Queen's funeral, should the Southampton Boat Show close in respect.

[Pirx]

Could someone please explain to me how scuppering a perfectly good activity - and I include many things other than this boat show - is a "mark of respect" .

Surely a better and more appropriate mark of respect would be to make everything work properly, or even better ?

 

[Neeves]

I find this thread mentally taxing.

Trying to ensure the thread, sorry my posts, have no political connotations, intended or not, is very restrictive (but life far too short to bother with The Lounge

Could someone please explain to me how scuppering a perfectly good activity - and I include many things other than this boat show - is a "mark of respect" .

Surely a better and more appropriate mark of respect would be to make everything work properly, or even better ?

To put your comments into context.

Our Parliament will be closed for, I think, 12 days in respect - and the death of the Queen will resurrect the debate (and expect a vote) on Australia becoming a Republic. For you the postponement of the first day of the boat show is an inconvenience - here the implications are far reaching and (depends on YOUR views) possibly far reaching for you as well.....Scotland?

The Boat Show and this thread are a side show - and amount to nothing in the grand scheme of things. Respect, and lots of it, may show support for the 'Institution' and absence of respect may show that the Institution lacks support - and all that that implies (Australia becoming a Republic, Scotland........?)

Changing times, or not

Jonathan

 

[Trident]

As a republican I dislike the idea of monarchy, with no say from the people. However, polling shows over 60% of the public still want the monarchy and whilst no one has been crass enough to poll "are you upset/moved by the death of the Queen" I suspect that the answer would be near universally, yes.

Respect is not really for the Queen, she after all is in no position any longer to feel it, it is for those who mourn. Many people may find pop music, parties, comedy on the BBC and even thousands gathering for the boat show and laughing and drinking, to be grating in their grief

I voted for keep the show open but have a silence , in part because many people will also need the camaraderie of others to process their loss, as they have in their thousands in the rain outside empty palaces. I think those wanting to , lets say, make a point at this time, just need to appreciate the feelings of others and that in a few days time all will return to normal and they can gripe all they like about the minor inconveniences of life

Its really quite touching to even a hard hearted republican to see almost every nation in this world stop to show respect to the Queen - even Putin - and to show in that the status the UK still holds through that soft power. Appreciate that and the job the Queen did to garner that status and get Netflix or Spotify if the programming for the next few days bothers you so much

 

[Stemar]

Even as a monarchist, I wouldn't say I'm upset by her passing; she's had a good long life, and to go gently like that is a blessing, but I am moved. Mourning isn't for the departed, it's only ever for those who remain.

 

[KREW2]

You can mourn or grieve in your own way. I like most am saddened by the death of the Queen, and I very much enjoyed reading Gyles Brandreths' account of his meetings with Her.
I will observe any silences, and watch some of the funeral, but I will not be putting my life on hold for two weeks. At least in Britain we have a certain amount of freedom of choice. Not like in North Korea.
On the death of their great leader I suspect anyone not visibly bawling in public will be carted off.

 

[newtothis]

You can mourn or grieve in your own way. I like most am saddened by the death of the Queen, and I very much enjoyed reading Gyles Brandreths' account of his meetings with Her.
I will observe any silences, and watch some of the funeral, but I will not be putting my life on hold for two weeks. At least in Britain we have a certain amount of freedom of choice. Not like in North Korea.
On the death of their great leader I suspect anyone not visibly bawling in public will be carted off.

To be fair, "Great Britain: it's worse in North Korea" is about the best this place could drag up as a marketing slogan right now.

 

[newtothis]

Don't blame the media. It is as it is because that is successful (even if some do not like it). If the vast majority of the public railed against the media - it would change. You get the media that is accepted in the same way you get politicians.

Its called a democracy.

The suggestion seems to be that the media should be controlled, restricted - to me - that's the top of the slippery slope.

My understanding is that the media 'sell' what people want to 'buy' - and sometimes the product is defined by ratings which sell advertising. If there was a better product - the media would be onto it like wasps to a jam sandwich. Specifically - some members of The Firm' appear to have 'played to the gallery' wittingly or not - but its all grist to the mill - the market place lap it all up. It might be said those who played to the gallery - and then complained of the attention - simply did not understand the role they were playing.

Jonathan

Or as Paul Weller put it, quite succinctly:

And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants

 

[lustyd]

Well, it’s now a bank holiday. I doubt they’d close for a bank holiday normally and would expect them to open and be a bit busier as a result.

 

[steveeasy]

I am a little surprised we are even discussing the matter. People are genuinely mourning the death of a highly respected monarch. The holiday day is intended to allow all those that wish to follow the events can. As a mark of respect the show should indeed close. As should most businesses. I am not a True royalist but will not be having a good day out while the Queens funeral takes place. I hope they give her the biggest send off we can.

Steveeasy

 

[steveeasy]

Even more frustrating to me is that my thread I wish to post, is now on hold until after the period of mourning. Not such a bad thing anyway and it’s a good time for people to reflect on many things.

Steveeasy

 

[mjcoon]

I am a little surprised we are even discussing the matter. People are genuinely mourning the death of a highly respected monarch. The holiday day is intended to allow all those that wish to follow the events can. As a mark of respect the show should indeed close. As should most businesses. I am not a True royalist but will not be having a good day out while the Queens funeral takes place. I hope they give her the biggest send off we can.

Steveeasy

Maybe "true royalists" will be into full self-flagellation"?

 

[Bodach na mara]

Maybe "true royalists" will be into full self-flagellation"?

Someone earlier asked if anyone remembered the TV coverage of the funeral of KG6 in 1952. Well nobody in Scotland at the time will as there was no TV signal. The following year a temporary signal was arranged for the Coronation.

One thing I do remember about the death of King George VI. I was in primary school at the time and one morning we were surprised to hear a burst of cheering. Followed after a few minutes by another. And then another. After a while the Headmaster came into our class and asked our teacher if he could address the class. He then said "The King has died and the school will be closing today at lunchtime". Naturally we all cheered.

During the greetfest that followed the death of Diana, a letter in a paper pointed out how appropriate the words were of the first song in Evita. Particularly the bit "crying all day and crying all night 'cos we want the world to know, that we can get mourning just right. "

If you want to mourn, fine, but it is a private matter so please keep it to yourself and don't expect me to join in the public display of breast-beating.

 

[mjcoon]

Someone earlier asked if anyone remembered the TV coverage of the funeral of KG6 in 1952. Well nobody in Scotland at the time will as there was no TV signal. The following year a temporary signal was arranged for the Coronation.

My Dad built the TV, from war surplus, on which we watched the coronation with some of our neighbours.

 

[savageseadog]

The Queen herself would have said to get on with it.

 

[bedouin]

So now we know - they will be closed on Monday.

I am in two minds about it but on reflection it seems fair to the staff not to ask them to work on a day when many will want to pay attention to the events in London

 

[dunedin]

So now we know - they will be closed on Monday.

I am in two minds about it but on reflection it seems fair to the staff not to ask them to work on a day when many will want to pay attention to the events in London

So at the time of writing, just 13,5% of this boating population thought it should close, with 78% thinking should stay open.
I would not be surprised if this was similar amongst the wider population of boating people who might have attended.
But the “if in doubt close everything“ mindset wins again.

So if the weather is fine, will you use the holiday to go for a sail - and perhaps tip a dram into the sea in memory. Or is it necessary to sit inside with a TV on (something I am sure that would have been anathema to Queen Elizabeth)

 

[bedouin]

So if the weather is fine, will you use the holiday to go for a sail - and perhaps tip a dram into the sea in memory. Or is it necessary to sit inside with a TV on (something I am sure that would have been anathema to Queen Elizabeth)

What holiday? Surely as you don't believe things should close you will be working as normal on Monday

I for one am glad it is a holiday so I can watch elements of the funeral if I choose (and I probably will). That then becomes my choice not that of my employer. But I would certainly not criticise anyone who wanted to go to the boat show - nothing wrong with that either.

But compelling others to work is a different matter

 

[Sandy]

Just read the Southampton Boat Show announcement. If I was an exhibitor I'd be asking for a full refund and not turning up again in the future.

 

[laika]

I wonder whether the security staff, litter pickers, folks on roller skates selling programs and all others on temp contracts with the organisers will be paid?

 

[Sandy]

I wonder whether the security staff, litter pickers, folks on roller skates selling programs and all others on temp contracts with the organisers will be paid?

They will be on zero hours contracts.