steven ! Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 TT Entertainment For the vast majority of bikers, basically all that is needed is good company and good beer and it helps to have a band or two playing. Additional to that, the best entertainment is usually spontaneous. Like the Promenade used to be like before there were funfairs and 'stunt' bikes. Oh, and I forgot - we have entertainment all day in the racing, which is entertainment enough. Still, if the Tourist board wish to lay on more and more and it brings people over and keeps the residents TT friendly, I'm not complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
When Skies Are Grey Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Oh, and I forgot - we have entertainment all day in the racing, which is entertainment enough. Agreed...the racing this year has been some of the best in ages. Perhaps if some of the money spent on the dull stuff on the prom was used to ensure that people round the course weren't fleeced by all and sundry (see Creg thread) then things may turn out for the best. Great racing, great official vantage points with well priced facilities during the day Decent beer and atmosphere at night Simple....vote WSAG for Tourism Minister! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 What we need to do IMO is to stop charging vendors to use the prom, or charge them much less for licencing and insist they charge fair prices (a fair price structure being part of the application/granting process) - privatising this process was a bad idea. Plus get the DTL to pay for some 'street entertainers', get the carnival going again but this time during TT week, subsidise an extra SR boat for TT and other similar ideas. The cops should also stand back a bit and let people have fun within reason (e.g. someone getting their tits out on the back of a bike on the prom). If £48 million supposedly comes into the economy over this period, a couple of £million invested in these activities will work wonders. The OFT should also tackle all outlets that obviously raise their prices for TT week, which is blatent profiteering - and hammer anyone heavily for charging to use publically owned land. We should do our bit and boycott such places for the rest of the year. I've been to the Creg for lunch a few times but won't be going back if I find what has been said is true. Rip-off T.T. will indeed soon be R.I.P. T.T. otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Rider Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Also, heard on the grapevine that Pyromaniac blew someone over the other night, no damage done, guy perfectly fine and took it in good humour, but the H&S jobsworths have sacked poor old Pyro off back to Holland. I don't know if any of that is true, as i heard it from someone who heard it from someone who, apparently, has been working down there. That incident is true, we were standing not too far from where it happened. It was a member of staff at the end of the prom where they let the display bikes in that got blown off his feet! The paramedics were on scene quick though. Having said that, I think the H&S jobsworths might have got it right on this occasion. When the jet quad passed us you could feel the heat and the backdraft was quite powerful so close to the spectators. The prom seems too small for this type of machine. Pity they couldn't have let the guy try it out at the Ramsey Sprint it would have been better suited with a bit more space there, and he could have got alot more speed up. Also we were down at the prom last night. Sorry to say we left before the guy on the pushbike finished. What kind of entertainment is that? Watching someone pedalling really hard! According to the announcer, they couldn't let the Xtreme stunt team on, or the other bike stunt team (forget their name) due to the wet ground conditions. So the pushbike guy had to fill in until it dried up a bit. The racing though has been fantastic. Enjoyed watching from Brandywell and the Bungalow on Saturday, St Ninians on Monday and Ballaugh Bridge on Wednesday. Lets hope it drys up again for Friday. The main reason people come to visit is obviously the racing. But after the racing has finished for the evening, a real carnival atmosphere would be appreciated by most, and sadly due to the sparse looking prom this year, that just hasn't happened. It would be a shame if that atmosphere didn't come back for future TTs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Sorry to say we left before the guy on the pushbike finished. What kind of entertainment is that? Watching someone pedalling really hard! It's a taster for TT 2030 - when the oil/petrol has ran out and the lap record will be down to 7mph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Rider Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Sorry to say we left before the guy on the pushbike finished. What kind of entertainment is that? Watching someone pedalling really hard! It's a taster for TT 2030 - when the oil/petrol has ran out and the lap record will be down to 7mph. There will be even less visitors then, no one will be able to get 3 weeks off work just to watch a lap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimcalagon Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Is it just me who thinks it looks funny they've got a banner that looks about 20ft high yet the bass player is using a tiny peavy combo? In my experience, the massive speakers you see bands using are just for show - big empty boxes. The actual speakers are usually much more modest. The 12 inch high Peavey practice amp I've been using at home to play second-rate Stooges and Ramones covers for the last 15 years makes enough racket to annoy the neighbours. Perhaps the band couldn't afford to transport big empty black boxes to the island and decided to just bring the actual functioning equipment instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oogie boogie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 cock knobs. i want to see big speakers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimcalagon Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 cock knobs. i want to see big speakers Maybe you should set up a business renting big empty black wooden boxes to bands coming over to the island? They could get buried in them as well - imagine a coffin with a mesh front and 'Marshall' written on it in silver? I'd buy that for a dollar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 How about a survey asking the opinions of both the locals and the visitors? They could stick an advert/form in the Courier for the locals with a prize draw for a week off the island to the winner and likewise in the motorcycling magazines for the visitors with a weeks travel and accomodation for the following years TT week. It's clearly quieter this year, I struggled to see any bikes when I was in Ramsey this morning, probably no more than 20-30 in the 90 minutes I was in and around the town. If people are here for less time or just not bothering to come in the first place, the government need to find out why and do something to address the situation. It aslo wouldn't hurt for a few local businesses to be bold and take the option that keeping people happy by charging fair prices is better for them in the long term. If people go back saying they've had a good time and that prices were fair, they're more likely to come back and tell others about it, thus potentially increasing the number of visitors in future years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 It aslo wouldn't hurt for a few local businesses to be bold and take the option that keeping people happy by charging fair prices is better for them in the long term. If people go back saying they've had a good time and that prices were fair, they're more likely to come back and tell others about it, thus potentially increasing the number of visitors in future years. If only all TT businesses thought like you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.os Theory Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 why not have some of these guys come over? link in the races with some kind of freestyle event, you should theoretically get fans over for the racing and fans coming over for the lunatics doing backflips on motocross bikes...could do it on the prom ( maybe ) or up the onchan bowl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 If people are here for less time or just not bothering to come in the first place, the government need to find out why and do something to address the situation. Just had a chat with a visiting biker about this year's TT numbers. He firmly gave the opinion that the English bikers are staying away because of being 'overtaxed, underpaid and having run out of money'. Sounds about right. It's not just the cost of things in the Isle of Man that limits our tourism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneak Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Finally got down the prom last night....some observations The screen is totally in the wrong place. What's the point of having it down the end where the things were happening. if you could see the screen you could see the event anyway!!! needs to be more central (and bigger!) The poor lady who was trying to describe the flight display was toally drowned out by that durge coming from the beer tent. It wouldnt take much organising to stop them playing for 20 mins would it! Nice attempt at european style pissoirs but they needed a damn good clean The place stunk really badly...combination of stale beer, puke and b.o. Bring back smoking! No offence to the BMX chappy but this wasnt his audience Russ Swift looked a little embarassed by the whole thing (although I did like his Evo!) Bushy's tent sound system needs a serious overhaul. Got bored pretty quickly so went for a Curry at Spice of India (end of Castlemona Ave)....very nice btw. Over and out. It seems that the screen is is the wrong place due Pokerstars having a Granstand type thing where the "Big Screen" usually is. They are sponsoring the entertainment or something. Another observation: Our feet were sticking to the tarmac outside Bushys tent - what is that all about? My feet have stuck to the floor in Toffs and various other clubs and pubs before now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William_Hartnell Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 I fully agree with the sentiment that the whole promenade should be opened up and people allowed to wander freely with their drinks soaking up the atmosphere and weather (while it lasts) rather than be herded into a busy pig-pen at one end of the Prom. By their very nature vendors seem to complain at everything but having seen some of the figures involved for a pitch on the Promenade this year I was left absolutely speechless. Granted there is a hell of a return back but for them over the TT period but when the bar has been raised that high all it does is serve to reduce the choice and diversity on offer. Proactively court a diverse range of vendors beyond the greasy burger vans and already you have a vast improvement. I was dragged away to a fair by the in laws not so long a go and I have to admit the diversity of both food and drink on offer left me very impressed and very full. From Sushi, to a full roast dinner with all of the trimmings to a curry complete with Naan bread it was all doing a roaring trade and on the drinks front there were speciality beers, wines even hot cider all available from mobile vendors where you could take your drink and either sit down or wander on. With a bit more freedom to roam it brings the pubs, clubs and hotels all into the equation that I’m sure would all welcome the trade. Those that want to head towards the tent will do while others can meander or bar hop slowly along the prom taking in the sights and 'entertainment'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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