Market Hall Refurbishment - Page 19

garinda · 28-08-2010, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I've been accused of worse things, Kate....

I have nothing against the Civic Theatre itself and can see the wider good intentions for it but it is becoming little more than a trophy for Peter Britcliffe which is demeaning the whole thing. There is an uncomfortable amount of sloppy accounting involved with the actual allocation of funds and we're talking about a lot of money, sums of which I'm sure you're already fully aware of.

Peter's jiggery-pokery with the eventual invitations is well known within the corridors of HBC as it is going on with a couple of other things as well. As I've said before, in the run up to next May expect to see Peter Britcliffe's name on as many brass plaques as are due to be unveiled in Hyndburn, not Malcolm Pritchard's.

Gayle's mention of Labour's stance on capital expenditure implies that I'm entrenched in a Conservative/Labour argument here, which I'm not. What annoys me is that one man is pulling the purse strings of an entire borough just to satisfy his own ego and get his name associated with as many things as possible.

Hyndburn is suffering as a borough because of what is being dictated by that man to the masses.

Haven't you signed the pledge yet, that forbids courting public controversy, in your elected role?

No?

Good.

garinda · 28-08-2010, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I've been accused of worse things, Kate....

I have nothing against the Civic Theatre itself and can see the wider good intentions for it but it is becoming little more than a trophy for Peter Britcliffe which is demeaning the whole thing. There is an uncomfortable amount of sloppy accounting involved with the actual allocation of funds and we're talking about a lot of money, sums of which I'm sure you're already fully aware of.

Peter's jiggery-pokery with the eventual invitations is well known within the corridors of HBC as it is going on with a couple of other things as well. As I've said before, in the run up to next May expect to see Peter Britcliffe's name on as many brass plaques as are due to be unveiled in Hyndburn, not Malcolm Pritchard's.

Gayle's mention of Labour's stance on capital expenditure implies that I'm entrenched in a Conservative/Labour argument here, which I'm not. What annoys me is that one man is pulling the purse strings of an entire borough just to satisfy his own ego and get his name associated with as many things as possible.

Hyndburn is suffering as a borough because of what is being dictated by that man to the masses.

No comment, your Worship?

Seeing as you're online.

Stephanie Wallace · 29-08-2010, 07:49

I used to love the Accrington market hall and loved Blondie's cheese stall. Bought big hunks of crumbly delicious Lancashire cheese and brown eggs. Liked the clothes and handbag stalls and meat stalls. The outside market seems to be doing a disappearing act. I hope things pick up again, in time for my visit next year. Just love the lancashire markets-is the Burnley one still alive, not to mention Blackburn?

Ken Moss · 29-08-2010, 07:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephanie Wallace

I used to love the Accrington market hall and loved Blondie's cheese stall. Bought big hunks of crumbly delicious Lancashire cheese and brown eggs. Liked the clothes and handbag stalls and meat stalls. The outside market seems to be doing a disappearing act. I hope things pick up again, in time for my visit next year. Just love the lancashire markets-is the Burnley one still alive, not to mention Blackburn?

Yes, both are still going.

The Blackburn one is undergoing something of a revamp at the moment which may or may not work in its favour but I was there with my wife last weekend and it was thriving, a real hive of activity. If we can get the Accrington market up to anything like that level then it will be the jewel in the town centre.

We do need occupied stalls first though....

Atarah · 29-08-2010, 08:02

Blondie's cheese stall?????? Where please?

garinda · 31-08-2010, 08:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex

I think you are maybe getting a little confused here, Ken. There has now been some funds allocated for refurbishment of 'The Theatre', which is entirely different to the Arts Centre.

'PLANS to revamp more of Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre are back on the cards following a VAT windfall.'

'An additional £300,000 will be spent on improving the first floor theatre space itself, following the unveiling of the ground floor Civic Arts Centre on which £400,000 has been spent.'

More of Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre to be revamped (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Barrie Yates · 31-08-2010, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atarah

Blondie's cheese stall?????? Where please?

Perhaps it is/was Greenwood's? Remember that well, both inside and outside the Market Hall and i seem to remember that there were a couple of blonde ladies worked there.

Margaret Pilkington · 31-08-2010, 11:31

Clarrie Greenwoods daughter was blonde....and she worked on the stall.

Atarah · 31-08-2010, 15:47

Oh I knew who you mean now, she at one time kept the jewellery shop next door in the market hall. Then they sold out, didnt they, was it Christine who then owned it (she used to work on the stall originally.)

Margaret Pilkington · 31-08-2010, 17:42

Gosh, I don't know.......I worked on the market years and years ago......Clarrie owned the stall in the market and they had one on the outside market too......I know his daughter worked on the inside stall....and I know she was blonde......I also know she was scary...she could stop you in your tracks with just a black look. Maybe it was because I was just a slip of a girl at the time.

Ken Moss · 01-09-2010, 06:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

'PLANS to revamp more of Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre are back on the cards following a VAT windfall.'

'An additional £300,000 will be spent on improving the first floor theatre space itself, following the unveiling of the ground floor Civic Arts Centre on which £400,000 has been spent.'

More of Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre to be revamped (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What a story. It would never have been threatened so long as Britcliffe is Leader but he's still managed to paint himself as the hero.

He increased his own budget by £650k last year to encompass this and the £600k VAT windfall came ages ago. There's another story flying around that he's saved the council £1.9m this year but those two figures are included in the total so it's not really a saving.

He's also increased his own Cabinet fund by £40k this year but all this money has to come from somewhere and it concerns me that we'll have nothing left in the pot come next May, regardless of who wins the local elections.

Gayle · 01-09-2010, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

Please get your facts right before dragging the Civic Arts Centre into this.

For a start it was not the Civic Theatre that was due to be officially launched, it was the newly refurbished Civic Arts Centre.

The original date was the 12th not the 4th and the official launch event has been postponed - not cancelled.

The Centre is very much Open and there was an Open Day on the 22nd August. The Centre is up and running and very much open, please don't go round saying that the opening has cancelled as that implies that we're not operational and we are.

The official launch event was POSTPONED because there are three big projects happening in the run up to the event (two already happened) and the third next week. The Board and I decided that we didn't have time to do the Official Launch Event the justice it deserved so have bought our selves more time. Plus, some of the board were unable to attend the date of the 12th, so the Board of the Arts Centre made the decision to POSTPONE the event.

Peter Britcliffe will undoubtedly be a huge part of the rearranged Official Launch event (and was always intended to be) as it was he that has championed this project from day one and it's in his ward. Don't forget, the Labour Party opposed this project and voted against the capital expenditure.

I just want to make a public apology about this post. I shouldn't have added the final line - what do they say, 'act in haste, repent at leisure' I may be paraphrasing.

I regret saying that Labour opposed the project as it's not strictly true. They did vote against it at the council meeting but they had their reasons for that. The truth is that many of the Labour group were very supportive of the project from day one. It was always included in Labour's budgets and some members were very keen to see it go ahead.

I don't want to get caught between a very public 'rock and a hard place' so it will be much better if I bow out now.

Apologies to anyone that I have offended.

Ken Moss · 02-09-2010, 18:29

For anyone who is interested, myself and Cllr Clare Pritchard will be bringing the Market Hall up at various points through the course of the evening at the next full council on 14th September. The market traders have already been invited to come and sit in the public gallery but it will be interesting to see how Peter Britcliffe and Marlene Haworth avail themselves in front of their target audience.

I imagine that Independent Cllr Dave Parkins of Huncoat will also chip in with his opinions as it is a subject very close to his heart.

Atarah · 02-09-2010, 18:56

Mmm, might be good if a "party" of Accywebbers went. Anyone up for it?

Ken Moss · 03-09-2010, 23:32

Cllr Britcliffe apparently can't make any comments on the Market Hall at the council meeting as he has a personal and prejudicial interest. It seems not to have stopped him before:

Accrington Market Hall Relaunch

Accrington market hall's £2m revamp unveiled (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Call to end Accrington's Wednesday half-day trading (From Blackburn Citizen)

Car park plan for Accrington bus station (From This Is Lancashire)

Internet cafe business opportunity at Accrington Market (From Lancashire Telegraph)

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