Bob Cratchitt

[rabbloke]

With reference to the discussion ensuing on The New Stadium listing, I would urge Bob Cratchitt, whom I applaud for his knowledge and support of the subject, to See what our Southend council does and not listen to what they say. The two are rarely the same. Any town that could build the shopping centre at the top of Victoria Avenue, designed in the likeness of a backstreet toilet, needs to be questioned. Southend as a town is a mere shadow from its best years and has little prospect of improvement.

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ Aug. 19 2004,13:40)]Any town that could build the shopping centre at the top of Victoria Avenue, designed in the likeness of a backstreet toilet, needs to be questioned. Southend as a town is a mere shadow from its best years and has little prospect of improvement.

I presume you mean Victoria Plaza/Precinct or whatever you want to call it. I do not think you could solely blame Southend Council for this but more the design fads of the 60's. Many Cities and Towns were blighted with such catastrophic buildings. The Birmingham Bull Ring being the first. However this has been changed due to private investment. It is now a very fashionable part of Birmingham. With regards to Vic Plaza - i feel that this has not been helped by the multiple number of owners who have promised much but failed to deliver anything. As it is in the hands of the private sector it is hard for Southend Council to do too much about it. In the past decade the council has tried hard to get developers to think about the designs they submit. The examples of better designs are Waitrose, The Boatyard Restaurant, the Pier Entrance and now the new Cliff Lift and bridge which are all striking developments.

I am not blind to Southend council failings but I cannot believe you can slate them for everything that has gone wrong. However I do believe they majority of the existing council do want a football stadium to be built on Fossetts Farm and as yet have not seen anything that would suggest to the contrary.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Bob Cratchitt @ Aug. 19 2004,14:07)]However I do believe the majority of the existing council do want a football stadium to be built on Fossetts Farm and as yet have not seen anything that would suggest to the contrary.

Although the departure of pro-stadium Chief Executive George Krawiec doesn't help matters ...

WS

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

...only if his replacement does not share the same view.

Last I knew George was still here, as he lives round the corner to me and can be seen supping ales in The Angel. Not sure when he is expected to go but i guess it is imminent.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

I knew it was imminent. It's a shame because he was no doubt the Club's biggest ally in the Council ...

WS

 

[Shrimp in a Kilt]

The council have (at least until recently) been unable to make their mind up about Southend - are we just a dormitory town? Or light industrial? or a Resort? and fatally they have dithered so that we are somewhere in between all of those, but not good at any of them.

And I blame Norman Clarke and his cronies for the long period when SUFC were considered to be a common nuisance by the council, and best ignored in the hope that we would quietly go away (which we nearly did..)

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (Shrimp in a Kilt @ Aug. 19 2004,22:44)]The council have (at least until recently)  been unable to make their mind up about Southend - are we just a dormitory town? Or light industrial? or a Resort? and fatally they have dithered so that we are somewhere in between all of those, but not good at any of them.

And I blame Norman Clarke and his cronies for the long period when SUFC were considered to be a common nuisance by the council, and best ignored in the hope that we would quietly go away (which we nearly did..)

I think you are referring to the days of [departed] Vic Jobson here and we all know that in many ways, he did not endear himself to Southend Council.

That was why it was muted around that time that the club were considering moving to a site in Basildon... fcuk knows what we would have been called if we'd have moved there?

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Aug. 19 2004,21:52)]I knew it was imminent. It's a shame because he was no doubt the Club's biggest ally in the Council ...

WS

Indeed, his going to take over a post at Lincolnshire council, i know RM was a bit gutted over it.

 

[Shrimp in a Kilt]

Quote[/b] (Technician @ Aug. 19 2004,23:23)]I think you are referring to the days of [departed] Vic Jobson here and we all know that in many ways, he did not endear himself to Southend Council.

That was why it was muted around that time that the club were considering moving to a site in Basildon... fcuk knows what we would have been called if we'd have moved there?

Vic didn't endear himself to the council (or many others, come to that) but the council's disdain for the footie club predates Uncle Vic by decades.

What would the club have been called if we had moved to Basildon? Traitors.

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (Shrimp in a Kilt @ Aug. 20 2004,00:14)]

Quote[/b] (Technician @ Aug. 19 2004,23:23)]I think you are referring to the days of [departed] Vic Jobson here and we all know that in many ways, he did not endear himself to Southend Council.

That was why it was muted around that time that the club were considering moving to a site in Basildon... fcuk knows what we would have been called if we'd have moved there?

Vic didn't endear himself to the council (or many others, come to that) but the council's disdain for the footie club predates Uncle Vic by decades.

What would the club  have been called if we had moved to Basildon? Traitors.

SiaK... Did you actually mean tra<span style='color:red'>i</span>tors? or should you have said tra<span style='color:blue'>c</span>tors?

 

[Napster]

Too easy to blame past misdemeanours. Don&#39;t forget RM looked at the possibility of us moving to Milton Keynes before Wimbledon did.