for the Port to run smoothly, the Seafront not to have any attractions or commercial/private ventures unless ruled over by the Harbour Board.....
Anything we are promised free etc....eventually we have to pay for, even tho' we are paying for it in the first place.....
I really would like to see a Town where it's people/citizens are considered first...
We pay the money....we should have a tune.....
£3.50 per person is a lot of money......
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
mr norman
i have both ears very close to the ground, difficult for me not to and i did attend the people's port meeting.
the museum is a completely different issue, there was no mention of this in the run up to the may local elections.
there was no mention of it in the propaganda sent around by the council and i can see no press releases on the matter.
our forum member councillors would have known about it and i will await one or more of them to give their views on the subject.
mr mcsweeney....
I am using the word "you" objectively not subjectively.......
nothing personal attached to it.....you would have to be very short
It is to get the powers that be out of their bubble
Guest 719- Registered: 11 Jul 2011
- Posts: 443
I WAS TOLD ABOUT TWO MONTH,S A GO THAT THE MUSEUM WAS FREE TO THE PEOPLE OF DOVER THAT WAS BY A MEMBER OF STAFF THAT WORKED THERE THEY NEVER SAID ANY THING ABOUT US HAVING TO PAY
Yorkshire Born And Yorkshire Bred
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
The only thing I could think of here is to publicise more openly the Bronze Age Boat, the oldest known sea-faring vessel in the world, with more history about Dover's ancient origins, undoubtedly the oldest port in the British Isles.
I've tried my best online, my many articles on the topic have together got thousands of pageviews as time went by.
I also promoted the fact that Dover is a name of Celtic and not Roman origin, and dwelt on all the legends of history that can be related to ancient Dover, including Albion.
I tried my best
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
ted
i have been here over 9 years and it has always been free to local residents.
i was told earlier that a charge was levied at one time prior to that resulting in a dramatic drop in visitors which impacted on the museum shop.
they then dropped the charge but numbers never recovered, a salutory lesson i think.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
interesting link paul but i can see no mention of admission prices being introduced for local residents.
There you go.....everything they start becomes too expensive to run....
Does anyone ever look into this...there are professional trained people to do this....
The Town Gaol was a very popular attraction..paid for by the People of Dover for the tourist push....and then given away to York...
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
Fascinating, and shame on you Howard for proposing a £5 charge. Raising prices (or introducing them) never really works as it always results in fewer users or purchasers. Some years ago London Underground actually stated that they were raising their fares because they could not cope with the number of people using it and needed to reduce them.
The idea, at least on the part of the Town Council, of moving the VIC to the museum was, in part, to help increase visitor numbers, thus increasing its profitability without the need for any increases. Perhaps a 'donation' box would have been a better idea, at the very least for a trial period.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i stand by the 5 quid fee chris, if cruise pasengers are willing to pay £.3. 50 they would not baulk at another 30 bob.
we have heard about the extortionate prices for trips that the cruise companies charge.
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
A one of payment of £3.50 whch lasts for a year
Guest 706- Registered: 25 Oct 2010
- Posts: 285
Sue,is that what it's going to be?
I hope so. We go there often but really won't be going if we have to pay each time.
The children always buy something in the shop,though.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
How about a 'Friends of Dover Museum' card, say £10 for unlimited visits all year per person, or £20 per family, much like the Dover Castle group.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
how about getting in for free to both for local residents.