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Post by gnasher on Feb 25, 2010 19:52:12 GMT
Most "theatres" are versatile these days, that's how they survive. In this case it was going to be a theatre/versatile venue plus restaurant.
The Dome is council owned, the WG is private. Unfortunately the same person has a big say on the council and the WG and that's where we're quite simply shafted. I'm afraid I don't believe the crocodile tears some people showed when the Dome closure was announced. One in particular had a lot to gain from it with their personal WG crusade. Of course that's just my very personal opinion.
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Apr 1, 2010 7:52:47 GMT
Here is a Article from the Visitor online....
Urban Splash unveils new plans for central site Published Date: 31 March 2010 YOU have a chance to have your say on plans to drastically remodel the area of Morecambe's promenade near the Midland Hotel. The hotel's owners Urban Splash have finally submitted revised plans for the 'Central Promenade Development' and the public is being urged to read the proposals and give feedback.
Friends of the Winter Gardens and some members of Morecambe Town Council will be in the Arndale Centre this Saturday (April 3) between 10am and 4pm when you can air your views.
See The Visitor for full story
Unfortunately I cannot read the Visitor out here, so maybe if there is something of interest in the second part of the article, someone may post it on here.
Trev..
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Post by gnasher on Apr 1, 2010 17:33:26 GMT
I'll say my piece to them on Saturday. It all depends what their opinion of the development is. If they are against then they'll get the same as Evelyn did last time only this time I might get some answers to my questions.
Of course, it all depends if I bother to go out after a very long week working away.
Time for the Palatine ;D
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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Apr 2, 2010 20:10:30 GMT
Can you let us exiles know what happens if you attend gnasher?
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Post by gnasher on Apr 3, 2010 9:43:49 GMT
The problem is that the Friends of the Winter Gardens and members of Morecambe Town Council are one and the same, Evelyn Archer, the only person on a "Friends of the Winter Gardens" stand at 10:30am today. We don't get on so I hung around listening to what she had to say to innocent victims. Generally negative comments towards the development from EA, nothing unexpected there.
If that stand also represents MTC or the MBIs then, even after the recent good news, the people of morecambe are basically shafted.
Evelyn Archer is too tied to the WG to be able represent the people of Morecambe on any council. She has to go from all council positions.
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Post by accykeef on Apr 3, 2010 16:05:28 GMT
Gnasher What would you do with the Winter gardens, Dome and the Platform?
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Post by gnasher on Apr 3, 2010 18:51:10 GMT
I'd keep the Platform and flatten the Winter Gardens and Dome.
Platform, not too bad a building and the most used of the 3 venues.
Winter Gardens. Shut to entertainment for 26 years. Several have tried and failed to re-open it, including Evelyn Archer. It's becoming an eye-sore, a successor to the Jugs Of Tea as a disused landmark.
Dome, never should have been built. Freezing in Winter and baking in Summer.
A few years ago Urban Splash submitted planning applications to re-develop land the council had promised they could develop on. It included an entertainment venue. No surprise then that leader of our town council and owner of the winter gardens objected to it.
I would let US develop the promenade, let them build an entertainment venue. Somehow I think they will succeed where everyone else has failed because they are approaching it with a fresh pair of eyes, not blinkered by long established views and opinions.
And before you mention any spoiled views, go stand in front of the winter gardens and tell me what you see of the Lakes. Not much to see is there?
As for the existing promenade having spoiled views, the promeande will exist beyond the new development so the only view it will block is that towards a run-down, closed Winter Gardens.
The future is bright, the future is Urban Splash.
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Apr 3, 2010 19:48:09 GMT
And before you mention any spoiled views, go stand in front of the winter gardens and tell me what you see of the Lakes. Pic on a cloudy day : maps.google.com/maps?q=morecambe&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=Morecambe,+Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.072528,-2.871326&spn=0.003349,0.006899&z=17&layer=c&cbll=54.072546,-2.871175&panoid=u3cvoor56r-Of-esFnjmCg&cbp=12,338.95,,0,-4.24 Peter
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Apr 3, 2010 19:49:05 GMT
Well I would certainly agree with at least some of what gnasher says. whilst I have never been to a show in the Platform, The building seems in reasonable condition. As to whether the Dome should have been built.... well at least it has seen a lot of service over a lot of years. Yes maybe it is time that it came to the end of its life. The Winter Gardens... It has a grand exterior. Again, in the past it has served us well for a lot of years. But I cannot ever see it being restored inside to enable it to be an entertainment venue. So having said that, it would seem that I would agree to an end to its life. Now to Urban Splash and the Promenade area. I personally am not against some development of the area where the super swimming stadium was. But as to what should be there? ? I certainly am not in favour of the 'blocks of flats' that were to be around 5 stories high. But I believe there are new ideas about. However I have not seen any new plans or drawings, but I would be interested to see what they will contain. Here is a picture ofwhat was envisaged, and I canot remember if it was 7 or 5 stories high. Trev..
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Apr 4, 2010 9:33:20 GMT
At the moment I am unable to find the revised planning application. Mainly because when I try to use the map on the LCC planning site it is not available. Here is a pic of the area for development. Trev..
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Post by accykeef on Apr 4, 2010 9:54:55 GMT
I have only been in the Dome once and that was in an afternoon, the day was quite mild and there were not many people in there so temperature wasn't an issue. I have never been in the Platform but hear that the acoustics are terrible. It seems a shame that Morecambe does not have a mulifunctional entertainment venue but, in my opinion, far too much time and money has been spent chasing the dream of a traditional theatre. Those days are gone and entertainment venues have moved on now. There has been a lack of a long term plan, as quite often happens when people wiith a Council mentality get involved in large business projects. Even if the WG was brought back from the dead, what events could be held there? It is too small for major events so we would be stuck with fringe events which raise little or no money. They want to spend £12 million + on it - an expensive white elephant.
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Post by gnasher on Apr 4, 2010 11:03:22 GMT
Trev, no one is going to invest solely in entertainment venues without some reward and that comes in the form of flats to rent or sell. If that's what it takes to encourage US to invest then so be it. Over the years the council have eroded my memories of the promenade. Remember when the road was wide enough to overtake before they turned it into car parks? Remember the limestone walk from the yacht club to lifeboat, now car parks. Remember the gardens in front of the Super Swimming Stadium (remember the blue seagull?), flattened to grass. Remember the play area by the Midland, more grass. The little train ride on the beach? Tractors from Midland to Heysham on the sands? Marineland? Moby Dick? Alhambra Theatre? Zoo on the Stone Jetty?
All long gone.
One thing they will never take away is the view, all US want to do is move where you stand to see the view. So what if they build flats between the WG and the view? The only place you can see the lakes from the WG area of the promenade is from the top floor of the WG, a view only available to the privileged few while it remains closed.
They want to spend £12 million + on it - an expensive white elephant.
Fortunately those holding the purse strings thought the same.
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Apr 4, 2010 13:44:05 GMT
Hi Gnasher, and Keith. I do indeed remember all that you have mentioned and more besides, with the exception of the blue seagull.
I will agree that probably the building of an entertainment venue needs a subsidy. If this needs to be in the shape of blocks of flats then fine again.
But why build the blocks on prime public open land. Once it is built on the townspeople lose access to it forever.
Knock the Winter Gardens down and build blocks of flats there with a sea view. They could even extend back into the car park at the rear. Build them where the Polo tower is, and yes I know it is not council land.
You could even build flats in front of the Town hall. I am sure those inside do not need the sea view.
However it is only my opinion, and I doubt that I will be back to vote on the subject. I would be interested to know what others think about blocks of accommodation on the seafront land though.
Regards. Trev..
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Post by gnasher on Apr 4, 2010 13:56:20 GMT
I don't particularily want flats on the prom but you have to roll back time to understand why we shouldn't be objecting to them. When US promised to plough £11,000,000 into rebuilding the Midland, they were promised first refusal to develop on the land around the hotel. Now they seek permission to do what they were promised they could do, we find our local councillors objecting to it.
If you were a businessman looking to invest in Morecambe, what would you think of the broken promises by our council?
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Apr 4, 2010 15:18:10 GMT
Re the question... "what would you think of the broken promises by our council? " I can't really answer that as I am not informed as to what exactly was promised regarding the land to the East of the Midland.
Were US told that they could build 5 or 7 story blocks of flats on that area of Morecambe promenade. Land that has been in public use for hundreds of years. If they were then I missed that being made public. but of course I am in Cyprus.
As I said previously, there are other spaces where accommodation block could be built.
So, now two questions come to mind. Do ratepayers want the Lancaster city council to commit X amount of millions of pounds into the Winter Gardens.
Just what have US been promised that they can build on the land that has always had public access as a promenade, with recreational facilities.
Although in the long distant past I have contributed to the W G fund I cannot see it now becoming a paying concern, or indeed anywhere near being a paying concern.
Trev..
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