Rose coloured criticism.

[garinda]

Peter Britcliffe's column in this weekend's Observer, urges all to be less critical of all the good things in Hyndburn.

He talks about his old Dad, saying that fishmongers don't say their fish stinks, because no one would buy it.

My reply to that Peter would be, that if your fish stank, whether you advertised the fact or not, you wouldn't sell much, and would soon be out of business. People aren't daft.

I spent five years at art school. With art there really no wrong or right. However, what you have to be able to is to be able to take criticism, constructive or not, and either defend yourself or learn from it.

Wearing rose colored spectacles, doesn't make the world any better a place. It just cosmetically alters it, to make it look better.

A barrage of constant, unwarrented criticism can create negativity. It can also bring about more positive changes and progress.

You can stick with your rose coloured 'isn't everything in Accrington wondeful' attitude. I'll stick with realism, and give praise when and where it is due.

[SPUGGIE J]

Very valid points. PB is in a dream world and thinks that everything in Hyndburn is hunky dory and there are no problems issues or gripes. Its time he came down from his Ivory Tower Crystal Palace or whatever he is living in and took off the blinkers as well as the glasses and take a look at reality befor it puts a size twelve into his jewel pouch.

As for the fish I am suprised he aint got food poisoning because really fresh fish dosnt smell of anything but the sea (if from the sea) and shouldnt be eaten if "smelly" or "off colour." Does he have any brains or common sense or is he taking to much of something dodgy since quitting the ciggies?

[chav1]

the river hyndburn didnt get its name the river stink because it smelt of roses,it got its new name because it smells of crap and unfortuynatly crap is what accrington has become

PB is in a position to put right some of the things wrong with accrington so if he wants people to see the good things in accrington its up to him and his mates at the town hall to put them there to be seen

[garinda]

The story of the Emporer's new clothes sprang to mind when I read the column.

'Yes, your Majesty, you look wonderful', cheered the grateful peasants, as the naked Emporer passed by, waving happily to the crowds.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by garinda

as the naked Emporer passed by, waving happily to the crowds.

I just had a horrible vision then of our illustrious leader!!!

Seriously, oh yes I'm sure we're all going to think Hyndburn is so much more attractive if only we tell ourselves that there's nothing at all wrong with it!!

Come on Peter we need to be realistic, as Garinda says if we can't accept constructive criticism we are never going to make progress. This is one of my grouches with education these days. Nothing is allowed to be wrong anymore. It has to be "not qute the answer required" or some such twaddle and teachers can't use red ink because it's too aggressive. COCKYPOP! If I had a red tick I was chuffed. If I had a red cross then I knew it was something I needed to work on.

There are areas of Hyndburn where a red tick is appropriate and areas where a dirty great big red cross is more appropriate - those areas can then aspire to improving so as to warrant a tick.

[Gayle]

I almost hate myself for saying this but I can sort of see where he's coming from, in fact, I've said the same things myself (wonder where he got the idea).

It's not about rose coloured spectacles it's about accentuating the positive so that people outside of the town might not get such a negative view of it. As everyone says, there are lots of good things about living here but we tend to spend more time talking about the things that are wrong - mostly because you don't need to discuss the good things because they don't require debate.

I don't deny there are tons of things wrong with this borough and we all have plenty of cause to gripe most of the time but we should also try, wherever possible, to promote it positively or it will forever be that town that no one wants to come to because no one has a good word to say for it.

[chav1]

so we tell people outside of accrington how good it is here and when they get here and see how crap it is for themselves we get a reputation of been a town of liars as well

edit:

mind you if you have a fetish for charity and pound shops accrington is the place to visit but apart from that what exactly does accrington have to entice people to come here that other towns dont have ?


"COME TO ACCRINGTON - its not as bad as burnley" is about the best i can think of

[Less]

Originally Posted by Gayle

it's about accentuating the positive

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

And who are you suggesting is the 'Mr. In-between', in this particular instance Gayle?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I almost hate myself for saying this but I can sort of see where he's coming from

You should pair up. You could be the new Neil and Christine Hamilton.




I'm an optimist. However, pretending everything is good, when it plainly isn't, is like burying your head in the sand, and certainly doesn't bring about a 'feel good factor' that will attract new companies to the area.

I notice thar Mr. Britcliffe claimed in his column again that forty new businesses have opened in the area, and was challenged to name them by Graham Jones. He listed the three he can remember in his column, but still seems to be struggling to name the remaining thirty seven.

Perhaps he's counting ones like his chum's Kevin Horkin's Opticans, which opened in Ossy, and closed two months later?

[WillowTheWhisp]

OK Gayle, ball's in your court. You tell us what there is to praise and we'll praise it. I'm having a struggle to think of anything.

[AccyJay]

Originally Posted by garinda

I notice thar Mr. Britcliffe claimed in his column again that forty new businesses have opened in the area, and was challenged to name them by Graham Jones. He listed the three he can remember in his column, but still seems to be struggling to name the remaining thirty seven.

It would be interesting to see how many businesses had closed in the same period.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

OK Gayle, ball's in your court. You tell us what there is to praise and we'll praise it. I'm having a struggle to think of anything.

?

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

OK Gayle, ball's in your court. You tell us what there is to praise and we'll praise it. I'm having a struggle to think of anything.

Haworth Art Gallery
Accrington Stanley
Warner Street
Canal corridor at Church
Beautiful views from hills over Ossy
Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre
Foxhill Nature Reserve
The Coppice and the views from it
Accrington & Rossendale College
11 parks (more green space per person than anywhere else)
Ossy Cloggers
Huncoat in Bloom
Hyndburn Sports Centre
Hyndburn Comets
Community groups like Prospects

To list just a few

Look, I'm not saying that there aren't things wrong with the place - I know there are or I wouldn't have wanted to stand for council to put them right. All I'm saying is that there are also some positive things but the very nature of people is to talk about what's going wrong and not what's going right. If things are going ok then there's nothing to actually discuss was my point which is why any subject which could have a positive angle gets largely ignored but we all like a good moan!

[Less]

Have Ossy Cloggers re-formed I'd heard they'd dis-banded a couple of years ago?

[AccyJay]

So, the next time i'm in town. Instead of saying look at all the Pound/Charity shops & Bookies. I should really be saying "oh well, at least we live near a big hill (The Coppice)"

From the top of the big hill you can see the travellers camps & the refuge tip. Thanks HBC for the big hill, oh sorry, i nearly forgot that the big hill is a natural geographical feature.