Canny lass

You are not answerable to me and I don't mind that at all. But you do owe the people of Bedlington, who you so readily slag off, a few answers. Why are you being so rude and childish?

Point out one instance and then get on with answering the questions you've been asked. We are all waiting. I've got twenty quid on that an answer never comes. Why are you being so rude and childish?

I believe also that Moe has a point to make. Just how much exaggeration’ or otherwise Moe is using to make that point we do not know as he hasn't answered any questions related to the magnitude or otherwise of the problems he describes.. Maybe he, who witnessed all these events, just found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he just has an affinity for that kind of thing and such people are drawn to him. Maybe he deliberately went looking for such behaviours. What do we readers know? As he himself says, we don’t live there. Some of us, however, do have family there while others own property there. So our interest and concern is well warranted. All I know is that Moe paints a very black picture. It does not describe any place that I would like to live, own property, or run a business and, having read Moe’s description, I certainly wouldn’t want to bring up a child there given that it’s a place where you can have a good day out if you are a drunk, minger, fighter or a spewer and is, ironically speaking, just the place to take the children! Opinions are divided. You think it’s OK during the day but Moe’s accounts of daytime events say otherwise and it’s hardly between the hours of 11pm and 3am that people take their children to Bedlington. I agree with you about removing people from the town centre after closing. What have they to do there? There’s nothing open and apparently nothing to occupy them except mindless vandalism. If that remark was adressed to me then what's going 'off' outside your house may have everything to do with me. Things that are 'going off' have a tendency to smell. ... and Yes Moe, you did tell us that you are a businessman - several times.

Before you go bothering the chief constable, nip into the council offices and make sure that permission hadn't been obtained to drink in the street. Certainly, the town centre of Bedlington is a designated public space with a relevant DPPO in force regulating the consumption of alcohol within its boundaries. The restrictions are quite clear: “no person shall consume alcohol at any time in any part of the restricted area” (Schedule 2.2.1). However, reading on we can see that the restriction does not apply to licensed premises (Schedule 2.2.2a and 2b) or “places within the curtilage of” said premises (Schedule 2.2.2c). There are plenty of places with curtilage on Front Street. And perhaps most important, in relation to the events of the week-end, we can read that the restriction does not apply in: “a place where facilities or activities relating to the sale or consumption of alcohol are at the relevant time permitted by virtue of a permission granted under section 115E of the Highways Act 1980” (Schedule 2.2.2e (known as a walkway consent). Such consent may be obtained – it may also be refused – by applying to the council who have the right to grant permission “to do on, in or over a highway to which this Part of the Act applies anything which the council could do on, in or over such a highway under section 115B (1) to (3) or 115C” (Highways Act 1980, section 115Ea). Note, however, that the council “may not grant a person permission to do anything […] unless they have first obtained the permission of the frontagers with an interest” (Highways Act 1980, 115E:3). Plenty of those on Front Street as well. Neither may they grant permission “to provide, maintain or operate facilities for recreation or refreshment or both on a walkway unless they have first obtained a walkway consent” (Highways Act 1980, 115E:4c) I find it hard to believe that the organizers of this recurring event are unaware of this requirement and/or have neglected to make the necessary application. The police would have had a field day!

Perspective is all I'm seeking, Ovalteeny. I am in no way suggesting that the events described by Moe are untrue. I'd be very surprised if they were. They are, I believe, part and parcel of such events in many places. I do believe that he has seen some, if not all, of the behaviours he describes. What is not clear from the account rendered by Moe is the scale of the problem which he alone seems to have witnessed. There are no specifics stated. Phrases such as "some lasses" , "all owa the place" and "botha" (bother) being an "understatement" leave the reader free to assess the proportions. This is typically a tabloid style of reporting and the typical tabloid reader would have no difficulty in proportioning larger than life dimensions. However, this is not a tabloid newspaper. This is a discussion forum, a serious discussion forum which is open to the general public all over the world. In this case, I have to add 'unfortunately' for who knows what opportunities Bedlington may miss out on because of the picture being painted? I don't expect Moe or anyone else to have counted the incidents he reports but it would be nice to know if they amount to 10s, 20s, 100s or 1000s and just what percentage of the crowd we are discussing.

Police and/or ambulances every where People vomiting Ugly, unpleasant people (mingers – I had to look it up) Excessively drunk girls Mid-afternoon drunkenness Fist-fighting females Fighting everywhere People urinating everywhere That’s a bleak description of the town and its inhabitants (assuming that they weren’t visitors) during the bank holiday festivities. It makes very disturbing reading - not least because it’s being blazoned out for the entire world and it’s granny to read. It is, however, only one person’s account of events and one person cannot possibly be everywhere all of the time – despite reports of things happening “all owa the place”. Further, the events are described in terms that are somewhat vague, making it rather difficult to get a grasp of the magnitude of the problem. It would be nice to get the reported bad behavior put into some kind of perspective, if for no other reason than to give prospective business investors, house-buyers and visitors to Bedlington a fair and unbiased picture not only of the town but even of the Bedlington people who are their prospective customers, neighbours and perhaps colleagues. Can we add some facts and figures to the account please? Moe, it would be nice if you could share some details related to the size of the problem you describe. It would also be useful to know how many others witnessed any of the events described. How many people were in Bedlington for the event? An estimate will do if you don’t have access to official figures. Did you see any blue light vehicles? How many? Did you see anybody vomiting? How many? Did you see any ugly, unpleasant people? How many? Did you see any girls who were excessively drunk? How many? Did you see any excessively drunk girls, mid-afternoon? How many? Did you see anyone fighting? How many? Did you see any girls engaged in fist-fighting? How many? Did you see anybody urinating while standing? How many? Did you see anybody urinating while squatting? How many? (Children under school age should not be included when answering the last two questions).

Thanks Foxy.

Do you mind if I download a copy of these pics, Foxy?

You are clearly moving in the wrong social circles, young man.

...it was very handy for doing the odd vasectomy a few years ago.

What! and leave us women with a shortage of men to nag at!

Welcome to the forum jaxe45 and welcome to Bedlington. I'm sure you'll enjoy great friendship in both.

Lovely photos Foxy! Nice to see people enjoying their town. The planters are looking good, as usual. All credit to the volunnteers who look after them.

in an ideal world - when I am Primeminister - that will be taken care of!

Thanks Eggy, It's always nice when someone takes the time to answer another member's questions! You can add my name to that list as well. I love them!

I didn’t think house prices in Bedlington were so very different to Blyth, Ashington or Cramlington so I had a quick look at Zoopla this morning. In the past year prices have risen in Bedlington by 3.96%. That’s a good bit better than Ashington prices which have shot up by 5.53%. On the other hand, prices in Cramlington and Blyth have gone downmarginally by 0.48% and 0,63%. That still leaves actual house prices with only marginal differences. The average prices paid during the past year for houses are: Bedlington – £134,942 Cramlington - £140,291 Blyth - £129,558 Ashington - £115,231 Of course, they are not all new-builds. But first time house buyers, if they have any sense, usually cut their coat according to their cloth and work their way up from an anorak to a mink. Looking only at properties on sale in Bedlington this year I can see several that are well below market value: Queens Road - £62,000 Stirling Drive £47,500 Millbank Crescent £50,000 Stead Lane £90,000 Roslin Park £82.500 And for those with a higher income: The Wynding £148,000 Octavia Close £150,000 Bonchester Close £127,000

Potential customers, Moe, potential customers.

You don't need to go as far as Japan, Merc. That system was in force in both Netherton Infants- and Nedderton Junior schools during the fifties!

I just knew there would be words of wisdom from a man who likes books and red wine!

It certainly is, Vic! The latest here is clothing shops ( the major chain stores) where you 'try on' clothing and then order it on-line, in the store, to be delivered to your home! The banks have gone one better. They don't handle cash at all unless you order it three days in advance! It works well and saves so much time. Goods and services are payed for by direct transfer from customer to bank. Of course, those who like to cheat the taxman don't like it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Moe but wasn't it you who said that "apart from St Cuthberts church it (Bedlington) has really nowt else worth looking at"? Surely you recognize the cross of St Cuthbert?

I think we may be talking at cross purposes Moe. I thought you were talking only about gentlemen's outfitters, as you mentioned shoes, shirts and trousers. I don't believe the larger, brand named chain stores would have any success in that field in Bedlington. Other shops - maybe. The Keel Row did wonders for Blyth.

You know 3g, sometimes you can be really nice. Knowledge shared is a wonderful thing. Thank you.

I noted with interest, Moe, that you were unaware of the NCC having replaced Wansbeck DC. Maybe it has also escaped your attention that Bedlington is not a “village”. Bedlington is a town. A village cannot and does not have a mayor or local government because a village is part of a town. A town, on the other hand, has fixed boundaries and a local government A village has a population of a few hundred to a few thousand. A town has a population of one thousand to twenty thousand.

How many people in Bedlington would prefer to buy their shoes, shirts and trousers in Bedlington? I’m not denying that there are some who would and some for whom it is necessary, but for every one such person you can show me, I’ll wager that at least twenty would prefer a day out in ‘the toon’ or even Blyth or Ashington. Why? There’s a better selection of brands and shops in a town larger than Bedlington and the goods are often cheaper. That it’s a bit of a day out, and away from the kitchen sink with somebody else preparing and cooking your lunch is another good reason – at least for women – to prefer Blyth, Ashington or Newcastle. There are reasons for that which I’m sure that you Moe – being a businessman – will understand. Businesses, retail businesses in particular, have a tendency to place their outlets where there are potential customers, so choosing a place like Newcastle rather than Bedlington makes more economic sense. The potential market is greater. This, in turn, helps determine the cost of your shoes, shirts and trousers. Buying in bulk from the manufacturer gives a better price per article. For a business to buy in twenty shirts will cost a great deal more – per shirt – than buying 1 000shirts. Naturally, the cost is passed on to the customer. But of course you know all that, being a businessman. I may be wrong, but I believe the demise of the market in Bedlington may have had something to do with this. Bedlington people are not “a bunch of tight wads”, as webtrekker puts it. I know many Bedlingtonians who preferred to visit the market in Blyth simply because it was ‘a day out’ and it was a bigger market with a better selection of goods. Large chain stores in Bedlington are not really a viable proposition. I don’t think it’s ever going to happen, unless the population at least doubles, and there’s not a great chance of that happening as it seems that many people are opposed to more housing being built. Which brings me to the question ‘Where do we go from here? It seems to me that if we don’t want more people living in Bedlington then we should be investing in getting people to visit Bedlington. Shops – brand names and chain stores – don’t appear to be the answer. There isn’t a big enough market among the population and who’s going to travel to Bedlington from Ashington or Blyth for shops? They’ve got shops of their own! I think we may have to accept that Bedlington is what it is – a dormitory town, and a very nice one at that! As Mercury says, Bedlington has a great deal of potential just waiting to be cashed in on. Its history is just one part of that but it needs people in order to come alive. Those people don’t have to be’ tourists’. Plain, ordinary, everyday ‘visitors’ will do just as well so thank heavens that Bedlington seems to have a bunch of people (a majority, I believe) who are dedicated to trying to make that happen by helping to make the town attractive. Yes, Bedlington has its black spots. Yes, Bedlington has taken a back seat when it comes to getting money for improvements and yes, it is time to turn things round. That won’t happen as long as negative thinking prevails – even among the few.