howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
such a shame
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Mr Mahony has upset many people over the years in his quest to make shed loads of money Brian the Grand Shaft fiasco being just one.
Andy B and Brian Dixon like this
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
I was helping him at the time and it was not for money

Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,818
He tried shafting some friends of mine for a bus ride home from the corn mill during one of their beer festivals,would have been cheaper to get a cab,good riddance to him.
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Jan Higgins likes this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Long standing forum members will remember this scam where Mr Mahoney conned general members of the public to volunteer to promote his business.
https://www.dover.uk.com/forums/dover-forum/tourist-information-box-prince-of-wales-pierReginald Barrington, Andy B and Jan Higgins like this
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
All what has been said above is not true,I was a helper with Mr Mahoney at the time,and he conned no one and was doing what he could for Dover.If you must write about a person then get your facts right first.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The only information given out from there related to his business.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
If memory serves me correctly Wasn't there a dispute re the location and it had to be moved.Like Howard states the said box only gave out information to promote the boat trips.The Grand Shaft business was also an unpleasant episode.
I'm sure DHB would have tried to relocate the boat trip business.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Wrong again I have the local press cutouts at that time and a lot of what he said to the council and D.H.B. at that time had nothing to do with his company it was his plan to do the walk about of Dover by following the yellow foot prints on the pathways, a plan which some one has done now,but it was Mr Mahoney who started the ball rolling on this one. He also run the bus taking vistors around Dover and Kent, but he had to take money for doing it to keep his company going and there is nothing wrong in doing that. You are well out of order in what you are saying, you had nothing to with it as a helper,

just one of many that moan about what others are trying to do.Just voice,s in the dark .
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I don't think Howard or myself are voices. In the dark.You are correct about being a helper but I was heavily involved with the Musuem and TIC..I think the lovely Horace now departed did a lot of good promoting the town of Dover.
The box or whateverver it was called was not a very good advert for Dover.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Looking through the original thread there must be at least 12 "voices in the dark" that saw through the ruse.
Jan Higgins likes this
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Nothing wrong with what there was in the window above,but all in the pass now my last word on the matter.

Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
I seem to remember Vic was the only person to support him on that thread, even the other volunteers gradually vanished leaving the place closed.
English Heritage and WHPS were not to happy with his unauthorised paint job even if some thought it looked OK.
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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
The Grand Shaft is owned by DDC Jan.
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,259
Who really kicked up a stink about it! (quietly behind closed doors in case someone mistakenly believed they gave a Damn shhh ! ! ! )
Arte et Marte
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Thanks Howard I always get in a muddle as to who owns what up there, as they all seem to rely on the WHPS volunteers to do everything while only coming out of the proverbial woodwork when they simply have to.
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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
Guest 770- Registered: 11 Sep 2012
- Posts: 19
I just want to make a few points here, firstly, with regards to the information kiosk, DHB authorised the positioning of the kiosk, it was well stocked with many information leaflets covering all of Dover and the surrounding areas. Yes of course Richard promoted his tours but then anyone else in business would have done the same BUT he also recommended Dover Seas Safari too!! The kiosk did not end due to lack of volunteers it was because DHB decided the space was needed in preparation for the future development of the Western Docks.
Secondly, I have known Richard for many years and have volunteered for him for the last 8 years. Despite the negativity and lack of support from DDC, DTC and DHB to boost tourism in Dover Richard has continuously battled to try and attract people to our town.
Howard, I fear you are one of the many sheeple people that trudge around town believing in what you read in the media and jump on the band wagon without knowing the clear facts.
With reference to the Grand Shaft fiasco as Howard puts it, again, there are two sides to the story. Richard felt the Grand Shaft should be open to the people of the town and visitors from afar and so consulted with DDC and took advice from English Heritage on the way in which this could be achieved. Had it have gone to plan it was going to be free for all to visit, volunteers were plentiful and the initial cost of clearing the site was at the expense of Richard. On top of this the painting was done using limestone paint as advised by English Heritage. Again this is another example of how Richard was trying to promote tourism in our town.
With regards to Horace, yes he was a true gent and invested a lot into Dover, but again Richard helped him with his cart and supported Horace in any way he could.
Please if people are going to criticise Richard then at least do your research and get the full story rather the base it on useless media stories such as Dover Express or word of mouth.
Vic, full respect to you, even though people come against you I thank you for trying to explain the true facts.
At the end of the day DHB are in the process of destroying what few businesses are in the Western Dock region, please don't be naïve and think the expansion of the port will look anything like the pretty pictures DHB have shown. It is a firm belief among many boat owners that the new marina will never happen, why should it? DHB see it as an inconvenience to them, cargo makes much more money for them, more profit and bigger bonuses.
If just wish people would go down to the Marina and pay Richard a visit, take a look in the visitor book at the thousands of comments left by people from all over the world that have loved our town. Richard is a very misunderstood character, sure he doesn't get it right all the time and has made one or two errors along the way but so have we all, ultimately he is very kind and giving and all he ever wanted was to get Dover on the map. Unfortunately this was impossible because the likes of DDC DTC and DHB have a different vision and fail to support those that try and make a difference to out town.
Howard, really!!! Vandalised it to play victim!!! Jokes on you there I think, how absurd can a grown man be!!!
Guest 1792, Guest 649 and Reginald Barrington like this
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."