Christmas Shopping Fireworks

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

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.

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.

[Margaret Pilkington]

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.

[Margaret Pilkington]

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??

[jedimaster]

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

[Margaret Pilkington]

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.

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

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??

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.

[garinda]

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

[Gayle]

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.

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by Gayle

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.

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!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Well, I am sure there could be ways of getting round the problems Dave.......well that is if the will is there

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

[Margaret Pilkington]

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.

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

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.

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!

[jedimaster]

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!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

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.

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?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jedimaster

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!

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.