would you like to see more community focussed events in accrington

[jedimaster]

as a result of the christmas lights discussion i have decided to see what your feelings are with regard to seeing more community focussed events. i am a firm believer that such events are great for the community as a whole as well as the possibility of extra trade brought in by outsiders coming in to visit these events. there is so much potential in this town and maybe we should be petitioning hbc to back more community events matbe to begin with focussing on special occasions eg. easter,mayday,summer,harvest.christmas.


what do you think?

[Gayle]

They already do community focused events.

There was the Royal Wedding and St George's Day in summer this year. Plus, the light switch on. There's the food festival in April.

There are local performers performing in the market during the run up to Christmas.

A committee has started working on the Queen's jubilee next year.

The problem is that all these things cost money and the one thing the council doesn't have much of is spare money. I can just imagine the fuss there would be if the council spent any extra money on putting on events. Well, actually I don't need to imagine it because there are loads of threads on here about it.

[garinda]

Personally I'd feel more welcomed if they returned the communal benches.

Before I can comment further I'd need to know what specific 'community events', and what the costs would be to the public purse.

If it was over a grand, spent teaching a group of neddies, a five minute dance routine to perform on Broadway, no, I would not be in favour of it.

[jedimaster]

i am talking about events of a similar vein to the christmas market we have been discussing

eg. local craft markets, local foods etc.. with a focus on the local community.

these can be set up at minimal cost with most of that being recouped through stall rentals etc..

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by Gayle

The problem is that all these things cost money and the one thing the council doesn't have much of is spare money. I can just imagine the fuss there would be if the council spent any extra money on putting on events. Well, actually I don't need to imagine it because there are loads of threads on here about it.

getting pretty sick of the 'these things cost money' response

surely it would be more beneficial to spend what little money hbc has at it's disposal on something which engages the whole community and also local commerce and promotes local enterprise, than funding part time jobs for a minority target group!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jedimaster

i am talking about events of a similar vein to the christmas market we have been discussing

eg. local craft markets, local foods etc.. with a focus on the local community.

these can be set up at minimal cost with most of that being recouped through stall rentals etc..

I think it would be a start if the Town Hall, and the information/tourist centre was reopened on Saturdays.

In the eighties the Town Hall was hired out monthly, and attracted hundreds of people to the town who wouldn't have been there, except to specifically visit the book, collector, model, antique fairs etc.

Other businesses benefited from the extra peole visiting the town.

I know when we hire the Town Hall for our meetings, there are an extra 50-80 people I see shopping in the town afterwards, who wouldn't otherwise have been there.

(Although the Town Hall's closed now on Saturdays, it will be opened if someone hires it.)

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by garinda

I think it would be a start if the Town Hall, and the information/tourist centre was reopened on Saturdays.

In the eighties the Town Hall was hired out monthly, and attracted hundreds of people to the town who wouldn't have been there, except to specifically visit the book, collector, model, antique fairs etc.

Other businesses benefited from the extra peole visiting the town.

I know when we hire the Town Hall for our meetings, there are an extra 50-80 people I see shopping in the town afterwards, who wouldn't otherwise have been there.

(Although the Town Hall's closed now on Saturdays, it will be opened if someone hires it.)

another cracking idea little things like this are all stepping stones to a thriving town

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jedimaster

getting pretty sick of the 'these things cost money' response

Ever run a successful commercial concern?

Costings are a paramount part of the equation.

More so in a recession, when there are drastic cuts happening to public services.

[Gayle]

As far as I am aware the ballroom at the Town Hall can be hired for FREE. As long as the hirers have a bar so that Leisure in Hyndburn make money in some way.

As for other events - why not go ahead and organise stuff?

Everyone can have good ideas but just telling someone else about it doesn't mean it will happen.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jedimaster

getting pretty sick of the 'these things cost money' response

Anyone can come up with any amount of pie in the shy ideas, which would make the world a better place.

Unfortunately realism rears it's ugly head, and things like costings have to be considered, before anything can happen.

The last time I looked, money still doesn't grown on trees.

[accyman]

although street entertainers arnt my cup of tea i can honestly say i have never been offended or caused any harm by one

instead of paying for them to be welcomed for one day how about lifting the ban on them if it is still in place and to hell with regulations?

im not claiming they would save teh town but they wer epart of accy centers charecter and charecter is something that accy center has had systamaticly stripped from it the past few years.

all accy is known for is betting establishments and cheap shops and this needs to change.The coucil should make having a shop in accy center an attractive prospect not screw them dry with council tax so that we may then get quirky little shops of interest as well as big names who can afford the privelage of been in a town center

just a thought.

It is also illigal to drink booze in the town center so enforce it dont take away things peopel use because of them.If they start leaning against teh wall of marks and spencers to take a sip of their booze will teh council demolish marks and spencers ?

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by garinda

Anyone can come up with any amount of pie in the shy ideas, which would make the world a better place.

Unfortunately realism rears it's ugly head, and things like costings have to be considered, before anything can happen.

The last time I looked, money still doesn't grown on trees.

true enough, but surely if enough people want it then that's what the money should be put into instead of schemes people don't want. is this not what the council is there for - to represent the people?

[flashy]

M&S don't have a wall, it's all glass

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

As far as I am aware the ballroom at the Town Hall can be hired for FREE. As long as the hirers have a bar so that Leisure in Hyndburn make money in some way.

As for other events - why not go ahead and organise stuff?

Everyone can have good ideas but just telling someone else about it doesn't mean it will happen.

My comment was just about how the Town Hall was marketed and used regularly thirty years ago, but it isn't now.

The model train event is now held in the Sports Centre, but the town centre doesn't benefit from a knock on effect, now it's located there.

People travelled from all over to the collectors/antique fairs etc, which there's probably even more interest in nowadays, due to their populatity on television, and the fact other places host fairs.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by flashy

M&S don't have a wall, it's all glass

lol ok good point M&S is safe then


isnt any glass though is it,its M&S glass