PR Dogs
It is very flattering to be the subject of so much attention from a PR company - it hasn't happened to me before! Am I a celebrity yet!
posted by Fighting for East Devon's future @ 10:34 am
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Stand Up For Seaton?
What are we standing up for?
- 1. Regeneration not degeneration; a return to the original development brief
- 2. Community facilities for the whole town within the regeneration area
- 3. Seaton residents to derive the majority of the direct benefits from Section 106 payments
- 4. Real public consultation on all stages of the regeneration process
- 5. A *megamarsh* funded by external sources and not from Section 106 income from the regeneration area
- 6. The maximum possible amount of affordable housing in the regeneration area
- 7. The continuation of long-stay tourism on the regeneration site
- 8. A landmark Visitors Centre
- 9. A sustainable solution to flood water management in and around the regeneration area
- 10. A cutting-edge environmental approach to regeneration
Previous Posts
- Welcome to PR dogs
- To PRDogs
- Ok the survey people got me!
- Tesco doing telephone shopping survey?
- Positive view of regeneration
- Information from Tesco - Melanie Chiswell
- STOP PRESS: Lyme Bay Holiday Village - bought by T...
- Pollution alters brain function
- Seaside towns need to think "out of the box"
- The new Banksy
Alternative stuff
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9 Comments:
Your fame goes before you...
I was at the meeting on Wednesday and would like to make a couple of observations.
The rep from PRdogs stated categorically that "a Tesco store would increase tourism" How? Shopping is not tourism. New housing is not tourism.
Also he stated that we were "lucky to had had community facilities" for as long as we have. Not only was that a sneering comment, I'd like to ask if he thinks any town deserves these "lucky" facilities and remind him that the district plans specifically state that development must not take away tourism opportunites or damage access to community facilities
Finally his attitude to the young lad who asked about the loss of the pool in the summer "Well you've got the sea front" was both unnecessarily smug and merely served to add to our unease over their intentions to help in any way preserve our tourism or community facilities.
Many of us also think that we have more of an issue with EDDC than Tesco. But bring it on.
I came away from the meeting at Winstons with a deep sense of unease at the extremely dismissive and patronising attitude of Tesco, via their chosen mouthpiece, to the town and its residents.
There was the impression that Tesco only wish to build a store, and that anything else MIGHT be put in place by outside developers.
There was the stated expectation that the plans WILL be passed, and therefore work will begin next January, so it won't be a problem that our main residential tourist base will close on Jan 2nd 2009.
There was the impression left that Seaton's future tourism will be "day" visitors - apparently brought to the town by a Tesco store.
There was the apparent lack of knowledge of the previous planning application by Liatris, the town's numerous and vociferous objections, and the rejection of those proposals with particular reference to the infill issue!
There was the comparison with Axminster, we were told that Tesco has brought about regeneration there. Whether this is the case or not, this is a misleading comparison.
Seaton is not an inland market town, it is a seaside holiday town!! Therefore to wipe out our tourist base in January, before anything else is even agreed upon or passed by planning will completely finish off our town!
I was at both of the meetings, and thought that it was clear that many people, like myself, are very concerned by what the future might hold for Seaton. Not everyone is able to articulate their disquiet at a public meeting in a calm way, not least because they feel so passionately about it.
In my view, so far, not one of our fears for the town have been dealt with.
Well Sandra,
"If you can't be famous, be infamous".
I know which I'd prefer!
In reply to crisscros:
The redevelopment area, as designated by East Devon District Council, is designed to make Seaton the centre of sustainable tourism for the Jurassic Coast. The supernarket and housing arepart of the redevelopment plans.
Our representative was not allowed to reply fully to questions, and was certainly not sneering - Seaton is, indeed, fortunate to have had facilities available fo community use.The survey undertaken in the town was designed to find out just what the people of Seaton really want.
This week Tesco representatives will meet the Town Council.
Seaton is also rightly proud of its foreshore.
In response to PR Dogs latest comments.....the PR rep MUST be aware of the discomfort ordinary, fair-minded, honest folk feel in this kind of situation. He absolutely did not show any kind of respect for their totally justified disquiet about the situation Seaton is faced with.
Lets face it, Tesco's reputation for riding rough-shod over any opposition is no secret and is totally alien to most reasonably-minded folk.
Do PR Dogs not realise that Seaton did not just vote in 8 virtually unknown people as councillors in May on this issue..... 100% more people voted than is normal here.
Waking a sleeping tiger is dangerous but wounding it is downright stupid!!
What worries me, is PR Dogs use of the term "Redevelopment" [area].
EDDC and the people of Seaton call it the "Regeneration" area. These two terms are vastly different in their connotations...please - I'm not trying to be picky, but it's important you (PR Dogs) realise that the town needs regeneration, not redevelopment.
PR dogs are right;
Seaton was lucky to have had access to private fun pool, when so long neglected by EDDC whose only use of Seaton appears to as a milch cow to supply subsidies for the upkeep of swimming pools and sports centres in every other East Devon town, not least Sidmouth. We merely want what every town of our size in the country would consider a basic right, and Tescos and its paid mouth-pieces should be warned that we fully intend to get the missing facilities.
If Tesco acquired a site in any British town and proceded, without consulting the local community, to strip the town of major employment, accommodation, income,nursery and leisure facilities, it must surely expect to face fierce opposition. I suggest PR dogs reports to Tesco that they have committed an unbelievable PR blunder and that the people of Seaton will not be steamrollered by them.
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