Can you replace Boscombe's green fountain? (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Can you replace Boscombe's green fountain?
9:00am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in
RESIDENTS are being asked to vote on what should replace the much-maligned Boscombe fountain.
In a recent meeting Bournemouth council and Dorset Police jointly decided to remove the fountain to improve the area as part of the Boscombe Regeneration Project.
The fountain will be replaced by either bike racks or paving and local residents can vote online on which they prefer.
Boscombe Traders Association treasurer Austin Kinsley recently launched a last ditch bid to save the much-criticised structure claiming it was “relaxing and calming for everyone”.
Cabinet member for Communities Cllr David Smith said it was “unfortunate” that the fountain had become a place that attracts litter, vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
He added: “Despite every effort to maintain the fountain and keep it free from damage and litter, we feel it would be better to remove it.
“We are determined to clean up the area and to make it a far more safe and pleasant place to visit. I would encourage local residents to have their say in order to help improve the precinct.”
The online vote ends on Monday, March 22.
People can vote by visiting bournemouth.gov.uk/|boscomberegeneration and residents can also vote using free internet access at Boscombe Library.
Comments(25)
ben111
says...
9:10am Tue 16 Mar 10
BmthNewshound
says...
9:23am Tue 16 Mar 10
It seems that the Boscombe Regeneration Project has been given a blank cheque to waste £m's of tax payers money without having done any real good.
Removing the fountain will not stop vandalism or antisocial behaviour, those responsible for these acts will simply congregate somewhere else. Remove the criminals not the fountain.
boardstiff
says...
9:50am Tue 16 Mar 10
BmthNewshound is right - remove the criminals.
And if you want to replace the fountain, replace it with the main Christchurch Road as before.
Lord Spring
says...
10:01am Tue 16 Mar 10
beachhut
says...
10:30am Tue 16 Mar 10
Dorset_Born_n_Bread !
says...
10:53am Tue 16 Mar 10
What about a fenced off - dancing /flying water feature - like the ones that throw tubes of watter thru the air?
Jumping water jets!
http://www.water-gar
den.co.uk/jumping_je
ts.php
Dorset_Born_n_Bread !
says...
10:54am Tue 16 Mar 10
jinglebell
says...
11:36am Tue 16 Mar 10
beachhut wrote:Extensive research by large companies such as Next, Gap, Chanel, Monsoon, Marks and Spencer etc. show that there is more trade in pedestrianised areas than in areas which are non-pedestrianised. This is why even in cities which were ravaged by war or civil disruption a few years ago (e.g. Belgrade; Bucharest etc.) these companies have selected pedestrianised areas to site their shops. Areas which have been "reverted" to street front experience a reduction in trade with customers only spending on average in 2 shops in comparison to those in pedestrianised areas where customers spend in 4 shops. These large companies have enormous power - more than governments - such is the power of globalisation and their financial hold; they would not continue to push for pedestrianised areas such as Castle Point or the centre of Bournemouth if they lost money.
Turn it back into a through road with chevron parking on oneside with timer or meter parking, trees and paved area. This will improve footfall, cut out much of the street problems and improve the look. You can still have market days similar to Christchurch, but anything to stop people hanging around, or cruising on push bikes to mug someone.
Phixer
says...
12:17pm Tue 16 Mar 10
The residents are given Hobson's choice.
How about some decent shops and residential above to bring some proper life to the area.
Phixer
says...
12:19pm Tue 16 Mar 10
ben111
says...
12:44pm Tue 16 Mar 10
djd
says...
1:14pm Tue 16 Mar 10
djd
says...
1:18pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Why not put a runway there....oopps, planes cannot land there, can they ???? But don't worry, this is Boscombe.
Markmag
says...
1:23pm Tue 16 Mar 10
rainbowkisses
says...
1:37pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Markmag wrote:Thats the most sensible post I've seen, but will never happen. Council will say theres no point in wasting money on seats that will get vandalised, trees that will get damaged, lights that will get broke pavement that will get covered in filth etc. I also agree with those that said get rid of the vandals not the furniture. Typical of this Council though. No guts. To worried about the rights of the filth, not the residents. While the Council still have this menatility, nothing they do will make Boscombe, or any part of town, better. Get more Police WALKING through Boscombe and have a zero tolerance policy and you will see the anti social behaviour levels fall. Get rid of the toytown cops who nobody takes seriously and get ones in that have the power to nick the inbreds. As usual with this Council though, they talk talk talk, but do sod all. What was the name of that woman who was appointed to clean Boscombe up? How much has she earned so far and just what has she done for the money? Like I said, talk talk talk.
The council needs to refresh all the paving in the pedestrianised precinct not just where the fountain is. Despite using paving subject to breaks and resistant to cleaning, and running market viechles over it two days a week it's not been replaced for 22 years. Rip up all the paving, replace with higher quality and seating, proper trees and CCTV monitoring and create a respectible place for people to shop.
sollie
says...
4:27pm Tue 16 Mar 10
WIGGINSv
says...
4:32pm Tue 16 Mar 10
jinglebell wrote:If people didn't go into their shops they wouldn't have any power.
beachhut wrote: Turn it back into a through road with chevron parking on oneside with timer or meter parking, trees and paved area. This will improve footfall, cut out much of the street problems and improve the look. You can still have market days similar to Christchurch, but anything to stop people hanging around, or cruising on push bikes to mug someone.Extensive research by large companies such as Next, Gap, Chanel, Monsoon, Marks and Spencer etc. show that there is more trade in pedestrianised areas than in areas which are non-pedestrianised. This is why even in cities which were ravaged by war or civil disruption a few years ago (e.g. Belgrade; Bucharest etc.) these companies have selected pedestrianised areas to site their shops. Areas which have been "reverted" to street front experience a reduction in trade with customers only spending on average in 2 shops in comparison to those in pedestrianised areas where customers spend in 4 shops. These large companies have enormous power - more than governments - such is the power of globalisation and their financial hold; they would not continue to push for pedestrianised areas such as Castle Point or the centre of Bournemouth if they lost money.
Visit the Charity Shops for a year and 'Spanner' the B*******.
peter beneather benifit cheater
says...
4:43pm Tue 16 Mar 10
bigjohn
says...
5:37pm Tue 16 Mar 10
charliesgirl
says...
6:32pm Tue 16 Mar 10
jamyjames
says...
7:22pm Tue 16 Mar 10
The Reef is a con/flop dependent on your view. The rumors abound town that those who are supposed to serve us helped themselves in some insider deals with the Honeycombe development. How else could they have got away with building beyond the given planning permission? Friends in high places?
If that were you or I trying to put on an extra few floors we would be taken to court and forced to knock it back down.
How come the local media are not pursuing this?
Anyway, the reef doesn't work and Honeycombe's luxury flats for the few are selling. However problem is for Barrett they are only selling a to a few and the monstrosity is left nearly unsold. The Pods? they are empty too. In fact it is hard to see anyone really winning here, but the town and its future generations are the losers as they appear to have been mugged of some of its most valuable land and another fine view. For what? a failed reef and an irreparable collapse in trust for the Council. I would love to see the paper go after those who may have profited for their personal greed and the flagrant detriment of the town.
Which brings us to the Fountain. Just leave it because whatever the Council try will no doubt be another little con or yet another humiliating and expensive failure.
While were are at it, Don't let these Councilors sell of any more of the beach front to multi-national companies (is this the game at IMAX).
Its like Bournemouth for sale but at what a price, and who (the media should ask), gets the commission?
jinglebell
says...
1:22pm Wed 17 Mar 10
WIGGINSv wrote:I'm not saying big chain stores should have this kind of power; but they have and they use it to impose their shops where they wish frequently to the detriment of local shops and therefore community. Tesco has done this all over the country and it is a rare Council that has the integrity to withstands their wishes.
jinglebell wrote:If people didn't go into their shops they wouldn't have any power. Visit the Charity Shops for a year and 'Spanner' the B*******.beachhut wrote: Turn it back into a through road with chevron parking on oneside with timer or meter parking, trees and paved area. This will improve footfall, cut out much of the street problems and improve the look. You can still have market days similar to Christchurch, but anything to stop people hanging around, or cruising on push bikes to mug someone.Extensive research by large companies such as Next, Gap, Chanel, Monsoon, Marks and Spencer etc. show that there is more trade in pedestrianised areas than in areas which are non-pedestrianised. This is why even in cities which were ravaged by war or civil disruption a few years ago (e.g. Belgrade; Bucharest etc.) these companies have selected pedestrianised areas to site their shops. Areas which have been "reverted" to street front experience a reduction in trade with customers only spending on average in 2 shops in comparison to those in pedestrianised areas where customers spend in 4 shops. These large companies have enormous power - more than governments - such is the power of globalisation and their financial hold; they would not continue to push for pedestrianised areas such as Castle Point or the centre of Bournemouth if they lost money.
Boscombe could aim at being the area of Bournemouth without a dominance of these chain stores. Individual, unusual businesses would create an eclectic range to choose from instead of the same humdrum stuff from chain stores.
Some already do this - the cafe, Boscanova has superb food and a really funky decor as does Urban Beach and the new restaurant on the corner of St. John's Road and Christchurch Road.
A more enlightened Council would encourage independent shop keepers in Boscombe and particularly those with unique products for sale - this happens elsewhere in the country.
It would appear, however, that Boscombe is seen by our Conservative Council as the cash-cow for Bournemouth since it is in the 1% most deprived in the country. This means Bournemouth Council can access grants supposedly for Boscombe fairly easily - unfortunately it would appear that once received, the monies seem to disappear - and Boscombe has not benefited once again. When I hear David Cameron talking, I just think of the reality of having a Conservative Council, who smother any democratic debate - if they got in power it would be even worse - self-seeking, arrogant, dubious integrity, out of touch with the public, uncaring and seeing themselves as having every right to be so.
jinglebell
says...
1:51pm Wed 17 Mar 10
madras
says...
11:15am Thu 18 Mar 10
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ben111 says...
9:03am Tue 16 Mar 10