Mr Darn

Great news! This is the sort of thing that should be discussed on these forums. It keeps the public informed, and shows progress is being made to better the town. Anything else going on that we don't know about?

What is this? who does it apply too? and is everyone aware of it?

I've spoke to her, RE: your above comment and this is what she had to say: "I would love to use the local website to both discuss local issues and promote my new business, but if i want a meaningful conversation about the town and its future, i'll go to an official meeting, not the local pub." I guess she's a lost cause now. To make sure i cast no further negativity on the website, i'll now keep my opinions to myself. I'm sure everyone now knows how i feel on the subject, and will try to be more positive in future posts, or say nothing at all. If you wish to continue this at all, feel free to use my Messenger. --------------------------------------------------- On another note, i think the Red Lion is coming along great! After several months of watching the place deteriorate, its nice to notice a new face on it as i passed through this week. That along with the Market Tavern's face lift and the new (?) signage on Moby Dicks and John Grenfells funeral directors, i think these are all positive steps for the image of the town. Shame about the Top Club though Is it time to start naming and shaming those shop fronts that are letting us down? or is there another route we can take to levy a little bit of pressure?

I'm on this band wagon too. The fact employment is being created, a cheaper place to socialise is coming to town, and the fact Bedlington is finally showing signs of development has to be good things in my book. Personally, i'm not surprised local businesses want nothing to do with Bedlington.co.uk either. I tried to convince a relative that advertising her business here would be a good thing, and after spending a week or two watching the boards, she thinks its a place for children and schoolyard banter. The thing that annoys me the most is this was noted and catered for early on, with the creation of Chat Central, yet the topics in TOTT are on par, if not worse for inappropriate comments and blatant flaming, and are rarely moderated even when reported. The attacks on the local radio stations setting up here are a fine example. Its not even constructive, it just seems to be arguments for arguments sake. I know my opinion here is worthless, and at best will just feed the fire. I just think there is such potential here, and it is being wasted. I can honestly say i am embarrassed to say i still visit these boards when the topic arises, and just cannot think of a good reason to recommend the website any more. "So why do you still come here?" i hear you ask? I just don't know. I guess i just like the attention.

:lol: That last bit actually made me smile enough for the other half to ask what i was reading!

Thankyou monsta. That clears some rules up nicely!

LMAO! Yeah, their breath stinks! I'd be more than happy to pay into a pot that goes to a local charity. Merc, i'd be happy to have you along. Well, if you're in, then that's a 5 player table. Any day better for you than others?

Lol pete, yeah, it may be a little too far for you There we go Malcolm! I knew I could count on you! If there was a few people interested, i'd donate the cup/shield myself! Enough space for 52 winners names, and a "keepable" cup for the yearly winner? Sounds like it may be a plan! Even if you're not interested in coming along, i'd be interested to hear if people play, either via Facebook or other areas. I'm doing quite well on the Sky Poker site at the moment. Well, I have more than I started with anyway! Be interesting to play is a face to face situation though, as i've never played like that yet.

If the poker night entrance is free, then that solves that problem. The entry fee was mearly a suggestion. Another suggestion would be a daft £1 entry, with all proceeds going to charity. It would be acceptable to me just to have a game of 0 stakes, with maybe a donated novelty cup for the winner? Ideas are welcome.

I don't think blatantly putting down the town and all suggestions to make it even slightly better is a good attitude for a moderator of the website portraying the town. In my opinion, you "sometimes" fit into that criteria, although to be fair to you, it seems you have turned a corner and started having a "Constructive" laugh there days, with a serious "well meant" side to your humour. Sure, some can take offence, but you do not seem to be too malicious in intent with your comments. I also feel you have an interest in bettering Bedlington as a whole, whereas Monsta seems to just want to nuke the place. I find Monstas comments to be degrading to the poster, the town and the website as a whole. That's my opinion, and it is given because it was asked for. My personal opinion is at this moment in time, you would do a much better job. As for a poker night, (getting back to the topic, this being TOTT and not Chat Central) Would anyone on the forum be interested in coming along? If so, What style would you like to see? and would you be willing to pay a small admission fee? or is free poker your thing? Does anyone know if small stake poker is allowed in pubs? or is this kind of gambling not covered by the entertainment license? Personally, i'd like to see a 9 person, texas hold-em style game, with a £5 buy in. £25 to winner £10 to second place £5 to third. £5 to the pubs charity. What night would you be able to attend? (or possibly daytime...) A Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday is good for me. I'll contact the Wharton and see if we can have their back room one night. This would rule out Mondays and Saturdays though, due to bar opening, and Darts Night.

Better answer, but the tone is still there. Thankyou for the information, i shall enquire. [offtopic] @Merlin Have you considered a moderators job? you seem to meet the criteria! [/offtopic]

Yeah, i realise that, but i was thinking of spending time with humans, out of the house. I was also making a suggestion that may enhance Bedlingtons social life, even if just a little. And i was also talking about playing for kicks, not to make a living from it! You know... this kind of attitude to posts is one of the reasons i rarely contribute. And from a moderator too. Its just uncalled for.

Just wondering if there was a poker night in Bedlington anywhere, and if not... would anyone be interested in playing?

Thank you for agreeing Monsta. Could a Moderator please fix the topic title? It should say "Vampires Suck". Thanks.

Heres the website, with trailers. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1666186/ An obvious mickey take, the film start te same way as the Twilight series, and is obviously directed at the 4 books. Anyone who has watched the movies or read the books, will get the jokes, but anyone who has not will be saying "Eh?" alot. With the obvious toilet humour, and other obvious jokes, the film is "Bearable" but twice during it i actually got bored enough to look around at the 7 other people in the cinema, and create an imaginary life for each and every one that was more entertaining than what was on the screen. The fart scene in the trailer is by far the funniest scene in the film. the rest i cant decide between it being a remake of the book, to be taken seriously, or a humourus mickey take that's not funny. How this movie made it to the cinema, i will never know. £15 wasted in my book, and defiantly one to watch on pirate, if you get the chance, as no amount of monetary compensation should go to the actors, directors or anyone else associated with the movie. I welcome others opinions in this thread...

Don't be daft! Wetherspoons will never get the trade from the Tavern. They might go up there for a pint, but they will return to the Tavern afterwards. The people that go there, do so because they like what the tavern has to offer. Its the same reason i used to go to Movies when the topless barmaids were serving. Although they were not exactly my cup of tea, they still had assets i was interested in, and myself and the other porves even paid an extra nickel for XXXXX! They wont. They only have machines in there that come with their own licence. That's one of the reasons they remain cheep to run. They allow others to put entertainment machines in their pubs and charge them a 'rent' of sorts. they have to provide their own gambling license or whatever it is that's needed. they do not have an entertainment licence at all, hence why there is no music. If they do, Good! even more reason to drop the price and improve the quality of the other tables in the area. Of course, how could i be so stupid?!? I forgot everyone had the same tastes, and that all pubs should be exactly the same. i mean, there just is not anywhere else to go in Bedlington! How dare they put music on in that one pub that's not to your taste ! You'd think will all the pubs being so crap and empty, there would be at least one that someone had not put a quid in the Jukebox of!

Why should they? The Tavern offers something wetherspoons does not: Entertainment. Worth a little extra on a pint to watch a live band or have a game of pool in my opinion. They should, however, either get a new pool table and maintain it, or drop the price of it. 50p a game is a little steep in my opinion, whereas the Sports Club in Blyth has 2 great tables, and they are only 20p a pop.

And i can confirm the presence of deer on the course. I nearly had to change my shorts one day whilst out "Golf Balling"!

How about: Dear me! I have not seen this many minors pulled from a hole in the ground since the police dug up Fred West's Basement!!

There may be a solution for the First school at least. I have read in this weeks News Post Leader, that the area of land behind the Red Lion is for sale. [Re: Page 69, centre-top advert] (What used to be Kenton's storage yard) seen in the picture below, marked by the green square. Now, obviously nothing can be done with the area marked with the red arrow, as this is the reservoir (so i am lead to believe). For those that don't know, the blue arrow points to the First School, and an entrance could be made where the Orange arrow points to create a safe entry point from the area for sale. A one way system could be put in place, so you enter the area from The Wharton access (current) and a hole made in the lower section of the green square to create an exit via catholic row, and straight back onto the Red Lion roundabout. A "No right turn" could be enforced, making those coming from the Ridge Farm end use the Red Lion roundabout to turn and access from the correct way. Now for the area. Could a deal be struck with Wetherspoons, whereby they buy and maintain the area for development into an extended carpark for their business use, allowing parents to use the back end during pick-up and drop-off times (which should be quiet times for the pub it's self, save Dinnertime pick-up's) ?? I'm not sure what they could be offered, but something along the lines of "you buy the land, and we'll landscape it for you" couldn't be a bad deal? This could also be used by parents of the other school (which i know as Bennies) who could use the top "back" entrance to access the school. Before you rip this to bits, its just an idea!!! Any thoughts?

Just thought i'd mention, ASDA PhotoCenter have an offer on: 20% off Canvas Prints. 20"X30" was £55 now £44 plus 4 other smaller sizes, starting at £16. (i won't mention my extra 10% off tho )

Tesco's would be daft to implement strict rules, or to remove the current throughfare. Many a time have i parked at the back, to walk through Tesco's on my way to Greggs, when a Magazine or lottery ticket has caught my eye on the way past, or i've used Tesco instead of my Discount at ASDA just because of the sheer convenience, as i'm passing through anyway. As for a second storey, unless they were going to implement parking charges, they just wouldn't go to the expense without a return. And that could be done just as easily with the current car-park, with a barrier system and a "validate my parking instore or pay" system.

Of course i don't mean the new area of the cemetery! I also have family there. I was refering to the area where all the conker tree's are, with graves dating back to the 1800's. Personally, i still think 150 years is too soon, i was just wondering if there was a time limit on how long these areas stayed as graveyards before being re-used as graveyards, or used as something else. These people must be picking up nursery kids surely. Since the nursery there is basically a tarted up portakabin, i'm sure it wouldn't take much relocating to a more accessible area.Don't get me wrong, i'm sure alot of drawing board work is needed, i'm just throwing out ideas there.

Your not far wrong there Merlin. They already do daily spot-checks to make sure they do ask. You often see managers standing behind colleagues as they interact with customers, just to make sure they follow the criteria.

Another, less drastic method, would be a tier system, where some kids start at 8 and finish at 2, others start at 9 finishing at 3 and the rest at 10 till 4. this would instantly cut traffic by 1/3 and allow more flexibility for working hours of parents, being able to start work and hour earlier or an hour later respectively. Of course, this would have to be a permanent decision, and slots would have to be filled, but i think it could work. I know at my workplace, they would welcome flexibility like that!