Mass suicide pact..

[xyachtdave]

I like Brightlingsea!

 

[Cantata]

And so do I, I like it a lot.

 

[MoodySabre]

I like it too and the harbour is something different from a marina. When we went there midweek in August there was nowhere open to eat (I hadn't heard of The Rosebud then).

The housing stock between the shops and the harbour is of generally low quality. In many towns those smal houses are being done up and becoming smart homes for first time buyers and people who want to live in a waterside town. That's not happening in Brightlingsea and it seems to be a place for cheap property for the non-aspirational. As a visitor that's a shame. As a resident that may be a good thing.

It's not the harbour that needs to change but the town.

 

[DavidofMersea]

When I was speaking at the meeting someone interupted me saying that they wanted the place to stay exactly the same is it is. They got a thunderous cheer and agreement from everyone else in the room.

The only people that go to these sort of meetings are protesters, and now they think that everybody, except you, do not want any development

 

[chinita]

The only people that go to these sort of meetings are protesters, and now they think that everybody, except you, do not want any development

It was a well publicised, open, free meeting. Those 'supporters' of change who did not go have only themselves to blame if they don't like the outcome.

 

[chinita]

you can't have tourists without changes to provide the facilities tourists need in order to visit. Similarly, if new reisidents are to help regenerate the place, they have to be more wealthy than the people who live in the town at present. Again a change from the present situation which is clearly contrary to the sentiment expressed by everyone in the meeting.

We seem to be speaking about a different Brightlingsea. I kept my boat there for four years and the only 'tourists' I saw were either single mothers with a bunch of kids crabbing on the public hard or pensioners eating fish and chips on benches outside the Yacht Club. In high summer there may be school outings to the Lido but 'Center Parcs' it aint.

Quite what sort of 'tourist' are you expecting at an isolated terminus Essex town with no hotels and hardly a passable restaurant in which to eat?

How is any improvement to yachting facilities going to make any difference to tourism? Are you really expecting yuppie Londoners to turn their backs on Chelsea Embankment and rock up to Brightlingsea with it's new decked over Hard?

As for 'new residents helping to regenerate the place' - dream on. Why should a new resident battle their way through a congested road twice a day, even if they are fortunate enough to gain employment in the great metropolis of Colchester.

The present residents seem happy enough, many of them apparently managing to spend copious amounts of money on booze and fags at the Yachtsmans Arms from midday, seven days a week...... and good on 'em.

 

[Koeketiene]

The housing stock between the shops and the harbour is of generally low quality. In many towns those smal houses are being done up and becoming smart homes for first time buyers and people who want to live in a waterside town. That's not happening in Brightlingsea and it seems to be a place for cheap property for the non-aspirational. As a visitor that's a shame. As a resident that may be a good thing.

Since the residents live there all year round, surely their opinion should carry the most weight.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Since the residents live there all year round, surely their opinion should carry the most weight.

Depends, should the predominance of middle aged and oldies drown out the opportunity for young people to get jobs locally? It's all very well having cheaper housing stock but if you're on minimum wage and spending a quarter of that travelling everyday to your job, you ain't gonna get a mortgage to buy anything locally.

 

[Koeketiene]

Depends, should the predominance of middle aged and oldies drown out the opportunity for young people to get jobs locally?

When I was young(er) I moved where the work was.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Not everyone wants to choose between family and work. If a town won't adapt and change its youth have to move away from family to find work, not everyone likes to break those family connections.

 

[tillergirl]

Not everyone wants to choose between family and work. If a town won't adapt and change its youth have to move away from family to find work, not everyone likes to break those family connections.

One of life's tough decisions I'm afraid. I did it when I was 16 and moved from Nottingham to London. Didn't regret it career wise but curiously I signed up to a Nottingham Nostalgia group two days ago!

We looked at Brightlingsea when we were moving out of London because we loved and still love the harbour. But the property is pretty dire for our choice and where it was not dire was in characterless areas. So sadly we gave up looking. Don't regret our choice of West Mersea (despite the gainsayers) but would still like Brittlesea to thrive. But the dice are loaded against it. Although the harbour plan has its fair share of 'glib', its good that there is a debate. I fear though that if you cannot get local agreement on development you end up with those flats and the marina. Perhaps there was no other economic choice. We did think about one of those apartments in the Anchor briefly - very briefly but it didn't stack up.

 

[MikeBz]

When I was speaking at the meeting someone interupted me saying that they wanted the place to stay exactly the same is it is. They got a thunderous cheer and agreement from everyone else in the room. Perhaps younwere one of those who cheered?

No I didn't cheer, but I did laugh at your absurd claim that without the changes being discussed taking place our children would end up in poverty, the corollary of which is that a few more moorings and a bit of decking over the hard will make the town prosper instead. I think this 'turned the crowd' against you. I doubt many people would object to the town being improved/regenerated but the plan presented isn't going to do that. The meeting was about that specifically.

You and everyone else who has spoken against me have been dismissive of the harbour plan and indeed any change.

That is patently untrue as is obvious if you actually read what I have written.

Because of its location it developed as an engineering and shipbuilding town during the indistrial revolution. Those days have gone so the place has to work out how to survive.

I think it's biggest industry was fishing but it matters not.

The alternative is to accept that change can be good and given that the place exists because of the harbour, it would seem the harbour is a good starting point. But again that means moving away from the outright rejection of any change which was expressed at the meeting.

To most of the population it does not exist because of the harbour (unfortunately). To us boaters the harbour is the most important thing which is why there is passion about it. The only time there was unanimity at the meeting was against your absurd assertion. Apart from that a small number of people raised reasonable concerns about certain parts of the plan.

With specific regards to the proposed pontoon if you go up the creek to where it would be you will see that there simply is not room -it would require a major dredging exercise and frequent maintenance dredging. The plan laughingly referred to it as 'deep water berths' but it would be anything but. It was me that asked if they planned to dredge and pointed out that would be in contradiction with the statement in the plan about short-term dredging solutions.

The harbour plan is by no means the whole answer. Indeed there are many details that need addressing. However we again go back to the fundamental. Do you waant to die slowley of do something?

No of course not (duh) but making changes which will not affect whether you die slowly or not just to satisfy a "you have to keep changing" mantra doesn't help either.

Looking outside the scope of the harbour, I think Tillergirl has hit the nail on the head - the main reason the town doesn't attract a more wealthy demographic is the housing stock. We are currently very lucky that we still have a butcher, a baker and purveyors of fresh fish (sadly the candlestick maker and the milliner are long gone) but of course now we have bloody Tesco express as well. By contrast Wivenhoe has virtually nothing - some people do actually drive from Wivenhoe to Brightlingsea to do their food shopping.

 

[Colvic Watson]

If I lived in Wivenhoe I wouldn't go to Brightlingsea or anywhere else much, it's one of the nicest places I've ever visited.

 

[MikeBz]

Oh Christ. I wasn't dissing Wivenhoe either! But it is bloody good having a good butcher in your high street. Unless you're a vegan obviously .... but then I forgot to mention the excellent green grocer as well.... Wivenhoe is lovely but has lost to Tesco at the Hythe unsurprisingly.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Didn't think you were dissing it. Just made me nostalgic for the nicest place in that bit of Essex.

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

As a person who both attended the meeting on Tuesday and a resident of B.Sea I can respond to some of 'Tomahawk's ' remarks. Firstly the population of the town is nowhere near as poor as may be thought on first view. A large number of residents are actually considerably more wealthy than may first appear, simply less needy to show their wealth in excessive displays of over the top exhibitionism. A large number of residents own many properties which they rent out and choose to live in the older Victorian part of town because it gives easier access to the waterfront.
The self righteous comments spewed forth fom Tomahawk were barely credible, People of whom he would approve are currently moving into the town, attracted by it's charm which would belie the thought that the place is dying. Our secondary school is that of choice for a lot of the Tendring Peninsula and often leads the charts locally in results.
Fooling around with the Harbour in the ways proposed will not improve our town in any tangible way but clearly would attract more pretentious buffoons .
Mr Tomahawk seemed distraught that he could not get a mooring for his vessel, sadly we have a system called a 'waiting list', he obviously feels that he is far too important to make use of this facility as it may take him up to four years to get a berth. Only way to shorten the list is to become a resident which is obviously not on his wish list.
Sorry old chap but as you are so against the people of the town which doesn't live up to your aspirational desires best you take yourself and your boat to the South Coast where you will fit in better with the other nouveau riche poseurs swilling Champagne whilst worrying about the credit card charges and unpaid HP on the Jag/Merc/BMW which are de rigeur in such shallow retreats.

 

[xyachtdave]

I'm planning on selling up and retiring to Brightlingsea, can we keep the good news on the QT so it doesn't affect the house prices please!?

 

[sailorman]

As a person who both attended the meeting on Tuesday and a resident of B.Sea I can respond to some of 'Tomahawk's ' remarks. Firstly the population of the town is nowhere near as poor as may be thought on first view. A large number of residents are actually considerably more wealthy than may first appear, simply less needy to show their wealth in excessive displays of over the top exhibitionism. A large number of residents own many properties which they rent out and choose to live in the older Victorian part of town because it gives easier access to the waterfront.
The self righteous comments spewed forth fom Tomahawk were barely credible, People of whom he would approve are currently moving into the town, attracted by it's charm which would belie the thought that the place is dying. Our secondary school is that of choice for a lot of the Tendring Peninsula and often leads the charts locally in results.
Fooling around with the Harbour in the ways proposed will not improve our town in any tangible way but clearly would attract more pretentious buffoons .
Mr Tomahawk seemed distraught that he could not get a mooring for his vessel, sadly we have a system called a 'waiting list', he obviously feels that he is far too important to make use of this facility as it may take him up to four years to get a berth. Only way to shorten the list is to become a resident which is obviously not on his wish list.
Sorry old chap but as you are so against the people of the town which doesn't live up to your aspirational desires best you take yourself and your boat to the South Coast where you will fit in better with the other nouveau riche poseurs swilling Champagne whilst worrying about the credit card charges and unpaid HP on the Jag/Merc/BMW which are de rigeur in such shallow retreats.

How that beat-up old pick-up of yours, still trundling about town with boat gear on the back

 

[Colvic Watson]

A large number of residents own many properties which they rent out and choose to live in the older Victorian part of town because it gives easier access to the waterfront.

Really? That must mean other locals can't buy, only rent

The self righteous comments spewed forth fom Tomahawk were barely credible, People of whom he would approve are currently moving into the town, attracted by it's charm which would belie the thought that the place is dying.

Will they live in one of the many properties that so many residents own and then rent out?


Mr Tomahawk seemed distraught that he could not get a mooring for his vessel, sadly we have a system called a 'waiting list', he obviously feels that he is far too important to make use of this facility as it may take him up to four years to get a berth. Only way to shorten the list is to become a resident which is obviously not on his wish list.

But not as an owner occupier it would seem.

Sorry old chap but as you are so against the people of the town which doesn't live up to your aspirational desires best you take yourself and your boat to the South Coast where you will fit in better with the other nouveau riche poseurs swilling Champagne whilst worrying about the credit card charges and unpaid HP on the Jag/Merc/BMW which are de rigeur in such shallow retreats.

Does living in Brightlingsea make you angry or did you move there in order to fit right in

Gosh this thread has stirred up some feeling and debate. Well done to Tomahawk for having the guts to stand up at that meeting and swim against the perceived tide. From the responses it seems many locals want nil change.

 

[toyboy]

Went to Brightlingsea harbour AGM and discussion about the possible future vision for the harbour. Everyone in the room (except me) was against everything being put forward. Even the Chairman of the Commissioners didn't appear to believe in the plan he was supposed to be putting forward.

In 20 years I see the place as a run down dump with the sailing clubs struggling for members, the wharf closed, no restaurants.. Children leaving the town few jobs and lots of DHSS... I would not want to live somewhere like that. But it appears to be what the locals want.

I can understand the locals feeling that way. Generations of my family have lived in Ipswich and it was a wonderful place to grow up and to live until the people with *plans* arrived here. Now the town is a ghetto, totally congested and completely buggered beyond repair. We used to moor on the river FOC and nobody ever hassled us.