Portas Pilot

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by garinda

That's nothing to do with the Portas Pilot bid.

It's a different government initiative.

Their High Street Innovation Fund.

In which 100 ailing town's councils were given a £100,000., to try and solve the problem of so many empty shops.

The Portas Pilot scheme, of which Accrington has submitted a bid, has still to choose the twelve successful towns.

That Observer article is misleading/false - because it does say that it is from the Portas scheme.

"The borough has been awarded the money out of the £10million High Street Innovation Fund, which the Government is labelling its ‘Portas Plus’ plan"

Portas Plus - Portas Pilot - are they just confusing the issue?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

That Observer article is misleading/false - because it does say that it is from the Portas scheme.

"The borough has been awarded the money out of the £10million High Street Innovation Fund, which the Government is labelling its ‘Portas Plus’ plan"

Portas Plus - Portas Pilot - are they just confusing the issue?

Margaret we are talking the Observer here, since when has the truth got in the way of a good story

[garinda]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

That Observer article is misleading/false - because it does say that it is from the Portas scheme.

"The borough has been awarded the money out of the £10million High Street Innovation Fund, which the Government is labelling its ‘Portas Plus’ plan"

Portas Plus - Portas Pilot - are they just confusing the issue?

I agree. It wasn't clear in the Observer where this money had come from, or why we'd got it.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

'Bid to be a ‘Portas Pilot -'

'The recent improvements to Platts Lodge, the railway station/Tesco development and the Market Hall are clear evidence of this proactive and co-ordinated approach.'

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/downloa...own_Centre.pdf



I do hope Accrington's bid hasn't made too much of a big deal about the massively imposing, new and shiny, town centre Tesco.

I don't think ol' ginger Bob is too keen on that sort of thing. Seeing as she wants the passing of plans for them to be taken out of the hands of local councillors, whose judgement might be swayed by the promise of a hefty financial bung if planning is approved, and the decision as to whether they are a benefit to wherever, taken down in Westminster.

A move that would probably be welcomed by Accrington's rapidly dwindling independent retailers. Who are always more than ready to tell people who still shop with them, that their businesses have suffered dramatically, since the new Tesco opened in Accrington's town centre.

Well, Mary turns a blind eye to Hyndburn's bid, but it's a thumbs up for Nelson.

High streets chosen for Mary Portas pilots - Telegraph

I bet it was thinking a new town centre Tesco was a good thing, and highlighting the fact on our application, that swung it.

Old ginger Bob positively hates them.

Oh well, nevermind.

There'll soon be new non-story pipe dreams, planted in the press, to get all excited about.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Well, Mary turns a blind eye to Hyndburn's bid, but it's a thumbs up for Nelson.

High streets chosen for Mary Portas pilots - Telegraph

I bet it was thinking a new town centre Tesco was a good thing, and highlighting the fact on our application, that swung it.

Old ginger Bob positively hates them.

Oh well, nevermind.

There'll soon be new non-story pipe dreams, planted in the press, to get all excited about.

Whats Nelson got the we haven't, well never mind we could be in the next wave of 15 to be awarded later, but I'm not holding mi breath. (maybe because I can't really)

[susie123]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Whats Nelson got the we haven't, well never mind we could be in the next wave of 15 to be awarded later, but I'm not holding mi breath. (maybe because I can't really)

If this is all about deprivation then surely it should be what have we got that Nelson hasn't - Accy is too good to be included?

I see that several of the winning bids mention street art and street theatre "putting the fun back into town centres". Is this what shoppers really want when they're in town? If so, perhaps the undesirables who it seems are putting folks off from shopping in Accrington could be rebranded as "street performers"?

And yarn bombing? mentioned by Liskeard, one of the winners, as part of a "vibrant arts scene. WTF is that all about?

Yarn bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[garinda]

Originally Posted by susie123

And yarn bombing? mentioned by Liskeard, one of the winners, as part of a "vibrant arts scene. WTF is that all about?

Yarn bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oh we've been there, done that.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...art-55321.html

Knitty Nora was paid to take up residency in Accrington Arts Centre, whoops, meant Market Hall, crocheting gonks.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by garinda

Oh we've been there, done that.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...art-55321.html

Knitty Nora was paid to take up residency in Accrington Arts Centre, whoops, meant Market Hall, crocheting gonks.

Thanks for that, I'd no idea. It was obviously a roaring success, sorry, can't be ar*ed to read through 50 pages of that thread to find out.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by susie123

If this is all about deprivation then surely it should be what have we got that Nelson hasn't - Accy is too good to be included?

I see that several of the winning bids mention street art and street theatre "putting the fun back into town centres". Is this what shoppers really want when they're in town? If so, perhaps the undesirables who it seems are putting folks off from shopping in Accrington could be rebranded as "street performers"?

And yarn bombing? mentioned by Liskeard, one of the winners, as part of a "vibrant arts scene. WTF is that all about?

Yarn bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I didn't agree with it then and I still don't now.

If we're to invest money in town centres then we need something long term, not a one off gimmick.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by susie123

Thanks for that, I'd no idea. It was obviously a roaring success, sorry, can't be ar*ed to read through 50 pages of that thread to find out.

Don't worry.

I'll summmarise the thread.

Most people thought it was a load of old balls....of wool, and the project shouldn't have been part funded by the tax payer.

Mind, it was slightly more appreciated by us philistines, than the Chav Mob Stomping About community art event.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I didn't agree with it then and I still don't now.

If we're to invest money in town centres then we need something long term, not a one off gimmick.

Must be okay when you can turn your nose up to 100 grand, maybe if some of the assets which were sold of and sacrificed on the altar of the globe centre, had have been put to use on improving the Town Centre maybe it wouldn't be such a state now

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

If we're to invest money in town centres then we need something long term, not a one off gimmick.

Benches maybe ?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

Benches maybe ?

Don't start.

Germany's a bit too far for the Deputy Leader of H.B.C. to travel to easily, to tell you to keep your gob shut, because the gypsies didn't make off with the benches that were removed, and damaged beyond repair, as part of the 'experiment' to rid Accy of alkies.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Don't start.

Germany's a bit too far for the Deputy Leader of H.B.C. to travel to easily, to tell you to keep your gob shut, because the gypsies didn't make off with the benches that were removed, and damaged beyond repair, as part of the 'experiment' to rid Accy of alkies.

Awe I don't know Rindi, maybe she could take in the deutschland on one of her retail therapy trips

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Awe I don't know Rindi, maybe she could take in the deutschland on one of her retail therapy trips

But HBC are international aren't they ? Surely Germany is within their scope ? I mean, come on, who was it who bombed the Lanky Chippies ?