An Island mentality!

Solitaire

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Everybody knowes that the Isle of Wight is a center of sailing activity at this time of year. Yesterday, over 1500 boats entered the RTI race and marinas on Cowes were full to bursting point. Associated with all this boaty activity comes many more people and and loads of dosh.

Also in attendance are a large number of boats that don't use sail to propel themselves and are very reliant on either red or white smelly stuff to get moving. Now in Cowes there are two fuel berths and given the early start and the need to be whizzing around taking photographers and journalists out to cover the race all the support boats require fuel. I had a photographer with me yesterday and we were whizzing from one end of the western Solent to the other at regular intervals, not to mention loads of throttle so fuel consumption was high. I had to get the guy back to drop off his memory cards to the race control at 06.00 I thought I'd refuel - what a joke thought that was!

When I eventually did refuel, I asked the fuel berth why they did not open earlier to supply fuel - on one occasion I saw a rib loaded with old jerry cans so he could keep going. The fuel berth owner said - "if you think we are going to get up early you've got another thing coming!" He then said that I should have filled up the day before. What service? Even the Cowes inshore lifeboat crew were having a moan about it and they live on the island!

If it had been me, I would have been open all night and published the fact. What was also incredible was that there was a food stand (yes I did say "a") on the hard at Cowes Yacht Haven that had been working through the night supplying food and breakfast - none of the local places were open!

For a place that relies on heavy trade from outsiders I found the attitude amazing!They really do see the visitors as a "necessary evil" to be tolerated but not serviced.
 

bobgoode

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Tend to visit Cowes out of season without family as there is nothing of real interest except the company that one brings along and the odd pub. Consequently I find it makes for a cheap weekend.

Other locations get much more of my available spend for obvious reasons.
 

volvopaul

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Ah well this is the uk and we do nothing if we can get away with it, we dont forward plan anything, thts why the states in such a mess.

Was out in Majorca last week, the streets are clean, the bin men empty nearly every day, the busses are every 15 mins on local routes and are for next to nothing, the beaches are spotless, well buoyed off to keep out stray boats and pwcs etc, its really safe.

Every one was so nice, marina staff helped out when boats came in to berth, when do you get that service here unless they are on top of you with reciept book waiting to pounce for the fees ! all in all a great place, come on England where are we going ?

No where only backwards half the time.
 

MaltaBob

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Your absolutely right, it is the 'Island Mentality' ! As Paul said, we get our gabage taken away every day in Malta ,but we are smaller than the Isle of Wight, but UK PLC has lost the plot , sadly! Plus all year SUN .Amazingly we have no Council Taxes in Malta + the cheapest diesel in the EU.
These guys need a wake up call, they should be glad to have the business!
 

Dave_Snelson

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Unfortunately, its a mentality that springs up in Oh so many UK holiday places. In Devon they call us grockles, in Cornwall, its "emmits" in Yorkshire its "offcumdens".

Holiday-makers are disliked in loads of places. It is really, really annoying to find that your money is not welcome - but perversely relied upon.
 

l'escargot

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[ QUOTE ]
....For a place that relies on heavy trade from outsiders I found the attitude amazing!They really do see the visitors as a "necessary evil" to be tolerated but not serviced.

[/ QUOTE ]
That is now an old attitude. The IW doesn't actually rely on heavy trade from outsiders, nor does the money stay on the Island any more. Most of the shops in Cowes are trade names that you will see on the mainland and most of the pubs/restaurants are mainland chains as well. Gone are the days where the "locals" rely on the "overners" coming over to spend their money.
 

SolentWight

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Tut! Typical north islander attitude. It's all about me! I own a boat and I'm clever enough to sail across two miles of water without getting lost so all you third world yokel caulkheads should worship me for the one day a year I turn up and walk up and down Cowes High street in me matching waterproofs! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Haven't you guys got the message yet? We charge the highest ferry fares in the world per mile, refuse to build enough visitor berths and have no decent restaurants anywhere near a marina. What more do we have to do before you lot cotton on? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

l'escargot

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[ QUOTE ]
....I own a boat and I'm clever enough to sail across two miles of water without getting lost so all you third world yokel caulkheads should worship me for the one day a year I turn up and walk up and down Cowes High street in me matching waterproofs! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif...

[/ QUOTE ]
... and matching teeshirts (complete with funny slogans on the back) for evening wear. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

andyball

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you should aim this at the organisers of course - why would the fuel man will wanna get up early to flog the same-ish amount ?
 

Giblets

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[ QUOTE ]
Haven't you guys got the message yet? We charge the highest ferry fares in the world per mile, refuse to build enough visitor berths and have no decent restaurants anywhere near a marina. What more do we have to do before you lot cotton on?

[/ QUOTE ]

Brilliant. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

BTW, how are the plans going to tow the Island a bit further out into the Channel to get even further away from us? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (now where did I put those bridge plans? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)
 
D

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What makes up the IoW's economy these days then? I have to say that whenever I visit the island, everybody moans about the declining tourist trade. I'm afraid to say that solitaire's experience is not unusual so I'm not surprised the tourists are staying away
 

l'escargot

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What makes up the IoW's economy these days then? I have to say that whenever I visit the island, everybody moans about the declining tourist trade. I'm afraid to say that solitaire's experience is not unusual so I'm not surprised the tourists are staying away

[/ QUOTE ]
The tourist trade died out with "kiss me quick hats" and "family hotels". The holiday business gave up it's dying gasps years ago. The Island has a thriving population, houses going up everywhere along with marina developments, £400,000 apartments and the highest population ever. It relies on all the same things as any other place, chain stores, chav shops, supermarkets, multiplexes and fast food outlets. The tourists started to stay away with cheap cruises and package tours, when people realised you needed an aversion to sun and money to burn to take a holiday in England.

Money doesn't stay on the Island, a lot of it doesn't even end up in England - half the ferries are owned by an Australian company - very little of the money spent by tourists benefits the Island and the increased costs of the infrastructure to cope with them probably cancels most of it out. Walk down Cowes High Street - Costa Coffee, Carphone Warehouse, Musto, Fat Face, White Stuff, Aquatogs, Quba, HSBC..... need I go on?
 

Searush

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Funded by Company Pension Funds by any chance? Bit like Bournemouth, only more so. Would also explain the Victor Meldrew-like attitude to the rest of the world I guess.

Bless 'em. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

SolentWight

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Didn't you watch 'Working Lunch' last week? They did a special on the IOW economy all week.

Apparently we are the most dynamic economy this side of Hong Kong and we are about to become the place to make money on the south coast during the next decade. We build boats, aircraft, satellites and enjoy a better quality of life than anywhere else in the UK. Or so the programme said.

Oh, and best of all, cuz the ferries are so expensive, we have far less caravans than you do and no bl**dy pikeys at all! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Form an orderly queue at the redfunnel terminal. . . . /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

SolentWight

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[ QUOTE ]

BTW, how are the plans going to tow the Island a bit further out into the Channel to get even further away from us? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (now where did I put those bridge plans? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

[/ QUOTE ]

No, we're quite happy where we are - any further south and we'll be too near France!

As for the Bridge, well just don't suggest it in a Newport pub on a Saturday night if you value your teeth! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If they ever did build one, it wouldn't be standing for long! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 

Sneds

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"Musto, Fat Face, White Stuff, Aquatogs, Quba"

Can you let me know when there's a sail on? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

timgriffin

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Oi!!!
Look at it from the fuel berth owners point of view 1800 yachts in Cowes for a race that starts at 0530 most will have fuelled up prior to coming to our Island those that have not will ask for 5 litres of the red stuff please so at 48p a litre they ain't gonna make a killing are they. As for the food Haven Events look after the sailors and charge a huge rental for people pitching up and selling their wares . Most of the cafe's know that the sailors stay around the Marina in the morning so nice lie in and catch them when they come back in. East Cowes Marina had a van their at 0400 so they did very well and the Lifeboat was open on the Sunday at 0800 for the early risers.
Island mentality
Our pace of life is slower more laid back than those of you who live in England our streets are clean our pubs are good and the places to visit via the sea are much nicer for such a short hop across the vast Ocean that is the Solent.
Tourism is on the decline due to cheap flights elsewhere but we love our Island and love you to visit but we don't have the same need to do everything at a 100 miles an hour as the English Mainlanders.
As for the tee shirts yup they look great on the visitors as do the people that come into the Pub at night with their brand new full wet weather gear lifejacket and harness on and order a pint.
So don't be put off coming to the Island we love you coming we just don't rush around as much as you
Cheers Tim
 

l'escargot

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[ QUOTE ]
"Musto, Fat Face, White Stuff, Aquatogs, Quba"

Can you let me know when there's a sail on? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Every year when you lot go home, we buy everything half price so that the shops can close down for the winter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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