Andy Millne

Yep that was my thinking, you've got an automatic multiplier straight away. We could include the new classifieds system here as well to encourage a bit of trading in them. Charge a very small listing fee and take bedlington pounds as payment (which goes back into the grants pot). Sellers could also choose to accept Bedlington pounds as payment, those that do get added benefits like featured listings.

That's quite a lot (understatement of the year). Especially considering the average debt for every UK adult is £30,000. 133% of average earnings. Still... it's not all doom and gloom. Look how many flat screen TVs we all have now

Is that before or after the Bedlington referendum?

http://ts17.gazettelive.co.uk/2008/10/thornaby-town-independence-row.html anybody know how they got on?

OK what about a local economic development fund that is responsible for raising funds to be spent in Bedlington (this idea has already been raised). This group could also be responsible for the issuing of Monsta's currency and would also pay out to local projects in this currency. This would encourage some local enterprise and ensure the money was spent locally. Any new enterprises that come about because of the fund would be automatically reinvesting their grant/loan with local builders/shopfitters suppliers etc.

Great idea. Here's a good article to describe the Local Multiplier Effect this generates.

I fully agree with the vast majority of your points on this one mercuryg. The town has a deep rooted problem of self-denigration which puts a lot of people off trying new things and trying to get ahead.The sooner we can get past that the better.

No you're right and I don't pretend to, just commenting on what I've seen and been told. What I've been told is it's getting finished off in Spring. Next time I'm passing I'll have a look around the cross.

It's flawed on many levels not just security. It's most fundamental flaws are actually in it's primary purpose i.e. rendering HTML

I've just been around the Market Place and I couldn't see anything wrong with how they are laid. They haven't been "pointed" if that's the term. Could just be like tiling in that the slightest level difference is noticeable until they're grouted. I was told that they couldn't do it in the cold weather and it would be done in the spring.

You could probably just about scrape in under a fiver with chips and curry sauce. Maybe even 7 packs of tesco value super noodles for your weekly shop.

Another argument for a means tested property rates system for local businesses. The current one size fits all scenario is shocking.

It's well ironic, innit!

To be honest, although it's not really AOLs problem you'd be better off switching to a different provider anyway for several other reasons.

so you don't disagree really, you agree and have presented a solution for a small scale project it's just not worth doing. But if set up as a centralised service that people could retrieve from/contribute to when data is missing then you've got a really useful product. When's it going to be available? Now back to the Ridge Farm...

I've heard good things about the meals at the Three Horse Shoes. As somebody that has written this sort of geo-location software recently I can say that it is notoriously difficult to ensure accuracy. Royal Mail have a near monopoly on the post code data and it is ridiculously expensive to get a copy and it's still not terribly accurate. The best way to handle it is to position the marker on the map at the post code given then get the user to manually position it to make sure it is accurate or enter the gps info in directly. I suspect this site is using postcode data alone.

Here's the Secretary of State inspector's appeal decisions regarding the old school. I'll publish a more in-depth news article when I get a second spare. Decision Letter.pdf

My points in this thread are not aimed at getting a fast food place in Bedlington, they're a little bit wider reaching than that. What I'm trying to do is correct some of the assumptions made as to why we don't have these things (and yes that includes a leisure centre) and at the same time try and foster some entrepreneurial flair.

For the latest on the leisure facilities feasability study see here... http://www.bedlington.co.uk/2009/12/community-group-looks-to-reverse-closure-trend/ the outcome of that study will show what Bedlington will likely be able to support and outline the steps needed to bring it to fruition.

nope not at all just pointing out the lack of ambition we have. Ok let's say there already is the "right number of stores for this area" I doubt that a population of 15,400 would be too small to serve one store so mcds must think that people will travel to get to stores in the surrounding towns. So... I'd be giving BK/KFC a ring and pointing out that if mcdonalds are right and people will travel that distance why not stick a store in the geographic centre of these towns (Bedlington) and serve all 5?

The email doesn't say that at all. Also, since when did Blyth have a population of 81,300? Your figure there includes the Cramlington population you have quoted seperately and the rest of Blyth Valley. Further, Cramlington with a population of 39,000 is served by 2 McDonalds so one serving 15,400 isn't too much of a stretch from those numbers.

Giving up already? Is the car garage at the bottom of glebe road still vacant. That's a major road surrounded by a high population. Also close to town centre and 2 major supermarkets.

Great you've now done more than anybody else in the town has to making this "pipe dream" a reality. You're now only a few steps away from getting Bedlington on that list. Keep it up! I'll be the first in line for a supersize meal.

Because it takes somebody to actually DO it not just expect other people to do it for them. We as a town have been very complacent while other people in other places have just got on with it. There are obvious events in the past that are to blame for this complacency (I'm not going to list them because they've been done to death in other threads) but we can't keep living in the past.