Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Well David get elected and you'll see & know the reasons why. There's nothing sinister or secretive other than commercial confidentiality or protecting the public interests.
Simon you understand the commercial , demographicial,economic & other realities that lead to town centre prosperity.
I could fill up White Cliffs Business Park with retail & allied activities tomorrow but what's the effect on the town centre.
Actually I think the public would love it. They'll continue to use the the latest & most convenient retail option available.
They love Canterbury, Westwood, Bluewater & the Westfield. They'll still l moan about the state of the High St but go where the market takes them. The public don't care. There is no such thing as customer loyality for the majority, check the solvency reports.
So the truth is that retailers decide where they want to locate & drive hard bargains for other sites [in other words you pay them] or decline your approaches because they don't fit the economic profile.
Why should I damage a potential investment by divulging it on a blog.
I've learnt long ago don't promise what you can't deliver.
The way this blog goes it is far better to stay silent than give away the little we can because it always engenders this type of response.
We'll just announce something that is delivered and take David's abuse about our abilities in the meantime.
The market delivers the growth not Council's & we are not standing in it's way other than protecting our town centres.
My last word on this subject. No further responses.
Thank you for your comments
Watty
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
paulw,thakyou you for being direct responce,i just hope that the ditz project gets moved on a little faster [please].
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Paul I haven't abused anybody, this thread is here for everyone to see that actually DDC doesn't deliver what it promises, that is the frustration.
You also state you could fill up White Cliffs Business park, a simple question:
Whats stopping you?
Ashford, Margate and Dartford have seen substantial investment as a result of similar schemes, it seems extraordinary you're turning business away from Dover.
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
extraordinary you're turning business away from Dover.
Not a surprise really, considering they refused McArthur Glen Outlet, which Ashford snapped
up
Tis constructive, frustated criticism of bull-sh...tting and lost opportunities that give constant vent to all of this.
Very much like the BBC. The Top is crap, and should be changed, no chance for Dover at all til this happens.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
do you really want that david as you will be in a tiny minority if you do?
over the years the moans on here and in the letters page of the local papers have been about the council allowing retail to move to whitfield, b & q caused a storm. i cannot comment on ashford and dartford but margate and ramsgate town centres look like the scene out of an apocalyptic film partly due to westwood cross.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
my dear ms worsley kindly keep your criticism clean and not aimed at specific personalities.
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
aimed at specific personalities.
'hierarchical culture'
This is another expression I would use.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
David and Christine it all depends what business wants to go to the Business Park, personally I would hate to see more large stores up there taking even more trade from the town.
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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 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
Jan Higgins. I was not praising the advantages of Whitfield Business park at all. Far from it, I think one of the major disasters for this Town was for the Commercial and Retail Heart, to be transferred to Whitfield. A place I certainly would not choose to work or live in, souless and cold. When Brook House, was destroyed at 4am in the morning, and the Council Offices transferred to Whitfield, the rot set in.
No, think what a McArthur Park retail attraction, built or situated, withi the St. James's, World War 11 Bomb site area, have been so successful, and interesting for the Cruise Ships and others.
Ah, you could go on and on, but the residents who live in the Town of Dover, have been short changed, and ignored.
Now, we are going to have stupid, going no-where cycle paths, along the walk-ways, just because they have a Grant, they do not know what to do with. Taking away, our lovely mature trees etc. Only for the cycles, to come to a grinding halt in the Market Square, with only the Underpass to negociate.
It is all so short-term. In reality, they are like a pac-man going from one disaster to another.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
nice try chrissy but as you know very well mcarthur glen wanted whitfield or nothing.
no chance of them revitalising the town.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#310 - Same with Westwood Cross. When you have naames like Debenhams and M&S wanting to make huge investment and it is Westwood are not at all.... damed if they do, damned if they don't....
Don't like it, get elected and do a better job !
Been nice knowing you :)
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
to add to david and jans posts there are 6 0r 7 cllrs that work hard
many could give up today and few would notice any difference.
The DITZ has(and is) going on to long and it will be good to see things happening
East Kent council is not supported by paulw?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
With regard to my comment about councillors I should have made myself clearer, I was referring to the information we get here on the forum.
Christine Worsley I was referring to this comment... "extraordinary you're turning business away from Dover" .
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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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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i notice that watty is getting the treatment a bit here, probably because he posts whilst other councillors just look in.
other than roger and jan t only the fuhrer and district chairman ever put "their heads over the parapet" and the latter is not allowed to make a political point due to her position.
jan made the point earlier that the former clarified a point that stopped chinese whispers, maybe we should appreciate that?
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
Methinks you are requesting us to be grateful, yet again.
We are tired of it all.
Possibly the same as Watty is, same old song, same old words.
If you look at it realistically, the Town and its inhabitants are caught between,
the disassociated and the bloated, up in the Whitfield clouds, and the manic, must have power, at any cost, whoopee, my airfairs to Taiwan and the Far East are being paid for by the peasants in Dover.
Sitting pretty on the Sea-Front.
As KeithSamsun1 has said.
Interesting Times,
If it was not so tragic and at such a cost.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I find it a great shame that some do not appreciate what we have been told by Paul, it is one of the most informative posts I have seen from officialdom for a long time, by the way appreciate is not the same as grateful.
I think we would all like to see construction start but sadly I doubt if anyone at DDC can wave a magic wand and speed up those that are actually developing the site, they could possibly ask them to get a move on (which they might have done) but that is all.
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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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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
maybe christine has an alternative to the present impasse?
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
I have a great deal of sympathy for the hard pressed councillors of both parties (those who work their socks off for the community), most of whom I know personally. Whatever they do, they get flak from one direction or another. I take my hat off to those who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. PaulW in particular as Leader has huge challenges facing him every day and I have huge admiration for the way in which he pulls it off. Likewise Nigel Collor RogerW, Jan Tranter and Gordon Cowan to name a few of those who really pull their weight. I may not agree with everything they do or say but it's impossible to please everyone.
To those who criticise their track records I would say: if you think you can do better, stand for election. I have been asked to stand for a DDC seat on more than one occasion but I refused because I don't think I could have put in the time required and still earn a living. Also I refuse absolutely to join a political party.
Conspiracy theorists will always look to councillors' words and actions to find evidence of vested interests and dirty dealings but I have never seen any of it.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Interesting Peter, as I say earlier I know of a few councillors who contribute an enormous amount. Like you I have no affinity with any political party, but we are in danger of getting away from the main point of this thread.
Dover in general is in a dreadful state of repair and has been for years, some might say decades. Promise after promise has been made, plans have been drawn up yet absolutely nothing happens. I hear people say DDC are incompetent, I hear others say too much party infighting hinders progress, I hear officers blaming councillors and vice versa.
Whatever the reasons its a total disgrace and a disservice to the town. Cllr Watkins mentions abuse, I've abused nobody, but his replies suggest I've hit a nerve. DDC is here to serve its citizens, if all it wants to do is empty bins and keep the lights on then just tell us. If it wants to announce grand plans that never come to fruition it should expect some criticism.
Guest 776- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 95
You could say Mr Paul Watkins has been shaken
But, not stirred
