Campaign To Keep The Arndale Clock - Page 7

WillowTheWhisp · 19-07-2004, 17:49

Any news yet Kipax?

KIPAX · 19-07-2004, 20:31

Nope.. didnt get time to phone.. Wifey has had me putting up shelves in the kids bedroom... big buggers they are.... hey and there still up this evening

Shelves I mean.

Still no feedback from Observer or Greg Pope who both say will look into it.. But I dont expect them to be too quick so I guess patience is the keyword there.

As for the Arndale.. Well I am dissapointed to say the least that they havent responded to my fax.. I will phone them tommorow and politely ask why not

KIPAX · 20-07-2004, 12:47

Just phoned the Arndale and the manager himsef answered the phone.. I asked if he had recieved my FAX... He said yes and he has written a letter to me. he says such and suchabody has been on holiday so it hasn't been posted... I should get a letter from him in the next day or so...

Hmm watch this space then

Doug · 20-07-2004, 12:56

Good luck mate and thank you for making the effort.........

KIPAX · 21-07-2004, 12:35

We have now had a reple from Greg Pope MP

Quote:

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. The clock is currently in
storage awaiting restoration/repair works. I understand that the management
of the Arndale Centre have offered the clock to Hyndburn Borough Council,
but have pointed out that it needs to be placed somewhere covered. Hyndburn
Council haven't got back in touch with the Arndale people yet as presumably
they are thinking about it.

I hope that this is helpful.

Best wishes,

Greg Pope MP

I am guessing the still awaited letter from the Arndale will have much the same information... Yes?

OK lets look at the reply.. "The clock is awaiting repair and restoration" This gives the impression that its in hand. Well having spoken to Andy Plant the creator and the person who they brought in to dissmantle it.. he knows nothing of any restoration or repair work... Surely given that they got him to dissmantle it then they would get him to fix it? So I aint too sure I like that answer..

Arndale have offered it to the council who havent replied? Looks like the trail stops at the council door.. But there are so many departmens it would be hit and miss contacting them... Thus I have replied to Greg Pope asking if he knows... However one of the questions I asked the arndale manager in my fax was..If he cant provide answers then can he point me in the right direction.. Surely if the Arndale have offered it to the council then they will know what department.

So awaiting the letter from arndale.. presumably tommorow.. after that the next step is o find out what department of the council is dealing with this and contact them

All agreed??

KIPAX · 21-07-2004, 12:37

Wow! An instant reply from greg Pope who has provided me with full contact details for the people at the council.. He has also offered to write to them about the clock...

Greg Pope is starting to get a bit of a thumbs up from me.. considering I aint been his biggest fan

JohnW · 21-07-2004, 12:38

Sounds like the right way to go to me "K"!

KIPAX · 21-07-2004, 14:05

OK I have now written to the appropriate person at the council who has been offered the clock.. ..I have used FAX as its as good as a letter. arrives instantly and doesnt get lost in the post

I have outlined our concerns and what action has been taken so far.. who we have contact etc... This along wiht the letter he gets off Greg Pope should get us an answer somewhere along the lines..... I wont be happy with an answer like we are thinking about it....... I would prefer something more solid ... agreed?

So its back to waiitng for a response from the councill..

Wonder what happened to the Observer?

KIPAX · 22-07-2004, 11:25

This is a reply from the Arndale manager.. It answers the question once and for all as to who owns the clck. It also backs up the info from Greg Pope...

What it also hints at is that it could all boil down to a simple case of nowhere to put it.

But we need to find out what the nice man from the council says first... If as I fear he replies wiht nowhere to put it then we need to start another thread asking for suggestions and see what we as a collective can come up with... But its a waste of time doing that now if the council do ahve a plan...

Next step wait for council reply. Agreed?

JohnW · 22-07-2004, 11:42

Well K your persistance is paying off and you are getting the replies. Let's hope someone can come up with a good suggestion for the new location. Is there nowhere in the Town Hall it could be sited?

KIPAX · 22-07-2004, 11:59

The council obviously know all about it from what the MP and the arndale say.. so we really need a reply from them..

If theres nothing happening then we can come up with ideas.. we can also contact the papers to highlight the situation and any organisations as listed earlier by Doug. In other words rally the troops..

Only when we are armed with all the information can we take it to the next step

Maybe..just maybe (fingers crossed) the council ahve already thought of summat

Acrylic-bob · 23-07-2004, 04:37

Well done Kipax. Thinking about the problem of where to site the clock, there are not many possible venues where public access and supervision can be guaranteed. Here is my list; Accrington Library(I think it would look great in the children's section), Hyndburn Sports Centre, Accrington Market Hall, Accrington and Rosendale College, the Post Office on Abbey Street, or maybe ASDA could give it a home. There would also be the possibility of insisting that it form part of either the Broadway revamp or the new Rail/Bus Station development.

Failing that, could we not ask HBC to house it in a glass box of some description, in the same manner as the war memorial from the Sacred Heart? If they could do that then the possible locations are vastly increased.

lettie · 23-07-2004, 06:47

The Post Office is too small. We need a place with very high ceilings. If Asda was used it would have to be just inside the store. Not been inside the college for years so can't say what the space is like in there. Part of the new Broadway development may be the way to go. I'll bet money that the Council will never agree to it going in the Town Hall.

KIPAX · 23-07-2004, 09:03

Cant be outside, not even in a glass box.. thats a given. It has to be indoors and where a glass box could be considered indoors it would need to be ebig enough for when it opens.... something all glass and tat big would very quickly look a compete mess .. even if it wasnt vandalised.. the elements would make the glass look a mess.

glass box is a good idea at first thought.. but not really practical.

i agree a couple of those plces are to smal.. the clock if massive... dot know the dimensions.... also when its working it would be a distraction....

its a difficult one sure enough...

BTW No response from council today... but then again it is a bit early as they only got my letter yesterday

Doug · 23-07-2004, 12:09

I’ve being over a least 8 times in the last 4 weeks or so and I still haven’t been in to the town centre. So it’s difficult for me to visualise where the bloody thing could go. Do we not have any heritage centres at all over there?

If you’re successful with this enterprise, and I think you’ve made a big enough impact locally with Greg Pope to give a 50/50 chance. Maybe we (you) could encourage Mr Pope to try and get HBC to submit an application to the Heritage lottery fund, for restoration and placement costs. It’s a long shot I know, but there have lesser projects that have receive funding.

Has for a location? ****** that going to be a difficult one in it’s your intentions to keep in Accrington.

A few Blind suggests just to get people thinking “For When the Time Comes”

Sports centre Church
Ossy Mills
Stanley’s Ground – Main Entrance? “I not seen it, so please don’t paddy at me lads”

By the way have Stanley tried for funding from the Lottery?