Panopticon Poll

[Gayle]

Nothing can go on the Coppice until it has been approved by planning permission - so please don't go scare mongering and saying the diggers are already up there because they aren't.

There has been nothing said about this subject for a week or so because an embargo has been put on it all until after the elections. A certain politician, who it must be said, is not wholeheartedly in favour of the idea, doesn't want it to become a political issue in the run up to the elections.

Finally, I just want to dispute the fact that nothing has been done up there for the last 100 years. The trenches were built during the second world war which is around 65 years ago. I know people have argued that they were built as training trenches for the Accrington Pals but enough people have come forward to dispute that and to say that there was actually a football pitch up there in between the wars.

 

[cashman]

Nothing can go on the Coppice until it has been approved by planning permission - so please don't go scare mongering and saying the diggers are already up there because they aren't.

There has been nothing said about this subject for a week or so because an embargo has been put on it all until after the elections. A certain politician, who it must be said, is not wholeheartedly in favour of the idea, doesn't want it to become a political issue in the run up to the elections.

Finally, I just want to dispute the fact that nothing has been done up there for the last 100 years. The trenches were built during the second world war which is around 65 years ago. I know people have argued that they were built as training trenches for the Accrington Pals but enough people have come forward to dispute that and to say that there was actually a football pitch up there in between the wars.

i took it as a joke gayle,should imagine so did most.

 

[Doug]

I think I said near on a 100 years Gayle. I also indicated that I was referring to structures of localised construction. That is to say building upwards and outwards, not down. What was done 95, 65, or 25 years ago belong to history and make up what the coppice is day, what many people want to achieve is future preservation of that history. I have heard of a football field up there although I wouldn’t have thought that they would have played many games with the winds up there. But this is part of my point? The Second World War trench systems obliterated most if not all of the Pals training trenches and the same will happen with the Panopticon, it will be a construction and it will change the surface forever.

 

[chav1]

the diggers comment was a joke although i have seen aliens up there

 

[WillowTheWhisp]

Out of curiosity and because I thought you probably could, we went up the A56 as far as the roundabout in order to come back down again and look at the Coppice from the road. Apart from a stretch where there are a few sad bushes by the roadshire you get quite a good view of "Panopticonland" as you drive by without having to go to all the trouble of climbing up hills you might not be able to see it from.

Not that this means I'm in favour of the thing you understand, it just means that at least it could be seen from somewhere accessible to disabled people with vehicles.

At this point we began to muse that as there is already a gentle slope and a fair bit of land doing not-a-lot at the bottom it could theoretically be possible to have a "Panopticon Car Park" there and if the path was improved it might even, just might, be possible to push a wheelchair or pram up the slope, maybe. Don't know how they'd get on when they get to the top though because it's still very wild rough grass up there.

 

[chav1]

how they got the idea that a structure or pile of dirt would attract people to accrington in the first place i have no idea and even if it did the novelty would wear off after a week and we would be left with an eyesore and a huge maintinence bill each year which would get stuck on our council tax bills most likely

to prove my point Darwen has the darwen tower yet that does not attract huge amounts of tourism to darwen although people do run up to it who live in darwen to keep fit but people run up our coppice already so we dont need anything for that purpous

when i go to darwen on a saturday afternoon it is very busy but i put this down to iceland having a weekly £5 meal deal and not because darwen tower attracted people ( i go to visit family not the tower incase anyone was wondering)

no one will to come to accrington to look at a piece of so called art stuck on the coppice and the few that are stupid enough to wont be bringing buckets full of money to spend in our town to justify the money spent

lets spend £50.000 on a piece of art in the hope that some sad idiot forgets to pack his lunch and nips to the newsagents on avenue parade for a bag of crisps and a can of coke

we got almost a full pound from that tourist the moneys rolling into accrington now


you awant to attract people to acccrington cleaning it up would be a good start


sorry but i simply cant get my head around how piece of art on coppice = loads of money for accrington the idea alone is sheer lunarcy

 

[Graham Jones]

Nothing can go on the Coppice until it has been approved by planning permission - so please don't go scare mongering and saying the diggers are already up there because they aren't.

There has been nothing said about this subject for a week or so because an embargo has been put on it all until after the elections. A certain politician, who it must be said, is not wholeheartedly in favour of the idea, doesn't want it to become a political issue in the run up to the elections.

Finally, I just want to dispute the fact that nothing has been done up there for the last 100 years. The trenches were built during the second world war which is around 65 years ago. I know people have argued that they were built as training trenches for the Accrington Pals but enough people have come forward to dispute that and to say that there was actually a football pitch up there in between the wars.

And I am told the Coppice was Accy Golf Club until 1914. Making an issue non political because of the elections. Is that devious or honest politics?

 

[WillowTheWhisp]

I'd love to know more about the golf course and football pitch if anyone has any info.

 

[WillowTheWhisp]

I've just found an interesting reference to the trenches and the Accrington Pals.

According to the "Accrington Gazette" of Saturday 2nd January 1915 the Pals' activities through the week following Christmas 1914 iwere:

Following the Christmas break, the battalion resumed duties at the usual hour on Monday morning, and have been busy during the week in entrenching exercises (The Pals practised digging trenches on the Coppice - overlooking the town of Accrington - and Moleside.) and company drill.

That actually comes from a newspaper which was printed at the time and not from some reported hearsay some 90 years or so later. It may well be that the trenches were also used during WWII but there is a clear and distinct reference to them back there in January 1915 and a direct connection to the Accrington Pals.

 

[cashman]

I've just found an interesting reference to the trenches and the Accrington Pals.

According to the "Accrington Gazette" of Saturday 2nd January 1915 the Pals' activities through the week following Christmas 1914 iwere:



That actually comes from a newspaper which was printed at the time and not from some reported hearsay some 90 years or so later. It may well be that the trenches were also used during WWII but there is a clear and distinct reference to them back there in January 1915 and a direct connection to the Accrington Pals.

well well what a surprise eh graham