Fake shops

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by susie123

Actualy I'd rather have a bright fake shop front than one that is boarded up or otherwise looks empty. It helps to make the streets a bit less off-putting to people which is surely not a bad thing.

They don't need to falsify shop facades to stop it looking off putting Susie they just need to do something about the Maundy Army that make the centre such an unattractive place for people to come shopping, that costs nothing.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Guinness

Yeah..let's pick on spelling, much easier than explaining why Rishton keeps getting allocated money over other areas much more in need...20k for planning cafes, supermarkets and shops in a village with 2 supermarkets, a spar, 2 cafes, a restaurant and umpteen shops, 10k for allotments and 5k for looking at unadopted roads.

But hey, coming from a guy who has probably made more sensational posts about the former council (before he was elected) than an amalgam of any 5 other members of this forum..why let facts get in the way!

You and Graham Jones exemplify what is wrong with the politics of this country...when you were looking for votes you were all over this forum, since you both have been accountable you have been conspicuous by your absence, chipping in occasionally usually to bemoan that you are misunderstood or that you know better than us plebs. (And in Graham Jones case it's probably because some unpaid intern has copy/pasted the info from Google for him beforehand)

I don't like Jay's political stance, but I would never stoop so low as to use spelling or grammar as an argument against his political leanings. How far has the socialist ideal fallen that it attempts to make political gain over spelling....pathetic

Spot on Guinness, I've stated before that the Squire of Rishton, was a seven day a week member when he was slagging Britcliffe of every day, yet since being elected and his mob taking control he's been very conspicuous with his absence, mind you the appearances might just rise over the next few weeks, its the silly season, better known as vote for us time again

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by accyman

these fake shops give the illusion of a prosperous property

why not do more than provide illusions

mind you politics is all about illusions i suppose

seriously before i got struck with a very serious illness i was about to start my own buisness in accrington which i am extreemly good at but now with no funds i cant get a foothold and to see money blown on making a property appear prosperous instead of helping someone do something with that property really get on my tits no matter how little or large the amount be

Quite right accyman politics is about illusions better known in the trade as smoke and mirrors

[Wynonie Harris]

s

Originally Posted by Neil

Bury is much bigger than Accrington and its Council has a much bigger budget than Hyndburns. As usual HBC's website is not easy to fins information on and I could not find the full budget figures except for them having a capital program of £6.3 million which includes over £4 million for Woodnook. Take the £4 million for the questionable Woodnook scheme off and you have £2.3 million capital for everything else.

Bury's website has figures for 2012/13 as being a capital program of £15 million, a housing revenue budget of £30 million and a revenue budget of £130 million.

Firstly, it's not just about budget alone. Go to Bury and, apart from the usual quota of chavs found in most towns, you will not find an assortment of deadbeats and junkies wandering around as you do in Accy.

Secondly, Bury's an extreme example. You can go to other towns, some of which are an equivalent size and they all seem to be busier. Why?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

s

Firstly, it's not just about budget alone. Go to Bury and, apart from the usual quota of chavs found in most towns, you will not find an assortment of deadbeats and junkies wandering around as you do in Accy.

Secondly, Bury's an extreme example. You can go to other towns, some of which are an equivalent size and they all seem to be busier. Why?

Take a look at Leigh, near Wigan, its as busy as a beehive in contrast to Accy

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Take a look at Leigh, near Wigan, its as busy as a beehive in contrast to Accy

Quite right. Same size as Accy, sandwiched between Wigan and Bolton like Accy is between Blackburn and Burnley. A distinctly undistinguished looking town centre - none of the superb Victorian buildings that Accy has. The market hall's a concrete shed. Yet it's far, far busier than Accy and, although there are empty shops, there's nowhere near the number you'll see in Accy.

Why?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Quite right. Same size as Accy, sandwiched between Wigan and Bolton like Accy is between Blackburn and Burnley. A distinctly undistinguished looking town centre - none of the superb Victorian buildings that Accy has. The market hall's a concrete shed. Yet it's far, far busier than Accy and, although there are empty shops, there's nowhere near the number you'll see in Accy.

Why?

Maybe the Squire of Rishton, can persuade Myles, oops sorry Miles to commission a report as to why this is, after all it would appear that the only requisite one needs to be a councilor in Hyndburn these days is to be totally deaf and walk about with blinkers on when in the town centre

[Less]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Miles. It's spelled MILES. It's printed in The Accrington Observer at least once a week, please don't tell me it needs to be on every page in every story for ten years before you get this one right?

We already know about Jays spelling and enjoy the fact that he has a natural talent to screw it up, no harm done there really is there?

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

No I haven't been 'instructed' as I knew nothing about this until today but my interest was piqued by another ludicrous sum being bandied about without anyone bothering to do their research. The shop frontage is not costing £100k, it is being paid for out of a £100k pot.

A 100k pot for what? Has a full 100k been put to one side for doing up all of our empty shops? Or is it part of a squanderlust fund that can be dipped into for just about any hairbrained schemes someone comes up with?

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Why let facts get in the way of a sensational Accyweb thread, eh?

From what I understand this story broke in the Obbo, perhaps they thought it important enough to sensationalise this ridiculous state of affairs, money that could be better spent during these austere times on real projects that would actually help the community of Hyndburn.

As Marge P said, just papering over the cracks, or would you prefer the tale of the emperors clothes? Spend plenty and get nothing?

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

Bury is much bigger than Accrington and its Council has a much bigger budget than Hyndburns. As usual HBC's website is not easy to fins information on and I could not find the full budget figures except for them having a capital program of £6.3 million which includes over £4 million for Woodnook. Take the £4 million for the questionable Woodnook scheme off and you have £2.3 million capital for everything else.

Bury's website has figures for 2012/13 as being a capital program of £15 million, a housing revenue budget of £30 million and a revenue budget of £130 million.

Neil, I take your point about Bury having a bigger budget, but it isn't just about budgets, it is about the way the town markets itself.

Bury cannot compete with Manchester and its variety of big name shops...though to be fair Bury does have its share of those........I don't think that is what draws the people to it.
So what does draw the people into this town?

It has a vast and thriving traditional market. Something that Manchester, as a city, does not have....so it not only draws people from the small towns around it....it draws from the city too.

I have rarely seen this market quiet.....and if you go midweek, it is still thronged with people....because the coaches that bring people to the coastal towns of the northwest, make it one of their excursions.

Ramsbottom is another very small town. In the shadow of Manchester and Bury....but this little town always seems to have a good footfall.....why?
Because it has something to bring the people from outside the region in....the railway and the diverse independent little shops.

There are lessons to be learned, but it appears that HBC don't really want to learn them...they want to extract business rates from empty shops....they want to allow the detritus of society to drive would be visitors away from the town...and are happily supporting the building of a new bus station which will do exactly that for them.......for a back hander from TESCO.....Well done Tesco. That is another town you have helped to ruin.

[jaysay]

Wonder why when Councillor's, are elected they get the weeeeeeeee factor, that's the noise they make when throwing rate payers money about like confetti, its like its not ours we'll spend it as we want, wonderful

[davemac]

Why are the shops closing in the first place, is it because the people of Hyndburn no longer shop in the town, do we not take some responsibility for the demise of the town.

I don't think blaming the council on this matter is justified, and I think the fake shops will in the minds of people alter the perception that we are on the slide, and perhaps tempt people to shop in the town again. So people if we are to make this work, lets at least try to shop in town, LETS MAKE THIS LOCAL, you know it makes sense.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Dave another fine point...of course we must all take some responsibility....but(there is always one of those ) if the shops in the town are not providing the things you want and are looking for(at competitive and reasonable prices - we have to remember that there isn't that much money about and people want to get value for the money they spend.)....then what do you do?
You go eslewhere....you shop online.

The town centre has been progressively ruined. We have a market that is an embarrassment(well, to me it is). At one time there were people like Ray Linden, Uncle Dick selling things that you never knew you wanted......they coerced you into buying.
Broadway is a disgrace. Why on earth would people want to come into Accrington to see such and ugly space.
It isn't just the locals we need to entice into town...but people who go to other shopping centres...to other markets.
Personally, I think it is too late to resurrect Accrington town centre.

[Margaret Pilkington]

And fake shops might fool some of the people, but I don't think it will really alter the perception that the town is on its uppers....just my opinion.(FWIW)

[cmonstanley]

its about responsibility of keeping towns to a certain standard. ive always said the landlord or council should have to keep town centre properties to a certain standard its should be in their contracts. if the property owner cant afford it the council should step in and work in partnership.look at the example of the conservative club.we dont want half the town centre ending up like that.

[Less]

Originally Posted by davemac

Why are the shops closing in the first place, is it because the people of Hyndburn no longer shop in the town, do we not take some responsibility for the demise of the town.

I don't think blaming the council on this matter is justified, and I think the fake shops will in the minds of people alter the perception that we are on the slide, and perhaps tempt people to shop in the town again. So people if we are to make this work, lets at least try to shop in town, LETS MAKE THIS LOCAL, you know it makes sense.

Two examples for you,
1st my son runs his own company, needed an industrial unit, made inquiries locally, found the business tax far too expensive and prohibitive, went out of town for the premises.
2nd my SIL wanted to open a shop made inquiries similar results to the above example, but when he asked around Clitheroe they fell over backwards to help him find premises and make sure he was put in touch with the various retail organisations for the area.

Both found the first few years a struggle, but have managed to develop their business's. They would have preferred to have used our little town but if asked now wouldn't come near even though they would never move from the town so far as living.
Would my son-in-law have put his trust in a shop with a phony and cheap picture outside of it? Well, perhaps but only if there could be some sort of allowances so far as getting his shop up and running.