Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

It used to happen in days gone by...inter school contests and very competitive they were too....all good for getting interest in the evening........and advertising......flyers,poster - schools could be involved in the design of these too.
The money that went up in smoke on fireworks could be put to good use by having prizes for the winning schools.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Well, I'm looking into a flight for the 1st Victorian Christmas Fayre in Accrington next year -keep me informed as to the date and events...

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

And if folk do come where would they sit the council is busy taking out all the benches:D

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

wrong. the problem is that there is less disposable income going around with job cuts and higher cost of living which is why we have to drag people in from outside and i'm sure residents and businesses alike would prefer tax money to be spent on this than the other 'worthwhile' causes that you mention

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i believe i've already raised that point and have been informed that it is in discussion :rolleyes:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

seems obvious to me that this is what the people of accrington would like to see happen - so it probably won't :rolleyes:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Stand on Peel St on a Saturday morning and see if there is less disposable income around. The X41 bus is probably Transdevs most profitable service with the mass exodus transport it provides.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Sounds about right for our lot at hbc:rolleyes:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Yes and a lot of those on that bus pay nothing to go there....and once in Manchester will mooch around the Arndale where it is warm, well lit and vibrant and spend very little.......they will window shop but buy? not so much.
The younger ones who used to be on this bus would head for the church of Primark, but now there is one in Blackburn,they don't have to go so far to get their fix.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

which brings us right back to what i said before:

shops and market stalls will only open and stay open if the people support them and spend their money in them. it's no good doing your weekly shop in tescos and then wondering why we haven't got any local butchers/greengrocers!

and

making our town more attractive than theirs, by making it unique and by offering what they can't get in their own town(s).

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Just a thing about Christmas markets, most major Towns & Cities here have them that run for near on a month, but even little villages will have their own "Weihnachts Markt" over a week-end & it's mainly local traders & organisations that run the stalls & despite the big Markts not more than 15 minutes away they manage to hold their own as it's very community orientated.

To borrow a phrase from the league of gentlemen "It's a local Markt for local people". :)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I'm afraid someone already holds the cpoyright, on that very radical concept.

:eek:;):D

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...s-59763-3.html

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I'd love to go, and see the wondrous sights with my own eyes.

I'm told in Manchester they've paved the streets in gold, and the extravagant cty burghers have provided places where people may sit, and rest, free of any charge!

Oh just imagine.

:rolleyes:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

damn beaten to the post again:D

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Well Leon yeh never touched on me question about this increased budget yeh said yer gonna ask for next year, i will repeat- is it likely to lead to n increase in Council Tax? seems funny to me,how yeh missed that.:rolleyes:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

also a lot of the stalls are local craftmakers and artists, also some charities. I was very impressed with a stall held by a local community organisation for young people with mental health problems and disabilities who were selling artworks created by the service users. there was some cracking stuff on sale

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Leon lives in Blackburn.

Perhaps he ain't too bothered if Hyndburn resident's council taxes go up next year, as it's reported they will be doing.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

We will have to agree to disagree, maybe I don't spend enough time in the town centre to notice :)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i believe we will as although i do not have the actual statistics to hand i think it would be a pretty sure bet that the MAJORITY of accrington's residents aren't

'residents who spend their money on alchohol and get too much support for the stuff they shove up their noses or inject in to their blood stream.'

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I'm sure you're right but nobody mentioned the majority do that :confused:

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

so you base your business's success or failure on a minority of the population then?

doesn't seem good business sense to me

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Think yer losing the plot on this un jedi.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

don't think so cashy. i quote 'The problem with having a retail business in Accrington is that the town is becoming a magnet for residents who spend their money on alchohol and get too much support for the stuff they shove up their noses or inject in to their blood stream.

One of the main solutions to the problem doesn't lie with the retailers, it lies with the landlords who rent out houses on an ever increasing basis to people who do the town and it's prosperity severe damage'

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Perhaps there was no room at the inn.

http://th165.photobucket.com/albums/...h_nativity.gif

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

It wouldn't make good sense to me, but I don't. Doesn't mean you don't take notice of what happens around you though.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

not sure what your argument is then :confused:

you blame the decline of business and trade on the fact that there are too many of accrington's poulation are either alcoholics and drug addicts rayher than a mixture of a decline in employment and the current economic climate resulting in a decline in the amount of each household's disposable income and the fact that people are using supermarkets and large chain businesses as opposed to their local small retailer, yet you don't base your own business's profitability on the same principle.

this is very confusing.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Having read back I wrote
I should have said ONE of the problems. I will repeat that I didn't say too many of Accringtons population are alcoholics or drug addicts, I said it's an increasing number. I'll clarify that by saying it's becoming more noticeable in the town centre before you ask me for the facts :)

I'm merely stating one of the reasons people don't feel comfortable shopping in the town centre. If I'm wrong then the benches would still be outside the Market Hall would they not ? After all they moved them because of the problems with drunks

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

in fairness that does make more sense, i wasn't having a personal dig at you but the way it was worded implied that was what you meant. i agree that the presence of that element is offputting to some residents ie. elderly and vulnerable people and is an issue that needs to be addressed properly. but it should not stop us from striving to bring traditional shopping back to our town, we the people of accrington should be taking back the ownership of our town and make it something to be proud of

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I agree wi that,but its very hard to take back ownership of owt these days, if the government,the police n magistrates don't do a proper job, its unreasonable to me to expect people to do so, when its blatantly obvious to all yeh get no backing.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

so we should just sit back and do nothing?

that seems to be a very 'it's not my job' attitude

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

No- seems owt yeh dont like, yeh imply about others, very poor to me.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

no i simply speak my mind and i'm not afraid to do so i also take what people say at face value.

and i also stand up for what i believe is right if however i am proved to be wrong i will hold my hand up and admit it.


anyway back to the christmas market idea,

how much would it cost to commission the manufacture some chalets and would it not be presumptious to say that this cost would be recouped in the rental of these said chalets to the traders.


you have a year to research and organise this event so instead of saying it can't be done, use your noggin and prove to hbc it CAN

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

and, the only implication i make is that what you post is what you mean!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Like i did wi you.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

this "suggests" that we should sit back and do nothing,

'if the government,the police n magistrates don't do a proper job, its unreasonable to me to expect people to do so'

i merely asked you if that is what you meant

shhould we sit back and do nothing and let hbc and the alcies and druggies walk all over this town or do we take the 'donkey by the ass' and reclaim what belongs to our fellow residents

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i answered that, then pointed out its obvious why folk may not do so, you don't like that fact, that aint my problem.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

change is never easy and some may say my views lean somewhat on a revolutionary bias but i truly believe that this town has great potential and that it should be harnessed for the benefit of it's residents and if hbc and the idiots that be won't do it then it's down to the people to make it happen. the greatest changes in this country have always been led by it's people and the power that lies within us. 'the times they are a'changin' and its people power that will drive it forward!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

nowt wrong wi revolutionary views, n admire yer standpoint, i had very strong views way back n did me fair share, but thats a younger persons thing, there weren't that many revolutionary owd farts back then n there won't be now is my view, cos 40 yrs on most changes weren't fer the better.;)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

oh i believe i can find a few revolting old farts ;):D

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

You keep mentioning 'chalets', but what the baby Jesus have Alpine wooden huts got to do with Accy?

If Accrington's too small to attract a commercial German Christmas market, who travel and transport their own stalls, and you suggest local charities sell (non-Germanic) things they've made, why are you so focused on Heidi style Wendy houses?

I think people are saying they'd appreciate a traditionally English celebration, hog roasts, mulled wine, mummers, roast chestnuts, carol singers, etc.

No one, when thinking about an olde worlde Englsh yuletide, first thinks 'Alpine chalet'.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Was watching an item on the news the other day about a German Market, can't remember where it was now, but I do know that the local traders were less than happy because some of their businesses had declined by 50%, the bottom line is people have only x number of pounds to send, if fancy markets were introduced it means that the pies no bigger just that more people want a slice.

Just as an afterthought, no input what so-ever from any of our elected members, funny that really;)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

It was the German Christmas market in Birmingham, which featured on the BBC news programmes.

All the local traders, the ones who pay their business rates all year round, agreed it increased footfall to the city centre, but they stated that in fact their takings were down, whilst the market was on.

There's only so much money to go round, no matter how many people there are flogging their goods.

Local traders in towns/cities which had German markets, waved off what would have ended in their tills, as the Teutonic juggernauts, complete with their chalets, headed off back to Baden-Baden, or wherever it was they came from.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Well whereas it might be great for the Public to have the choice of a different type of market it shouldn't be at the expense of the trades already established in the area, of course the council spokesman waved the concerns away (its not near an election) saying it was great for the area, well not if your trying to make a living it ain't

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

As Lancsdave said, their business opened the night the Christmas lights were switched on, and they took a tenner.

That's takings, not profit.

Lucky if they didn't make a loss, after paying overheads involved in actually opening up, lighting, heating, etc.

Many we have running our borough have a very poor grasp of the reality of operating a successful business.

Most would struggle to organise an erection in a brothel.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

the chalets were a single idea, the main point is a traditional christmas market, in whatever form it takes. an accrington christmas festival to be proud of.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

That's good Heidi.

You seemed quite fixated on Alpine chalets, when you were posting last night.

;)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

ok. collapsable,reusable generic stalls of no particular material, race,age,size,physical or mental ability or denomination then :D

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

There is no reason why the current Market stalls could not be used for such a venture......at a nominal cost seeing as money would be saved by not having fireworks.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

That is so obvous Margaret - at least they would be in keeping with a Victorian theme.

We had a similar thing when I lived in Warwick a few years ago. Stalls selling hot soup, mince pies, mulled wine, run by various charities, and a Victorian theme with a small fairground. The shops were open, even the estate agents!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Not sure it's that practical. The traders during the day would have to pack up fairly sharpish so the night traders could set up in time.

There is also the issue of staffing from the Market staff. There are only 4 full time and 2 part time porters. The full time porters already work 12 hour shifts, not convinced they would love to work on until 10pm-11pm. Likewise if the traders during the day stayed on then it's a hell of a long day.

From what I have heard the market did used to open, but as the event is largely attended by kids more stalls 'lost' goods than actually had them paid for. The obvious answer is to bring in more security but then that adds to the cost.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I think something like this would be a real family event....especially if local schhols were involved in the singing, dancing, and perhaps some littlies performing a nativity play........at the risk of offending the ethnic population......who in the main are not offended by our religion, or the expression of it, anymore that we are offended by theirs.
I think it would be far more productive too, in getting people to come from nearby towns.....after all it would be just that bit different to the X factor pop stuff....which has limited appeal....not everyone wants their ears blasted off by pop music and then bangers.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Well, I am sure there could be ways of getting round the problems Dave.......well that is if the will is there.....and if it were held on a Thursday, as this one was then there is only the Flea market on and much of that isn't on for the whole day.

Would the stall holders(the Victorian themed ones, I mean) make that much mess?
Couldn't they be asked to leave their rubbish in bags to be picked up....or better still couldn't one of those large refuse receptacles be place behind the fish market for the temporary stall holder to put their rubbish into.
And as for cost....well it could come out of the 'not having fireworks' fund.

What has to be present though, is the will and desire to see a different evening produced.....if that can't be mustered up, then all is lost and we can keep having the same old, same old...no different from anyone else's switch on.
Do we want to be sheep...wouldn't we rather be monkeys??

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i'm also sure the victorian fairground owners would be interested too, as there seems to be quite a large following for them

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

I have been present in many meetings where the doomsayers trot out the phrase....'it will never work'....'it isn't practical'.....'too many logistical problems'........but a determined effort to find ways around the problems rather than just allowing the negative vibes to spoil what could be a good family event could surely be worked on.
And Dave, I do appreciate that you have much more experience in how the market and the market traders work........but that should give you even more scope to find solutions.
It needs forward planning.
The planning needs to start early and be properly co-ordinated though.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

quite right margaret. where there's a will there's a relative, it is possible, there is a way round everything if people can be bothered to find it. if an event is going to happen then the traders will work around it providing they know about it well in advance. in my experience providing people know there is going to be a slight change for a special event then they will help, bearing in mind they have already been given the option to open and refused it.

christmas is about families and especially the children and there is NO reason why we shouldn't have an event centered around that. why oh why are people so negative and defeatist when we should be looking at positive change and ways of profiting in this economic downturn. what is wrong with trying to bring extra money into the town,promoting enterprise and having community focussed events or are we suddenly an 'all for one and one for one town' as i always perceived accrington to be much better than that.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Marlene dusted off her old muff, and Peter raised his topper, at last year's Victorian Christmas market.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...8JfQzdeIyQ0rKA

;)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Yes, it's already been tried and it's like pulling teeth trying to get people involved.

First of all we tried to get shops and stall holders signed up to taking part. They had to dress as Victorians. Despite there being a couple of 100 shops/stalls in the town centre, we got 23 participating. The stall holders in the market were some of the most resistant to the idea. This was despite us providing costumes that people could borrow.

Then when you've got the shops interested, you've got to get the public in to make it worth everyone's while. The only way to do this is to advertise - and this costs money which the council really doesn't have.

I'm not doing it again because although there was some interest last year, it really doesn't warrant the man hours again. Plus, it didn't help that people ridiculed it and made even the most supportive falter.

So I speak from an informed position on this one.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i do agree it aint easy to organise an event such as this however it CAN be done. for example the may bank holiday victorian extravaganza in llandudno is always a raving success. and the way they keep costs down is by INVOLVING the local community in it's planning and preparation, using volunteers to do the advertising, by involving the local press nothing better than a news story to create free advertising.

it IS possible!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Of course there is, but it needs time, energy and money. I have no issues with anybody finding all 3 but in my personal situation, an 80-90 hour week usually leaves me short of all 3 :D

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Dave, I am not advocating an 80-90 hour week........It takes planning and working smarter, not harder.
As Gayle has said what is the hard part is getting people on board....and that is harder still if the event is planned at short notice.
If it were to happen then it would have to be now that the foundations for such an event to be laid down and one willing man/woman is better than ten pressed men.


Maybe it wwould be better if the lights were just switched on without ceremony...or maybe better still...let's not bother having Christmas lights.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

or better still lets not have any events at all and double the number of x41 buses and we'll all put what little money we have into another community's economy!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

with all this negativity it's no wonder the town is going downhill, anybody mentions doing something positive and people damn it before it even starts!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

First I knew you were involved with that event.

In what capacity? Was it to do with the Civic Arts Centre, or were you hired/employed in another capacity?

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

To me negativity is saying something that's not a positive.

Just coming out with some vague, wooly concept, with no realistic understanding of any costs that might be involved.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

who said i don't know anything about costs?

sorry to disappoint but i do have an idea about them as I have event management experience however as yet we don't know what budget has been set aside and not only that it is down to the person charged with organising next years event to research and cost the said event.

i simply responded to their request for ideas re: said event!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Beleive me I don't advocate an 80-90 hour week either but I have to do it to survive :D

As I said earlier in the thread I did my bit for the switch on by opening by opening late to at least make it look like the town centre retailers have some interest. I knew what the outcome would be but as I said, I wouldn't have the right to comment if I just sat back and did nowt. You know you are up against when one of the main retail feature points of the town is closed and one of the countries top retailers Wilkinsons is also closed.

As well as the retailers themselves the people driving any promotion of the town and it's events should be the council and the Chamber Of Trade.
I can imagine some people saying to me if you're not happy get up and do something about it. I wish I could.

A lot of it still goes back to one of my earlier posts, which comes first, people shopping in the town to generate the income for retail interest and investment, or retail investing in a business which may never arrive due to the demographics of the area. I don't know the answer

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

One of the biggest problems to overcome in organizing anything of this kind, as the lovely Gayle will attest, is apathy. For that reason you have to be prepared to start small. Perhaps one street or group of neighbouring shops. Prove by example that it will work and then build around the nucleus every succeding year.

Major events evolve and grow out of small occurances. Think of the Oberamergau Passion Play. It started off with a half dozen locals enacting the key bits of the Passion story - now look at it! it is the same with the German Christmas Markets idea, it did not spring into existence fully-formed, huge and sparkling, but over time has grown and developed and become increasingly popular.

I can well understand Gayle's unwillingness to flog her guts out, yet again, to so little apparent profit. Getting anyone to do anything out of the ordinary is like trying to make water flow uphill.

That having been said though, I do strongly support the idea that little will change in Accrington unless the people of Accrington get off their backsides and make it happen. And, surely, that is the most important lesson bequeathed to us by our victorian forebears. Remember the old town Motto - Industry and Prudence Conquer, where 'industry' is meant in its most basic sense, that of getting busy.

Q. What is the most Victorian part of town?
A. Church Street and Warner Street. The Victorian Arcade, Little shops, A garden to use for a gathering space and all within sight of the Market Hall.
Call it the Church Street Winter Festival. Make a list of British Winter Traditions and from this form your attractions. Have two brass bands - so they can keep up the jollity for ages. Maybe you could also get St James' involved too.

The centre piece of the event is a massive Christmas Tree absolutely loaded to breaking with decorations and lights - not the paltry single stand normally used.

Keep it small, do it to a professional standard and everyone will go home happy and look forward to the next time.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Ok -

Few questions to answer

Cashman/Garinda - I own a buisness in the town i have rates and other bills to pay to
to the council so its irrelevant where i live as i am still paying taxes to Hyndburn BC
for my buisness.

Cashman - You are somewhat obsessed with the budget for this event, And the constant well
you want more budget Leon but who will pay for it, I shall explain the budget is set by the
controlling council the year before who are also dictated to by the goverment to what they
deem fit to be spending on public events, This events budget is not high but i do think that if
we receive an increase next year i am pretty sure your council tax wont go up because
of the xmas lights.

However so you dont have sleepless nights....... I am already working on outside
sponsorship, however as we are in a recession still many buisnesses do not want to sponsor
an event as they would rather keep the money this year alone i asked , Greyhound Ford, Thwaites,
Hollands Pies, Coors, VK, Tesco, Asda and none of them wanted to sponsor the event, the bee radio
also asked its local suppliers as well and they all said NO THANKS.....

So we did try our best, as i explained before the reason why i asked for an increased budget next
year was because so many people that i worked with the event on, i asked for favours to get the event
to the standard it was at, Yes people will say Dance Act not very christmas and where was the carols, We broke the
crowd attendences for the lights switch on, The event went down amazing we had no incidents at all, and considering
Darwens been slated for their lights switch on by their own community, I do feel at times that certain members
on this forum are very good at firing negatives or standing on their soap boxes but they never seem to
be doing anything for the town.

Re my experience in running an event which has been questioned, For 14 years i was in the music industry, and also 7 of
them years i ran a successful events company, so i along with Kerry at Hyndburn Leisure can run big events however as
we have already pointed out a bigger event would require a bigger budger.

The market traders were asked if they wanted to stay open and they didnt they closed at 5pm, so while i agree that lets
by local and lets do a christmas fayre which is something to look at, I feel that the market traders may just go Nah were
not interested, and thats what people need to understand that you cant force them to open, and you need a good 75 % of them
to agree otherwise it wont look good just a few stalls open.

With regards to the talent we had on stage this year Kelly Llorenna was never going to be everyones cup of tea, however
she did it as a favour to me as we know each other, and the band Boomin who opened the show have now been signed to
support Mcfly, Overall there were things on the day that i thought after we should of done, however the feedback i have
had on the event has been brilliant.

My point for coming on here was to listen if you have any ideas or feedback lets hear them, But i am all for freedom
of speech however silly remarks like well he lives in blackburn or people taking swipes when i have answered questions,
just adds to the reason why at times people have such a negative view of accrington, I do feel that certain members of this
forum do have their own agenda and also always want to do anything down, Yes there are improvements i would like to make
on next year, However 1st year NO INCIDENTS, BROKE ATTENDENCE RECORD, Thats not a bad start.....

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

and we won't know if we don't try it, it's no good sitting back and doing nothing, if we try to do something and it fails, then we can complain!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Well said and good idea Acrylic....from little acorns:)

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

iv said it in another post dave that people such as yourself shoudl be given incentive to not only start a buiness in town center but get involved.

a shop with something of interest in it has to be better than an empty shop or yet another cheap shop or betting shop.

im not knocking the newish food place in town that does 2 pies for a pound its quite good for teh price actually but 20 yards away there is greggs.Hardley diversity is it ?

i would much rather see your shop on broadway than peel street it would be more appealing a sight than some shops on there but im guessing the rents considerably higher but thats just a guess i may be wrong

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

as i said before we DON'T need existing traders for a xmas market we advertise to local community/charities/groups/residents to see if THEY would like to hold a stall!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

as i said before we DON'T need existing traders for a xmas market we advertise to local community/charities/groups/residents to see if THEY would like to hold a stall! by the way, i'd be happy to get involved

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Not me. I know nothing about you.

I did ask if you'd ever been involved with running a successful commercial concern.

I merely pointed out, after you'd posted...

that costs are an important aspect of everything, especially if it involves any finance provided by the hardworking tax payer.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

OK so you've defended what you did this year and it seems to have been successful up to a point -but those who have been writing on here about this don't seem to have any hidden agendas to me. The over-whelming voice is that something more traditional, up-market and which appeals to a wider cross-section of the community is what is wanted. A bit less lowest common denominator...yes, i am a terrible snob, but quality counts.

Love Acrylic-bob's idea for the Warner Street Winter Festival -good starting point. Money doesn't buy everything, good organisation and networking are the key -how much does a third rate celeb cost for an evening -spend the money elsewhere and you've already made a start...

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

i am an experienced business manager and have set up and run events (primarily in the leisure and tourism industry)

and yes i agree cost is important however i also believe that council money would be better spent on something that benefits the whole community (and hopefully local trade) than some of it's current hare brained schemes

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Some of the towns stallholders and shopkeepers might feel agrieved at being left out of the festival - that's good - encourage them to take part by taking a stall for the evening.

Gayle could actually do a bit to help by persuading her various groups to make stuff especially to be sold for the event and talking endlessly to the Observer and the Telegraph about it. Schools could also take part through competitions which would have their culmination on the evening of the event.

Your only expenses so far are the Christmas Tree and the fee for the Special Events Notice, which, as the event is for the good of the town centre, the council will be leant on or, shamed into, waiving. Take what is available voluntarily and use it to the maximum and that way it won't cost much at all. Get all the participants blogging and tweeting and posting vids on Youtube prior to the event - free publicity. A poster in every school and community centre etc etc.

But the most important thing of all it will be the people of Accrington organising the whole thing. Doing it for themselves instead of allowing the council to fork out vast sums of taxpayer cash directly into the pockets of Z-list celebrities and wanna-be's for a few half-hearted renditions of half-witted pop ditties.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

also agree bob's idea would be a great start

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

finally someone speaks sense!

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

Leon, the overall consensus, from what people have posted here, is that they don't want some naff pop concert.

There does seem to be a number of people who'd be more likely to attend any event if it was more 'traditional', and 'Christmassy' in concept.

Do a poll, ask people if they'd rather have some one hit wonder belting out some bouncy house tunes, or school choirs, belting out carols.

To me this is more to do with any lack of vision from those in control.

Leon has a bar and a nightclub act, therefore let him put on a bouncy pop concert. Gayle knows something about art, so put her in charge of the borough's art scene.

Lazy, and with poor results.

Which isn't down to the people drafted in to do these things, who probably work very hard, it's down to the lack of imagination and confidence, from the powers that be.

Re: Christmas Shopping Fireworks
 

[quote=mobertol;951349]OK so you've defended what you did this year and it seems to have been successful up to a point -but those who have been writing on here about this don't seem to have any hidden agendas to me. The over-whelming voice is that something more traditional, up-market and which appeals to a wider cross-section of the community is what is wanted. A bit less lowest common denominator...yes, i am a terrible snob, but quality counts.


So where does me living in Blackburn have anything to do with the event or the running of it as an agenda...... As previously stated i have read through the feedback but what i will say again is that yes i do think we need a cross between traditional and modern withot it being boring and one of these events that people go im not going there it was boring..... I know a lot of you are seeing it from one side but the demographic is from 1 year old to 80 year old so its a hard market to please, The onus now and i feel it from being involved is it has to be bigger and the need for the celeb endorsement is the question i get asked all the time, Whos the main act and thats by everybody, so if we can work on traditional and also new stuff as well.

This year is the first year we changed the switch on and allowed a two local heros to switch the lights on along with the mayor.

Re the Christmas Fayre i think this is something that would be taken up by Hyndburn Leisure and not myself however ill pass the information onto Kerry and Rob and see where we can go, However as Gayle has pointed out, Its a thankless task at times for a lot of man hours

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garinda - did you attend the christmas lights ?

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[quote=Leon Kelly;951356
So where does me living in Blackburn have anything to do with the event or the running of it as an agenda ....
[/quote]

Twas just a quip - don't let it become a chip on your shoulder Leon!;):D

Just seen your post -I didnt attend the lights switching on either..;)

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Garinda - We smashed previous xmas lights records for attendance wth zero incidents, hardly naff and hardly lazy with poor results, This is what i mean, how can you expect anyone to take these comments seriously when you no doubt didnt attend

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[quote=Leon Kelly;951356]
so rather than look at it from a different angle you'd rather dismiss it altogether.

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[quote=jedimaster;951360]
No not at all but i am not the man in charge of the Market Hall or town centre thats down to Rob Grigorgevs, and he would run any christmas fayre market, which is why i said i would pass this onto him and leisure in hyndburn, not dismissed its something they would handle

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Well if wanting a straight answer to a perfectly reasonable question,yeh regard as obsession Leon, then yeh just lost out, cos i would love yeh to highlight were i have knocked yer efforts. as far as i'm concerned carry on, i sure won't lose any sleep.:rolleyes:

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[quote=Leon Kelly;951361]
so how do we go about meeting with him then because as acrylic bob has pointed out there is an area that could be used AWAY from the market hall WITHOUT existing traders thus promoting NEW business and possibly income for local groups and charities.

not only that as we are starting small i'm sure these groups would provide their own stalls and tables and local groups could lend tables to be used as stalls therefore NO COST

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No.

I like Christmas to be Christmassy.

If I want to bounce along to some house I'd head off to the Love Parade in Berlin, or whatever the new must go destination to experience dance music currently is. It wouldn't be Accy.

I probably would go to hear brass bands, carols, and eat roast chestnuts.

Perhaps this year's poptastic Christmas lights switch on might have been even more well supported, if the event's organiser hadn't publicly slagged off the local newspaper, just prior to the event happening?

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ing-58969.html

:rolleyes:

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Naff is my considered conclusion, which I stick by.

Then again I don't own a tracksuit, and wouldn't tuck it into my socks, if I did.

So I'm not really the target audience, that some naff chav-fest attracts.

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as is probably the case for most of us

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Tit for tat, and i stand by my comments re what they did to the towns nightlife sector using a five year old story, since then they contacted me and did retract their comments a week later so im sorry Garinda, spend more time please actually getting your facts correct, as asked already you didnt attend so you cant comment, and as for bounce hows about this one for you .... Have you checked the Matalan CHRISTMAS ADVERT this year.... ill show you below.... Its Set You Free the same Set You Free Kelly Llorenna sang so call it coincidence but im sure matalan thought the same obviously.... As you wasnt in attendence you didnt see Boomin who did a 30 min set of classics, You didnt see snow white and Pantocast, You didnt see Sandersons Dance Studio, and you didnt see the two local heros do the switch on........... Matalan Christmas Advert 2011 - YouTube

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Errmmm, before this degenerates into an overheated slanging match, could I just say that my idea for the winter festival was envisaged to run in addition to any council sponsored event. Why not? The tweenies can have the poptastic lights and the spray tanned celebrities. While we traditionalists can organise ourselves and maybe at some future date the two could merge, or be spread over a whole weekend, or even better The whole of the week before the big day! Surely the whole thing is about creating growing anticipation for Christmas Day. The more, and more varied, the better as far as I can see.

And remember there are as many different Christmases as there are people who celebrate it.

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This is the big stumbling block of course.
Finding some people to actually do these things - there are plenty of people willing to pitch in with good ideas but they seem to expect some mythical body to actually do these things.

Let's look at some of the tasks needed

Decide what the actual event would be
Design posters
Print posters - who's going to pay for that?
Distribute posters - all around Hyndburn, Blackburn and even Burnley
Sign up stall holders/participants
Notify all shop keepers as to how they can be involved
Get stall holders at the market involved
Send out letters to the press to get publicity
Apply for the licence
Fill in any forms needed to get road closures or permissions - bear in mind that even if you want to put a poster up on a highway you need to apply for permission
Do a running order of the event - if it's an event
Decide what the competition is - organise it and then judge it
Find judges
Get prizes - talk to people about donations for prizes
Award prizes - invite the Mayor to come
Look after the Mayor for the evening
Do you need a loud speaker system so that the Mayor can be heard?
Invite people down to the event - print invites - cost involved.


All of these items on the list are off the top of my head and I'm not saying it can't be done. But you need to find quite a few people willing to share out the jobs and do it because it might sound simple but never is.

Find the people and I'll help.

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instead of defending this years, WHY are you not concentrating your efforts on what THE PEOPLE want for next year?

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Hurdles? Those who run on the flat aren't used to them but there are specialised athletes!:rolleyes:

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Matalan?

Hardly Galeries Lafayette, or even Harvey Nicks.

Naff.

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

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I do think that there is one thing the council could, and should, do as a matter of some urgency. That is to begin to make the town centre more user friendly.

1. Put the bluddy benches back and police the area properly to control the drunks and other anti-social elements.
2. Sort the buses and the bus station out.
3. Open some public lavatories and keep them staffed.
4. Get rid of the officious signage that clogs every damned street in town.
5. Consider the appointment of Town Guides to be helpful to shoppers.
6. Enforce a decent standard of behaviour.
7. Offer Rates Holidays (meaningful ones) to new businesses opening up in the town centre
8. Cut back on fast food licences where the shops are only open at night.
9 And finally, cut the party politics and get a bluddy grip. The town is dying around you!

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