Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#1
I have just spent an enjoyable morning in Whitstable .Most shops open and lots of places to eat .A lovely fish market .Now you cant blame DDC on lack of these kind of facilities in Dover We need a good Town Centre Mnager or head of The Chamber of Commerce .
#2
Whitstable is lovely - and the gallery is a joy. If only Dover could emulate that.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#3
Emulate in what way?
Dover is an industrial port town/historical town, Whitstable is an old fishing town/Victorian seaside resort - not sure there is a lot of similarity.
We should stop worrying about being like other towns and start worrying about how we make Dover the best it can be utilising the things we have going for us. such as the wealth of history from the Bronze aGe all the way up to the 2nd World War, fantastic countryside including sites of both scientific interest and outstanding natural beauty etc.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#4
Well said Mr Miller and we all know you are right.
Vic M
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
#5
I agree we dont have to be the same as other towns but let us at least have a few decent cafes and shops open .After5.00pm on a Saturday Dovwr goes very quiet except for the pubs .What is there to amuse and keep a families interest if shops are closed and no where decent for food ??
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#6
SUE, There are some very good eating houses openand open till late in Dover with decent food, and my wife and myself use them weekly, so do not
know where you are coming from on this one, all I can say get out there and try them yourself and some of them gave a discount to the over 65s.
Vic M
#7
We don't have to be the same. but we need to aspire to better than we are! Aspiring to a thriving arts hub, some cafe life and some cultural flair seems a good aim to me! That doesn't exclude the experience of industry that we can offer in addition!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#8
like other posters, i cannot see the comparison between dover and whitstable.
whitstable reeks of money, full of commuters earning london wages, and at weekends easily accessible to a great many visitors from north kent and london.
do not forget the famous oysters that would attract people like pb and colette.
#9
Oysters - I love oysters!!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#10
never tasted them bern, seems revolting to me, i understand that posh barry has it chucked in his kedgeree.
the flunky has to carry it about 100 yards from the welsh dresser to the breakfast table.
it is even worse if he uses the summer room.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#11
But why arts?
Everyone else along the coast has done arts to death.
We cannot redevelop Dover on arts alone, we need a multi faceted approach which should include an element of arts (particularly say theatre where we have a really good independent company), but also include history (including industrial heritage), countryside, education, industry etc. Of course a vibrant retail sector with a range of catering outlets (from fast food to high dining) to suit all tastes is required as an adjunct and partial facilitator to the other things.
Vic for all his faults had a good concept with the Festival of Dover, he just did not sell it well, organise it etc. This would be a great way to pull together and promote all the good things we have, think "Time Team" meets Folkestone Triennial meets theatre meets sports meets "Countryfile" to get an idea of what we could do with this idea.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#12
quite right ross,art is a non starter, folkestone has taken over that mantle, hythe is not that far behind.
the vibrant retail sector would have to put on hold, not just because of the recession, but also until we have a joined up tourism policy.
we have all been asked how to get to the castle and white cliffs.
the former has a bus every hour(that does not even go to the station), the latter is only accessible to someone with a lot of time and energy.
#13
Ross - i thought that was what I had in mind.........#7.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#14
Bern, my misunderstanding
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
#15
No, Ross, I expect I got a bit ahead of myself and didn't express it well enough!! I get a bit over excited at times!!!
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#16
We are very close now to announcing our Kent Miners Festival in the media, but here is a little taster, the festival will include all towns and villages in Kent, all councils being invited along to show the public what they have to offer, the East Kent Showbus & Vintage Bus Company will not only be on show but have already set out a timetable to pick up & return visitors from surrounding villages. The main events will be the Mining Exhibitions from all of Kent, with many attractions to keep the whole family entertained for a great day out, music from brass bands and choirs, local groups and singers, dancers and performers, tug-o-war, cycling, children's races and much more waiting to finalize, this is already big and is going to get bigger.
We have pledged to make this a success this year and to carry it on as an annual event, hopefully from next year on, as a two day Festival, with the first day continuing into the night for music and local entertainment and festivities.
We need local authorities support in making this a success to promote Kent, so come along Vic, set your River stall out at the festival, & show the people of Kent what you have that is special, I am sure you will have some connections to miners, all Towns & Villages in our lovely corner of this county have.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#17
I completely agree with Ross on this one.
I am also puzzled by Sue's reference to a Town Centre Manager and/or Chamber of Commerce. Business people are very independently minded and while they will often want and need the kind of support/advice a Chamber (or TCM) can provide they will not be told how to run their own businesses. They will open their shops and restaurants when they believe the demand is there.
Dover town businesses, and retailers in particular, certainly need support and a voice that they do not have at the moment, ever since the demise of TCM. What a business support organisation cannot do is to get shops open at times what they dont want to open and certainly cannot whistle up the trade to make them want to do so. It can make a difference though, in the long term, in contributing towards a vibrant and growing local economy, but the economic fundamentals need to be in place and there are bodies with much more influence and money to help with that than any business support body.
There is progress, by the way, in putting something in place for Dover Town to support town centre businesses.