P.A.W.S.

Should have phoned P.A.W.S. - 828756

Now there's a good idea. Why don't we have a Bedlington pantomime?

Glad to hear it, Foxy, but I still maintain that, generally, few 'outsiders' knew of it.

Incidentally anyone remember Borgias?

Borgias was the best - could have competed with any posh place, but they had the perfect balance of friendly, not over-familiar, service and superb food.

I always understood that one reason for staging these events was to generate income for the country, so why is only 6% or so of the tat going to be manufactured here? And that's only the most obvious example.

but it's getting the people who don't feel as if they are part of the community to spend some time in it and about it.

That's my point. Rather than hoping that people will put themselves out to seek information, it has to slap them in the face in the biggest way possible. That's why TV advertising is so successful - it's there all the time. We can't afford that, but it can still be done.

I'm sure somebody has suggested a loo or two, though I can't see it on here.

But what a shame so few people were aware of it!

BUT . . . we're all preaching to the converted! All in this discussion are in agreement, but until some excitement is generated among the general public (thousands of whom won't even know of this website), nothing will happen. Folks can't be expected to seek out information in which they have little interest in the first place. Giant posters and front-page newspaper advertising might eventually have an effect if it is brash and persistent enough.

I've just tried to sign the Metro petition and it's closed! Had I (and hundreds of others) known about it through wider advertising, you can bet it would have been more successful.

On which topic, the same can be said for last week's Heritage Open Day(s) and Portrait Bench unveiling in Gallagher Park. The former were said to have been a success (thanks more to St Cuthberts' own poster campaign then anything, I suspect), but the latter was attended only by those few directly involved in the event itself; members of the general public were largely unaware of what was happening (probably still are), yet they are the ones who need to be drawn in.

Regeneration will never happen if initiatives are buried in - I'm sorry to say it - little-used web sites and the insides of a local paper.

I could go on, but won't.

When wor bairn ran the Bank Top, customer numbers rose and the atmosphere was good. Sadly, every time they began to make some profit, the brewery upped the rent and refused to support any refurbishment. Since they left, it ain't been the same.