As a key component of Bournemouth Borough Council's strategy to revitalise Boscombe, the controversial surf reef has thus far largely proved to be divisive.
The construction of Europe's largest artificial surf reef aimed to attract a more bohemian class of visitor to an area synonymous with deprivation. Instead, it has quickly become a symbol of resentment for many residents.
Those who have always been opposed to the reef are now allied with an increasing number angry at its failure to deliver on its promise. In addition, dissenters are annoyed at the significant amount of public money used to fund a project where costs have already doubled to £3 million.
Yet again the reef is making headlines with a very public spat between Councillor David Charon and Liberal Democrat Councillor Roger West dominating the front pages of the Daily Echo.
The Conservative Leader of the Council, Councillor Charon, has attacked Councillor West for his intervention in a deal between council bosses and the firm charged with creating the reef, New Zealand based ASR.
Cllr West and a colleague have challenged a decision made by the cabinet to meet with ASR to discuss a "£55,000 up- front payment, with another £95,000 if they could sort it out", relating to teething problems with the reef.
These were highlighted during the summer by a damning report given by Plymouth University which described the reef as "sub-standard" and "only met four of its 11 objectives."
Ultimately, Cllr West's move was predicated by his dissatisfaction that there was no mention of a safety aspect in the cabinet report relating to construction flaws. The Councillor is also concerned that the initial refinement plan will not address these issues.
Are the Con/Lib differences symbiotic of the schisms that have recently been revealed within the ruling coalition Government?
What is certain is that the residents of Bournemouth, much to their chagrin in a supposed 'age of austerity', have to further subsidise an over-budget project in serious danger of becoming a proverbial white elephant.
Cllr West is right to intervene if genuine concerns about safety remain and if, as he says, he is acting “in the interest of Bournemouth’s economy and tourism" and not merely in the spirit of political opportunism as his accuser has suggested.
Decisive action is called for with all stakeholders expecting positive answers and action from ASR. Public in-fighting is counterproductive with the successful completion and implementation of the reef a priority, not tiresome politicking to an already apathetic public.
Tuesday 28 December 2010
Saturday 25 December 2010
Merry Christmas from Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs!
Another year has flown by and we are now preparing to usher in 2011! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs, the blog that covers news and opinion relating to the towns of High Wycombe and Bournemouth.
At the beginning of this year, I was busy with The Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special before the transition to the blog in its current form. By focussing on localised and specialist content, including issues relating to Wycombe Wanderers F.C and Bournemouth news, I have been able to concentrate on matters close to my heart. It has also enabled me to participate in active discussions, including those surrounding the tense developments in Wycombe Wanderers' proposals to build a new stadium in Booker.
I am delighted to have been able to contribute to the club fanzine, The Wanderer, and express my views on all things WWFC.
Throughout 2011, the remit of this blog will continue to be to provide news and opinion from the same locales with a strong emphasis on the travails of Wycombe Wanderers too.
If you have an opinion on any matter relating to High Wycombe or Bournemouth, whether it be the stadium plan, the High Speed Rail Link (HS2) through Buckinghamshire or Bournemouth's ever changing news landscape, then I'd love to publish your contributions to the debate. Please feel free to tweet me @williwycombe, email me at willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk or phone the newsdesk through Skype by searching for williwycombe.
Have a great Christmas and an even better New Year.
williwycombe
At the beginning of this year, I was busy with The Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special before the transition to the blog in its current form. By focussing on localised and specialist content, including issues relating to Wycombe Wanderers F.C and Bournemouth news, I have been able to concentrate on matters close to my heart. It has also enabled me to participate in active discussions, including those surrounding the tense developments in Wycombe Wanderers' proposals to build a new stadium in Booker.
I am delighted to have been able to contribute to the club fanzine, The Wanderer, and express my views on all things WWFC.
Throughout 2011, the remit of this blog will continue to be to provide news and opinion from the same locales with a strong emphasis on the travails of Wycombe Wanderers too.
If you have an opinion on any matter relating to High Wycombe or Bournemouth, whether it be the stadium plan, the High Speed Rail Link (HS2) through Buckinghamshire or Bournemouth's ever changing news landscape, then I'd love to publish your contributions to the debate. Please feel free to tweet me @williwycombe, email me at willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk or phone the newsdesk through Skype by searching for williwycombe.
Have a great Christmas and an even better New Year.
williwycombe
Sunday 5 December 2010
The Potential Decline of Bournemouth's Alcohol Based Economy
Bournemouth's image changed dramatically throughout the noughties. Once supposedly the favoured retreat of the 'blue rinse brigade', a term used to describe right-leaning pensioners, the seaside town has become synoymous with groups of raucous stag and hen parties in search of a vibrant club scene.
Partying is big business in Bournemouth however the landscape of its lauded night-time economy could be about to change dramatically after an announcement that stated local councils could be about to receive extra powers to deal with the excesses of the demon drink.
The perception of Bournemouth as a south-coast party hub has only been accentuated in recent years by the passing of infamous drinking legislation by the previous Government in 2003.
The 24-hour drinking laws aimed at creating a continental style cafe culture. The ability for pubs and clubs to stagger closing times purported to decrease levels of street violence in towns and cities, allegedly caused as trouble brewed within the throng of people leaving licensed premises at a standardised hour.
Critics, including the new coalition Government, have decried the rise in binge drinking and anti-social behaviour attributed in part to the aforementioned, with a review promised following their election in May.
One of the strictest sanctions that could be made available is the power for local councils to 'impose a blanket ban on specific areas, in which all premises will be barred from selling alcohol between midnight and 6am.'
Another alternative would be to force those premises who choose to open later to pay a levy towards extra policing and the subsequent clean-up operation, believed to be 'up to £4,480 and could generate between £9m and £15m nationally.'
No doubt there will be a polarisation of opinion on the merits of these new powers, should they materialise.
Bournemouth residents have often chided the ill effects of the night-time economy as the town centre, particularly its party strip on Old Christchurch Road, has at times resembled a war zone. Regularly, as those who pass through early on Saturday and Sunday mornings will attest, it is akin to a rubbish dump.
Another common source of debate in relation to the clean-up operation centres on who is to blame for the mess with outside visitors often derided. This, however, misses the point and is ultimately a futile line of inquiry, despite a recent Daily Echo poll favouring a ban on stag and hen parties in the town.
There is most definitely a national, as well as local need, to challenge the downside of excessive alcohol consumption. After all, according to estimates from 2002, Britons spent £17 billion a year on alcohol, figures based on information available nearly a decade ago, no doubt with a continuing trend.
The question is, from these bile filled heady days to arguably draconian measures, how far will the pendulum swing and how successful can these planned powers possibly hope to be?
It is not merely pubs and clubs that may suffer should any limit to their opening hours be imposed or if they refuse to pay for keeping the party alive into the small hours.
Restaurants, hotels and shops also depend on the knock-on effect of Bournemouth's hedonistic lustre and should barflies, both local and from further afield, feel the town has lost its edge, it could mean even harder times ahead for a hospitality trade already fighting the fall-out from a crippling recession.
It is worth remembering that the seeds have already been sown for a potential decline in the fortunes of Bournemouth's evening entertainments. Former nightclub tycoon, Richard Carr, saw his empire dismantled in 2008 following a spate of expensive acquisitions that failed to make significant enough returns.
Ultimately, in maintaining the economic benefits to the town of a strong night-time economy and managing anti-social behaviour, efforts to curb any disturbance caused will have to strike a fine balance.
Ruling that convenience stores may not be able to sell alcohol after midnight should not have too much of a detrimental effect. Meanwhile, restricting licenced premises to certain opening hours will only serve to ensure larger groups of intoxicated partygoers will be heading home at the same time, with the potential for trouble as they leave town or scramble to the nearest venue still open.
With the Government's insistence that the private sector should be the driver for economic revival, local pubs and clubs may have to accept any extra charges levied to clean up their act, even if there are protestations and accusations that the exercise merely amounts to the Council lining their coffers.
Indeed, it is the responsibility of local government to act too. The Bournemouth Quality Nights (BQN) Initiative is one of the Council's key projects. Two of its tenets are particularly poignant in maintaining the strength of this vital cog in the economic lifeblood of the town.
Under the sub-heading of 'Exciting', the vision statement reads that the Council maintain a desire for 'A vibrant and varied choice of high quality entertainment (which) should be one of Bournemouth’s defining characteristics.'
Fair enough. The article goes on to state that Bournemouth must be market leading and that 'A key aim of the Bournemouth Community Plan is to create a World Class Resort. To achieve this the night-time economy must be at the forefront of new initiatives to improve customer service, choice and safety.'
Again, the lure of an attractive night-time offering is paramount to the future economic success of the town. Naturally, it will be more difficult to adhere to this outlined vision should pubs and clubs object to any levy.
Besides, there is also the complexity of creating appealing alternatives as any other activities are unlikely to generate as much money as our drink dependency.
One aspect of the Town Vision document focuses on plans to develop the site of the iconic Winter Gardens. This includes proposals designed to detach the local populous from viewing an evening of inebriated bonhomie as the sole way to enjoy a night out on the town.
The details outlined include a new 'leisure, hotel and residential complex including cinemas, shops, parking and landscaped areas. The move would bring an estimated £60million of inward investment to the town centre'.
The plans, however, if and when they come to fruition, are a strictly medium to long-term project with the developer given until 1st March 2012 to obtain planning permission with the possibility that the project would not near completion until years later.
With regards to proposed levies, whether any such charges would be the proverbial 'nail in the coffin' remains to be seen. One thing is certain; altering the local and national psyche will not be achieved by levies, taxes and regressive laws. Like the alcoholic in search of an epiphany, any change will be much harder to engineer.
The dual aim of discouraging binge drinking whilst providing alternative forms of recreation, remains for the time being at least, merely a pipedream. The short-term future for the night-time economy needs to be secured before any foregrounded ambitions can be realised.
Partying is big business in Bournemouth however the landscape of its lauded night-time economy could be about to change dramatically after an announcement that stated local councils could be about to receive extra powers to deal with the excesses of the demon drink.
The perception of Bournemouth as a south-coast party hub has only been accentuated in recent years by the passing of infamous drinking legislation by the previous Government in 2003.
The 24-hour drinking laws aimed at creating a continental style cafe culture. The ability for pubs and clubs to stagger closing times purported to decrease levels of street violence in towns and cities, allegedly caused as trouble brewed within the throng of people leaving licensed premises at a standardised hour.
Critics, including the new coalition Government, have decried the rise in binge drinking and anti-social behaviour attributed in part to the aforementioned, with a review promised following their election in May.
One of the strictest sanctions that could be made available is the power for local councils to 'impose a blanket ban on specific areas, in which all premises will be barred from selling alcohol between midnight and 6am.'
Another alternative would be to force those premises who choose to open later to pay a levy towards extra policing and the subsequent clean-up operation, believed to be 'up to £4,480 and could generate between £9m and £15m nationally.'
No doubt there will be a polarisation of opinion on the merits of these new powers, should they materialise.
Bournemouth residents have often chided the ill effects of the night-time economy as the town centre, particularly its party strip on Old Christchurch Road, has at times resembled a war zone. Regularly, as those who pass through early on Saturday and Sunday mornings will attest, it is akin to a rubbish dump.
Another common source of debate in relation to the clean-up operation centres on who is to blame for the mess with outside visitors often derided. This, however, misses the point and is ultimately a futile line of inquiry, despite a recent Daily Echo poll favouring a ban on stag and hen parties in the town.
There is most definitely a national, as well as local need, to challenge the downside of excessive alcohol consumption. After all, according to estimates from 2002, Britons spent £17 billion a year on alcohol, figures based on information available nearly a decade ago, no doubt with a continuing trend.
The question is, from these bile filled heady days to arguably draconian measures, how far will the pendulum swing and how successful can these planned powers possibly hope to be?
It is not merely pubs and clubs that may suffer should any limit to their opening hours be imposed or if they refuse to pay for keeping the party alive into the small hours.
Restaurants, hotels and shops also depend on the knock-on effect of Bournemouth's hedonistic lustre and should barflies, both local and from further afield, feel the town has lost its edge, it could mean even harder times ahead for a hospitality trade already fighting the fall-out from a crippling recession.
It is worth remembering that the seeds have already been sown for a potential decline in the fortunes of Bournemouth's evening entertainments. Former nightclub tycoon, Richard Carr, saw his empire dismantled in 2008 following a spate of expensive acquisitions that failed to make significant enough returns.
Ultimately, in maintaining the economic benefits to the town of a strong night-time economy and managing anti-social behaviour, efforts to curb any disturbance caused will have to strike a fine balance.
Ruling that convenience stores may not be able to sell alcohol after midnight should not have too much of a detrimental effect. Meanwhile, restricting licenced premises to certain opening hours will only serve to ensure larger groups of intoxicated partygoers will be heading home at the same time, with the potential for trouble as they leave town or scramble to the nearest venue still open.
With the Government's insistence that the private sector should be the driver for economic revival, local pubs and clubs may have to accept any extra charges levied to clean up their act, even if there are protestations and accusations that the exercise merely amounts to the Council lining their coffers.
Indeed, it is the responsibility of local government to act too. The Bournemouth Quality Nights (BQN) Initiative is one of the Council's key projects. Two of its tenets are particularly poignant in maintaining the strength of this vital cog in the economic lifeblood of the town.
Under the sub-heading of 'Exciting', the vision statement reads that the Council maintain a desire for 'A vibrant and varied choice of high quality entertainment (which) should be one of Bournemouth’s defining characteristics.'
Fair enough. The article goes on to state that Bournemouth must be market leading and that 'A key aim of the Bournemouth Community Plan is to create a World Class Resort. To achieve this the night-time economy must be at the forefront of new initiatives to improve customer service, choice and safety.'
Again, the lure of an attractive night-time offering is paramount to the future economic success of the town. Naturally, it will be more difficult to adhere to this outlined vision should pubs and clubs object to any levy.
Besides, there is also the complexity of creating appealing alternatives as any other activities are unlikely to generate as much money as our drink dependency.
One aspect of the Town Vision document focuses on plans to develop the site of the iconic Winter Gardens. This includes proposals designed to detach the local populous from viewing an evening of inebriated bonhomie as the sole way to enjoy a night out on the town.
The details outlined include a new 'leisure, hotel and residential complex including cinemas, shops, parking and landscaped areas. The move would bring an estimated £60million of inward investment to the town centre'.
The plans, however, if and when they come to fruition, are a strictly medium to long-term project with the developer given until 1st March 2012 to obtain planning permission with the possibility that the project would not near completion until years later.
With regards to proposed levies, whether any such charges would be the proverbial 'nail in the coffin' remains to be seen. One thing is certain; altering the local and national psyche will not be achieved by levies, taxes and regressive laws. Like the alcoholic in search of an epiphany, any change will be much harder to engineer.
The dual aim of discouraging binge drinking whilst providing alternative forms of recreation, remains for the time being at least, merely a pipedream. The short-term future for the night-time economy needs to be secured before any foregrounded ambitions can be realised.
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