Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

The Save Dreamland Campaign was launched by Joyland Books in January 2003 and is now supported by several thousand people. This is the place to discuss all aspects of saving Margate's famous amusement park and its iconic , Grade II listed Scenic Railway, Britain's oldest roller coaster.

Moderators: dave771, porf, Sarah

Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby DaveD » 15 May 2013, 13:18

Now, I am quite a fan of the aforementioned Ms Portas.

But last night's documentary didn't quite hit the spot. I was hoping for an all-round view of people's opinion and some depth to how the area has suffered in recent times; admittedly, these (and others) are issues that are difficult to fit into an hours television but it didn't quite work - there was huge focus on Mary's efforts to be allowed into the town regeneration committee, as well as a slightly nauseating obsession with "Billy", a beleagured gift shop owner on the front who didn't quite believe his luck in gaining so much of Ms Portas' attention.

The end result was half of Chas and Dave in the High Street with some street entertainers, whilst showing some of the reinvigorated Old Town and fairground rides which were there anyway, plus some discounted train tickets from London. I don't feel that it really did anything - it didn't put the residents in a particulary good light, it showed how disjointed public opinion was in the area and, from all the press there has been since and during the production, it has only served to create some tension locally.

Her intentions were clearly positive; it wouldn't have been hugely difficult to create a more sensationalist style of programme but this avenue wasn't explored, but neither did it particulary endear the area or the people to the casual viewer. I don't think it would have changed many people's opinions, or inspired people to visit - the "light-hearted" moments seemed quite awkwardly predictible and insipid.

Campaign-wise, there were a lot of mentions about Dreamland and the Heritage Park which was encouraging and a great deal of shots of the Scenic. I am of course completely biased through long-term involvement in this campaign but mentioning this may have been the very best thing about the programme as it would have reached a sizable audience.



DD
DaveD
 
Posts: 120
Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 16:25
Location: Gillingham, Kent

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby SuburbanHomeboy » 15 May 2013, 20:41

One thing the documentary did very nicely, however, was emphasise how few holidaymakers/tourists were heading for Margate during a spell of hot weather in August. When Mary got off the train at Margate and only one family with a bucket and spade got off the same train, it was really sad.

Tourist attractions and plenty of things to do when you get there are what's needed - like the Heritage Amusement Park.

But yes - Billy did get rather annoying ;-)

Rob
SuburbanHomeboy
 
Posts: 129
Joined: 28 Mar 2012, 20:07

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby woody » 16 May 2013, 00:50

how has the 100k been spent?
woody
 
Posts: 88
Joined: 07 Apr 2008, 23:39

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby kevinashe » 16 May 2013, 17:11

the big thing as mary said is to advertise and put special train deals on.Bad press in the past has also done the damage but moving forward with a heritage fair attraction will bring families back and help bring in money to the down that it so much needs.It was an interesting programme though,another idea has the resort ever thought about buying second hand illuminations from Blackpool,it would brighten up the prom even with a limited few especially when dreamland reopens
kevinashe
 
Posts: 305
Joined: 14 Feb 2007, 20:42

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby vince69619 » 18 May 2013, 16:40

I thought the programme was very interesting. Billy was at least open to being helped my Mary who didn't like Arlington House one bit :D

Vince.
User avatar
vince69619
 
Posts: 457
Joined: 06 Aug 2004, 11:42
Location: Reading

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby Bob » 21 May 2013, 21:32

The program hardly put Margate in a good light. The place unfortunately is a dump as you come out of the station which is probably the best building in the town you are met by the eyesore that is Arlington house. Then you get empty shops and semi derelict arcades.

The program was more about Advertising Mary Portus then doing anything useful. She got Tracy Emin to come up with a daft sort of Logo for Margate " Come to Margate for a Dirty Weekend" Not really a good choice. It just reinforces the image that the town is a dump no mater what way you look at it. Then poor old Bily's shop got a makeover turning it into more of a tourist base business than it was before. It may work at Buckingham Palace as it is a year round attraction. Markets season last a few months. Why an earth she did that when he had already said he had trouble getting trade out of season I have not a clue

The government £100K is just silly. What can you do with a £100K even id the shops matched it £200K is nothing considering how much of a make over the town needs. The town needs to have less shops so it really needs to decide what bits are worth keeping. It is better to have a smaller shopping area but with the shops occupied than a large one with about 30% of the shops empty
Bob
 
Posts: 509
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 21:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby smilerbaker » 22 May 2013, 09:05

the solution to margate's empty shops is breath takingley easy, the council should be charging the landlords 100% business rates, that would encourage them to stop with there stupidly high rents and bring them down to a reasonable level.
smilerbaker
 
Posts: 98
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 08:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby Bob » 22 May 2013, 15:52

They are not going to let them at below cost. The simple fact is we need a lot less shops. Margate is no longer a major tourist destination and working families do not have the time to go shopping in High Streets. They do not even open when most working people can get to them. About 35% of the shops in Margate need to go. Far better to have a smaller shopping area with the shops occupied rather than a larger one with every other shop empty and boarded up. It a shopping area looks dirty and run down people avoide it
Bob
 
Posts: 509
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 21:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby vince69619 » 22 May 2013, 16:16

I have two thoughts on this subject.

1) Isn't the issue of empty shops going to be common to many shopping areas and not just Margate? We all know that high tax has pushed stores out of towns and onto business parks, that's been going on for years.

2) As a visitor to Margate (when Dreamland is open) what would tempt me to go as far as the high street if it's like most a clone of every other high street? When I am visiting Dreamland unless I suddenly feel the need to go into Wilkinson, I am probably going to stay in Dreamland or on the beach front. It's quite a challenge to draw tourists down the high street unless they are looking for higher quality food. Maybe the new Dreamland will provide this as well, instead of just burgers etc.

Vince.
User avatar
vince69619
 
Posts: 457
Joined: 06 Aug 2004, 11:42
Location: Reading

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby smilerbaker » 23 May 2013, 13:18

Below cost?? Really Bob, you have no idea!!! most shops are owned by pension funds & huge property management companies etc etc, they are bought and paid for and sit as an asset on there books, an accountant somewhere decides what they want from it, and that is that, pay it or we don't care if it stands empty.

Yes, I've had the 'pleasure' of renting shops in the past, we signed a long term lease on one unit, that came to an end, and even though the rest of the street was boarded up and empty the owners (a pension fund) decided the place was now worth 4 times our current rent, result, shop is now empty and has been for the past 6 years

Now if these companies where having to fork out 6k per year business rates on all there empty properties you can bet your arse they would be more realistic with there demands

I could go on all day about all the fun and games I've had with landlords
smilerbaker
 
Posts: 98
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 08:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby kevinashe » 24 May 2013, 15:28

thats why the high streets are the way they are,shops that turn a profit are faced with exorbitant rent which in turn means the shops close.We have a shopping centre in which some of the units have never been let and thats after 20 years of standing,something wrong there
kevinashe
 
Posts: 305
Joined: 14 Feb 2007, 20:42

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby smilerbaker » 27 May 2013, 14:40

that kind of 'logic' does my head in, I really cannot understand how landlords come up with there crazy rents and it really seems to me like a huge amount of them are quite happy to just leave the places empty, fair enough if all the units in the road are taken and lots of people want in, but in all our cases there where plenty of empty units around, bigger, better, more modern etc etc and cheaper

this should be the next thing the council get there teeth into. 100% business rates on empty, compulsory purchase the really run down units and issue license to occupy for small businesses to get established (and not all coffee and mobile phone shops!!) get the independents in stop going for the usual clone high st (that will be dead within 10 years anyway)
smilerbaker
 
Posts: 98
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 08:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby Bob » 28 May 2013, 10:37

Margate like most towns has far to many shops for modern needs. There is nothing that can be done about that Your claim that Pensions funds etc leave property empty because they want to is nonsense. It costs them money leaving property empty. Commercial property like homes is falling in value

Why would councils want to take them over? what would they do with empty shops and where would they find the money to take them over?
Bob
 
Posts: 509
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 21:21

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby vince69619 » 28 May 2013, 21:45

I don't have experience of property to the degree that is being discussed, but I have seen accountant logic in operation.

I worked for a company where almost all of the IT department were contractors. It was costing three times as much as having employees but it didn't matter because it was coming out of some other budget. But this company is one that we all (as consumers) are paying for, and who ever the budget owner was, the three times the cost is on all of our electricity prices.

So thanks everyone for the new kitchen and the trip to Florida but the bottom line is that accountants do get up to this sort of thing that most of us would consider wrong and wouldn't believe were going on.

Vince.
User avatar
vince69619
 
Posts: 457
Joined: 06 Aug 2004, 11:42
Location: Reading

Re: Mary Portas Margate "Save The High Street" Documentary

Postby smilerbaker » 29 May 2013, 10:05

LOL really Bob, how many retail units have you ever let? how many large companies have you ever worked for?

I don't just sit around and make this stuff up you know, I have let retail space, I have payed business rates, I have tried to deal with large landlords who really really didn't want to let there unit out and they are, till this very day, still empty. Its all down to balance sheets, profit and loss, tax deductions etc etc make it so its not worthwhile for these companies to leave units empty and people will take them. There are plenty of small independent retailers out there who would love there own shop, think market stall holders, one man band internet based, speciality stores etc etc Ever taken a trip in the back lanes at brighton??
smilerbaker
 
Posts: 98
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 08:21

Next

Return to Save Dreamland Campaign Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests

cron