howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,261
#2
Sounds good in principle but high business rates is only 1 factor in the empty units.
Must be the first Mayor in long time to actually come up with a proper idea to improve the town instead of the sticky plaster ideas of the past several mayors/mattresses.
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Arte et Marte
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#3
I asked Mr Rix many years ago to be a cllr and he said no at time but in the end he did go for it,I said then he would be the man for the job ,and it has turned out he is.He knows how to run a BIG COMPANY and is a Dover person he is the right man for the job and if it can be done he will do it,I would like to be on the town council now giving him a helping hand .But that will not happen.Good luck to him and anyone working with him.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#4
Different people bring various skills to the job.Each person puts down a marker when they are a Mayor.Gordon Cowan good speaker and debating skills.Ronnie Philpot well liked by the community.Jim Hood always looked the part ,and don't forget George Ruck,Bill Newman nd Peter Mee just to name a few.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#5
Well done to the Mayor it certainly seems like a good idea all the council have to do now is get the present owners of the long term empty shops to sell.
Sue, do not forget Chris Precious with his excellent internet communication skills who kept people up to date with what was going on.
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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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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#6
Yes Chris brought his ITSkills to the job.I think I brought hats
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
#7
An interesting idea.
IF it is commercially viable one wonders why the owners of the properties have not already done so?
OR do we finally admit that with the advent of selling by clicks rather than bricks the 'bog standard' High Street has had its day?
My money is on the latter, but as ever, perhaps the good Mayor, whose commercial experience is in running a scaffolding company, rather than actually selling stuff that people want at a price they can afford (and remember, the official definition of a successful Dover businessman is 'one who has not gone bankrupt recently') has a master plan which flies in the face of most retail experience in the UK and the views of such as writers in the Economist
http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21700699-many-shops-are-struggling-survive-britains-fast-changing-and-ruthlessly-competitive.
As ever with our elected representatives the question to ask is would they put their own money into such a scheme?
Yours. Still awaiting the 'Olympic Legacy' locally after the spending of £400,000 welcoming the Olympic Torch!
(Off to watch the cricket at Sholden. Far too busy in Deal High Street , sea front packed + too many tourists asking for a 'selfie' with me!)
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
#8
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,261
#9
The clue Captain is "not for profit", simples no?
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Arte et Marte
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
#10
Unfortunately Reg, when it comes to public spending 'not for profit' is a euphemism for 'sustained at a huge loss by input of tax-payers money'.
Awaiting the Betteshanger Mining Museum opening soon as a local white elephant to rival Dreamland!
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
A striking feature in most town centres around the country is the use of what should be flats used as storage areas when the stuff could be kept downstairs at the back of the shop, hopefully this initiative will bring a bit of affordable housing.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#12
ok its a reasonably good idea, but its a big but it depends wheather its tat or charity shops,we have enough of them already.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#13
What makes you think the Mining Museum will be be a white elephant? I do not think it will, both me and my wife go round mining museum in the UK and always lots of the public are doing the same, Dreamland had a bad start but it will get over that in the years ahead as more and more of the public return to the UK seaside, and that is happing more because of the cost etc of going overseas.And also it is not safe as it was. And the fall of the pound is also keeping us in the UK.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
#14
Vic Matcham wrote:both me and my wife go round mining museum in the UK and always lots of the public are doing the same,
Hope you managed to get round these two before they closed!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-33715157
http://www.cumbrialive.co.uk/news/Shock-closure-of-24m-Cumbrian-mining-museum--a78db598-ca20-49fc-85eb-328db0e3439d-ds
AND each of these was set among scheduled monument colliery buildings.
Somehow I can't see the usual patronising display of mining 'heritage' in the district consisting of a load of audio reminiscences. half a dozen miners lamps and a display of sputum samples illustrating the progress of pneumoconiosis dragging the crowds in, even with its 'green technologies site, research and education centre, and eco-visitor centre' (My God! Who writes this copy? It's toe-curlingly awful).
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 1767- Registered: 1 Jun 2016
- Posts: 49
#15
Excellent idea if Mr Rix can pull it off, but I think it will cost a tad more than the budget allotted for this, taking into account all costs, even the cost of an architect to draw up plans would eat into this budget by quite some margins, it's not just a Chief Pattern Cutter needed for such an enormous job!.. as for previous Mayors I cannot see that pirate hats and IT skills caused much of an impact on the needs of Dover people. Good luck Mr Rix on your very ambitious venture.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#16
Yes good luck to the current Mayor,however the town Mayors or indeed the Chairman of DDC are civic roles and yes the Mayors do wear unusual hats but they also carry out lots of duties.The Mayor of Dover is not like the Mayor of London.
Yes the current Mayor is a business man however surely we are not going back to the days when only people of wealth can carry out those roles.Indeed I only pointed out there have been some very good people who have held that office.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
The 350 grand from the Town Council is just a starting point, the town team have been preparing a bid for government money set aside for coastal communities. Would be interesting to know what the Mayor meant by lower rates as business rates are set by HMRC.
Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,261
#18
Can the local council not give discretionary relief on business rates?
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Arte et Marte
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#19
The District council can and have done in the past but this initiative seems to involve only the Town council and town team.
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Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,261
#20
Good point. perhaps subsidy from the letting of the private apartments, unless of course the article got it wrong and he said reduced rents!
Arte et Marte
