Remember ‘Destination Hartlepool’....?

Started by Inspector Knacker, May 13, 2020, 06: AM

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Inspector Knacker

Those heady days when by re-modelling Stockton Street, visitors to the town would suddenly come out of a trance and realise they were in Hartlepool. Especially puzzling, as if someone sets out to go to Hartlepool, plans the route, passes the signs that surely indicates the bleedin obvious, knew exactly where ..........why should it come as a surprise?...... and our glorious leaders were seriously pedalling this guff.
One aspect that received received a lot of attention were the all walking, all talking......er, safety barriers.....? Really?
Well, it's done, they're in place and don't look cheap, but are they made from super magnetised steel salvaged from some bizarre chemical process, because the seem to attract a lot of attention from vehicles 'attracted' to them or is it visitors suddenly coming out of hazy trance realising they've arrived at destination Hartlepool and losing control of their auto pilot driven car as it embraces those groovy crash barriers...?
Just a final thought, weren't these barriers supposed to have plaques on...... or was the cupboard bare by that time?
Other destinations attract visitors by having some notable natural feature or historic architecture, our shower got together, had a brain storming session and came up with ........ designer crash barriers.... classic gold.
What can be asserted without proof,
can be dismissed without proof.

stokoe

A little bit off topic I met someone about 5 yrs ago and she was from Whitley bay,on my way up there I was thinking North east area it will be just like Hartlepool. HOW wrong was I its a totally different world and its 45 minutes away.

Inspector Knacker

Couldn't agree more. I always despair when you see something like the Tommy statue at Seaham and look what we got for the bombardment centenary...... a miserable little anonymous piece of nothing, tucked away near the sub station. Shameful.
Tommy is a visitor attraction and tribute, ours is just embarrassing.
That's what happens though when you elect the rosette instead of a decent candidate.
What can be asserted without proof,
can be dismissed without proof.

Johnny Bongo

I had cause to be in Stockton High street last week...hadn't been there for a long time and was surprised how good it looks.  Just a shame it was so quiet.  I was also in Billingham 'shopping centre' (looking for a certain bank) and for a moment,I thought I'd been transported back to the 60's.....or to some post apocalyptic film set!  Very depressing!  When all this Virus carp is over, I sincerely hope that our Council and planners get their backsides into gear and build the things that people want and need! NO party politics....just serve the people and the town.   

The Great Dictator




   Couldn't agree more IK, i celebrated today with a run out to Seaham front and are always impressed with the pride, design and cleanliness of the place.

   My missus even mentioned the £60,000 pile of nothing near the lighthouse and lack of the elegant TOMMY for a few grand more.

norfolkngoode

Quote from: Johnny Bongo on May 13, 2020, 05: PM
I had cause to be in Stockton High street last week...hadn't been there for a long time and was surprised how good it looks.  Just a shame it was so quiet.  I was also in Billingham 'shopping centre' (looking for a certain bank) and for a moment,I thought I'd been transported back to the 60's.....or to some post apocalyptic film set!  Very depressing!  When all this Virus carp is over, I sincerely hope that our Council and planners get their backsides into gear and build the things that people want and need! NO party politics....just serve the people and the town.

Billingham is Stocktons poor relation, and If my memory serves me well I'm sure Billingham town centre was sold to private enterprise, and the funds from the sale used to improve Stockton high street....?

Still wouldn't make me shop in Stockton.
'They don't like it up em'

Inspector Knacker

Quote from: The Great Dictator on May 13, 2020, 07: PM



   Couldn't agree more IK, i celebrated today with a run out to Seaham front and are always impressed with the pride, design and cleanliness of the place.

   My missus even mentioned the £60,000 pile of nothing near the lighthouse and lack of the elegant TOMMY for a few grand more.
£60,000!!!!! Really. Now that is shocking for something that looks like it was banged up as a kitchen island project by a 12 year old who never even built anything with Lego successfully.
Mind you when it comes to 'art' installations our council must suffer chronically from kings new clothes syndrome. There was the balls roundabout which was going to have tourists coming to view them. Of course they did....NOT.  At the bottom of Church Street there's what appears to be a lone uncompleted motorway flyover support complete with rebar sticking out of the top. Doubtless the artist will have scripted some maritime fairytale to go with their concrete tribute to the sea.
Funny how the poor old watcher statue is tucked discreetly away by the side of the Gray Art Gallery, when a looking out to sea location would be far more appropriate. Yet at Seaton we have the novelty toilet flush block with 'Bonny lights' that would be more appropriate in one of the arcades...it's message is?
What can be asserted without proof,
can be dismissed without proof.

Grumblstiltskin

Quote from: Inspector Knacker on May 16, 2020, 08: AM
There was the balls roundabout which was going to have tourists coming to view them. Of course they did....NOT.

I did laugh when someone painted faces on all the balls

The Great Dictator




   To be fair the "Balls" only cost about £10,000 and the money came from the Arts council not from Council tax funds.

Johnny Bongo

Quote from: The Great Dictator on May 17, 2020, 06: PM



   To be fair the "Balls" only cost about £10,000 and the money came from the Arts council not from Council tax funds.

£10K ....for a load of balls! ;)  Anyway, as there's a few different sculptures and / or 'works of art'  :-\round town, why not have a dedicated Sculpture Park...or an Art Park....where various individuals or indeed, groups, including professional artists, can display their designs / expressions to the good people of Hartlepool and beyond.  HBC would not have to buy these...unless, of course, something really did have an impact...and the public 'voted' for it, via questionnaires or online, etc.  However, it would bring good publicity to the town, not to mention VISITORS and MONEY.  We have the space and the organisational skills (via HBC) don't we?  HBC (or whoever) could organise competitions based on a certain theme each month, give the artists a few months to complete their work, then display their creations for (again) a few months, giving time for out of town visitors to enjoy.  Along with the Historic Quay and the Heugh Battery, Hartlepool could add another string to its bow and become an even better tourist attraction.  A simple enough concept from my point of view (after a bottle of red!) BUT are HBC capable of 'managing' such a project...and more importantly...can they sustain it?  Over to you, HBC.

Inspector Knacker

There's the catch....'managing it'. You need a driven, inspirational Chief Exec.
What can be asserted without proof,
can be dismissed without proof.