Ramsey Pier To Be Demolished?

[Albert Tatlock]

Should the pier be demolished, no it should not. One has only too look at resorts who once had a pier but no longer.Take New Brighton, once had a pier,one that the ferries used to bring daytrippers from Liverpool for a day out. It was demolished, now all the talk here is about building a new one.

Once a pier is demolished that is it,it is gone and will not be brought back, those who do the demolishing will look back and wish they hadn't.

Don't let the pier go, it is part of Ramey's heritage and history.

I agree heritage is important, but where you draw the line is a difficult decision that has to be tempered with reality and cost in the system we live and work under, given that there is pressure for these same resources from many other quarters. There is also likely to be even more pressure for these resources if there is going to be any global turndown.

 

The basic underlying fact is that we cannot afford to pay millions and millions for the upkeep of a museum that no-one visits, which is isolated by 90 miles of water from likely visitors who already have to pay an arm and a leg to get here, no matter how much we might miss some of these things from our past or fondly remember them - so we have to debate, prioritise and compromise on what we do maintain. For example, I'm all for keeping the horse trams and electric trams but not for paying out millions to do so, so have advocated single tracks and passing areas to lower running and maintenance costs.

 

I can't imagine anyone agreeing to paying £7M (£230 per every IOM household) to update the horsetram tracks, put back the Douglas Head Tramway, turn Port Skillion back into a swimming area or rebuild the fishing fleet so we can stare at it unused and anchored in Douglas or Peel harbours 'just for old times sake'. Whilst the passing of some things is to be regretted, no matter how nostalgic we feel, we have to get real - the island has completely changed in the past 30 years and will likely change just as much in the next 30 years.

 

Moreover, the major difference between seaside resorts in the UK that are their updating piers, and Ramsey, is accessibility. People who are cutting back on holidays in the UK, and spending more time at these resorts are doing so because it saves them money, and is a reasonable day out because these seaside resorts are close by. If seaside resorts in the UK are in general decline, what hope is there for an isolated Ramsey, which from the UK can cost just as much to get to as Europe and even the US?

 

Ramsey is crying out for investment, but what use is a renovated pier going to be? - what is the business case for the so called visitors that are likely to 'flock' to a renovated pier, that will only likely be in use a few months of the year?

 

What heritage are we handing down to our children on the island at the moment, who have next to nothing in terms of facilties available to them? What are we doing about the worsening social problems we face today - and what will these problems become to our kids in 30 years? - for which we have an overriding business, social and moral case to do something about.

 

Yes to spending at least £7M on Ramsey, but no to spending it unwisely on a pier.

[Bananaman]

Why not have a scheme like the one at Southend where you adopt a plank?

 

Good way of raising the revenue, bit of slick marketing over the 'net add a bit of comedy value and it'll be a winner.

 

 

[Albert Tatlock]

Why not have a scheme like the one at Southend where you adopt a plank?

I did that at the last election it seems.

[GD4ELI]

Yes to spending at least £7M on Ramsey, but no to spending it unwisely on a pier.

Blimey Albert, a fine literate posting. It's obvious that any spare 7 million should be spent on extra lessons for the local yoof so that it / they can write so well. Failing that, how would you spend 7 million on Ramsey? New swimming pool is not allowed as it's already being constructed and you can't build a marina because myself and bird enthusiasts will object and cause delays.

 

As I mentioned earlier I think Parliament street & square needs a lot more than a lick of paint.

[GD4ELI]

Why not have a scheme like the one at Southend where you adopt a plank?

 

Good way of raising the revenue, bit of slick marketing over the 'net add a bit of comedy value and it'll be a winner.

 

 

I'll bet that Italian chappy who is convinced that a pier will cause zillions of tourists to descend on Ramsey does not adopt even one splinter.

[rallybug]

Various points about regenerating Ramsey and returning it to excellence. When was this excellent period? No knocking here, just wat to know - I can imagine that there was a fair tourism trade in Victorian times as evidenced by the houses on Mooragh prom and up to about the 1960s (blocks near swimming pool), and presumably a good size fishing fleet at one time to go along with the ship building concern(s?).

 

Apart from that, what else has Ramsey had over the years?

[Jimcalagon]

Various points about regenerating Ramsey and returning it to excellence. When was this excellent period? No knocking here, just wat to know - I can imagine that there was a fair tourism trade in Victorian times as evidenced by the houses on Mooragh prom and up to about the 1960s (blocks near swimming pool), and presumably a good size fishing fleet at one time to go along with the ship building concern(s?).

 

Apart from that, what else has Ramsey had over the years?

 

There's a hill.

 

Queen Victoria looked at it once which is why the town is now called 'Royal Ramsey'.

[Lonan3]

Why not have a scheme like the one at Southend where you adopt a plank?

 

Good way of raising the revenue, bit of slick marketing over the 'net add a bit of comedy value and it'll be a winner.

 

 

I'll bet that Italian chappy who is convinced that a pier will cause zillions of tourists to descend on Ramsey does not adopt even one splinter.

I think he may be a plank.

[GD4ELI]

Various points about regenerating Ramsey and returning it to excellence. When was this excellent period? No knocking here, just wat to know - I can imagine that there was a fair tourism trade in Victorian times as evidenced by the houses on Mooragh prom and up to about the 1960s (blocks near swimming pool), and presumably a good size fishing fleet at one time to go along with the ship building concern(s?).

 

Apart from that, what else has Ramsey had over the years?

The blocks by the (old) swimming pool are built where South Ramsey used to be, this was almost a slum, the residents moved to council house and flats on the field by Lezayre road.

 

Someone must have some pictures of old south Ramsey.

[CJW]

Yes to spending at least £7M on Ramsey, but no to spending it unwisely on a pier.

Blimey Albert, a fine literate posting. It's obvious that any spare 7 million should be spent on extra lessons for the local yoof so that it / they can write so well. Failing that, how would you spend 7 million on Ramsey? New swimming pool is not allowed as it's already being constructed and you can't build a marina because myself and bird enthusiasts will object and cause delays.

 

As I mentioned earlier I think Parliament street & square needs a lot more than a lick of paint.

 

Not this one. There are no endangered birds* needing protection in Ramsey harbour.

 

*Cue predictable "birds" joke and references to Shitelife.

[triskelion]

Pedestrianise (and possibly roof) Parliament Street?

[parchedpeas]

Pedestrianise (and possibly roof) Parliament Street?

 

Commercially:

Subsidise (to the point of 'free') commercial rent for new business opening in ramsey.

Market the town to its stregnths (variety of shops, free parking, leisurely shopping experience)

 

Recreationally:

Clean up the sea, stop pumping shit into it and stick some money into promoting it as a 'seaside' town that people would want to visit. Mount a massive PA on the beach and have a beach party a couple of times throughout the summer. You could base it around the Mooragh Park, which really is the jewel in the crown of Ramsey and should be made more of. Nicer than Onchan Park, but underfunded and underdeveloped.

 

Realistically:

Nothing will happen, and it will fester.

 

There isn't much love for Ramsey around the Isle of Man, which is a shame, but when you look at the community that other towns have, and the events they manage to put together, it is not much surprise. The MHK's from Ramsey use it as an inconvenient stepping stone into Government, and the local commissioners are the same old tired faces that have overseen the running down of the town. Do they still have Rotoraid day? That used to be an event when I was young we'd go to the park for. That's an example of the kind of thing Ramsey used to do quite well, but slowly over the years the same events, the same tired stalls would appear and it faded into nothing. A real shame.

 

In Market Square if you could get the heads of the Ellan Vannin, Nightlife and the Royal together, you could pedestrianise Market Square on a Friday or Saturday night, stick a stage in there and have some decent bands or DJ's on. These kind of things are crying out to be done, but where is the will? Where are the ideas coming from?

 

Ramsey needs more 'events' that bring outsiders into the town, and more attractions that keep people there. As much as I would love to see the pier redecortated, it is unfortunately not going to be one of these things.

[Albert Tatlock]

Fully equipped and properly run youth and community centre facility (with the community, and especially kids from up there, involved in the design/layout).

 

Bowling Alley/Cinema to be let for private running at a realistic rate

 

I was also going to suggest a monorail car - to be used for a monorail built out of the scrap metal from the pier, but maybe people might be a bit miffed with that one if I bring it up too early

[Jimcalagon]

How about opening up Wilf's scrapyard as a 'Heritage Centre'? In fact change the name of the town to "Wilf's Scrapyard" as it seems that's what he's been trying to turn it into for the last couple of decades.

 

Then when he's shuffled off his mortal coil (think of the scrap value!) they can build the marina that he and his cobwebbed ilk have been blocking for 10 years.

 

The quay should be done-up ala Douglas and some nice shops/ice cream shops etc opened. Water retention system as in Peel, a cinema to serve the north of the island and do something about the scabby eyesore is the back of the terraces surrounding the tram station.

[Grianane]

Pedestrianise (and possibly roof) Parliament Street?

 

Commercially:

Subsidise (to the point of 'free') commercial rent for new business opening in ramsey.

Market the town to its stregnths (variety of shops, free parking, leisurely shopping experience)

 

Recreationally:

Clean up the sea, stop pumping shit into it and stick some money into promoting it as a 'seaside' town that people would want to visit. Mount a massive PA on the beach and have a beach party a couple of times throughout the summer. You could base it around the Mooragh Park, which really is the jewel in the crown of Ramsey and should be made more of. Nicer than Onchan Park, but underfunded and underdeveloped.

 

Realistically:

Nothing will happen, and it will fester.

 

There isn't much love for Ramsey around the Isle of Man, which is a shame, but when you look at the community that other towns have, and the events they manage to put together, it is not much surprise. The MHK's from Ramsey use it as an inconvenient stepping stone into Government, and the local commissioners are the same old tired faces that have overseen the running down of the town. Do they still have Rotoraid day? That used to be an event when I was young we'd go to the park for. That's an example of the kind of thing Ramsey used to do quite well, but slowly over the years the same events, the same tired stalls would appear and it faded into nothing. A real shame.

 

In Market Square if you could get the heads of the Ellan Vannin, Nightlife and the Royal together, you could pedestrianise Market Square on a Friday or Saturday night, stick a stage in there and have some decent bands or DJ's on. These kind of things are crying out to be done, but where is the will? Where are the ideas coming from?

 

Ramsey needs more 'events' that bring outsiders into the town, and more attractions that keep people there. As much as I would love to see the pier redecortated, it is unfortunately not going to be one of these things.

 

 

The last weekend was stonking in Ramsey - street party packeted out and enjoyed by all. Party in the park for Alder Hey on sunday was still going after the purple helmets and you couldn't see the promenande for cars. I'm surprised you didn't know about it, the events were well advertised in the papers, radio and on the web.