Where would you live?

[DavidofMersea]

An island where shop owners have to rely on summer tourists to pay the bills over winter, because they can't rely on local trade, and where people only live during the summer months, going away during the winter sounds like absolute hell to me.

I am not sure if you are trying to be humerus/provocative, but if you are not, you are seriously misinformed.

Shop owners do not rely on Summer trade to pay the bills over winter - with the exception of the caravan parks, which are more or less autonomous, visitors to Mersea are day trippers, and do not go shopping. I know people in Ibiza that winter here from all over the UK and continent, an I suspect that Mersea is no different to anywhere else in the UK except it is not as cold and 'orrible as many other places in the winter, especially flat windy Cambridgeshire

 

[Tam Lin]

A grotty High Street, a park full of screaming kids, no decent pubs or restaurants, not much car parking space (apart from next the park, and that is quite expensive), not much water in the river

A grotty High St? A number of different banks, M &S food, WH Smiths, opticians, independent shops including Reeves, an old fashioned ironmongers and a selection of charity shops.
Kids in the park - who'd have thought it? I bet they were enjoying themselves too!
I'm not one for regularly frequenting pubs these days but have enjoyed the ones by the quay. I have been in some nice restaurants though.
Three car parks plus the one at the promenade, that's for trippers!
Yes, the tide does go in and out, which makes it more interesting.
If you really have to leave the town then it is just over ten minutes to the A12, gateway to the world beyond. At least you don't have to fight your way through Colchester to get anywhere!

As for Mersea - I would love to live there as I have many happy memories of a misspent youth at the Essex County Council camp site and drinking in the Two Tides (long gone) and The Fox. I learnt to sail there too. Happy days!

 

[Sixpence]

Well by the end of the summer, it's nice to see the back of the grockles but they do keep the shops going.

I am not sure if you are trying to be humerus/provocative, but if you are not, you are seriously misinformed.

Shop owners do not rely on Summer trade to pay the bills over winter - with the exception of the caravan parks, which are more or less autonomous, visitors to Mersea are day trippers, and do not go shopping. I know people in Ibiza that winter here from all over the UK and continent, an I suspect that Mersea is no different to anywhere else in the UK except it is not as cold and 'orrible as many other places in the winter, especially flat windy Cambridgeshire

I'm not going to get into an argument over this as it's in the ECF, where gentlemanly behaviour is preferred, however, I think you missed the bit highlighted from TG's excellent (as always) description. I do think you need to accept that not everyone likes the same things. I don't like Ibiza and the last time the subject cropped up I was berated by yourself for saying so. I have been to Mersea, and didn't like the place. I have been to Maldon and do like it. Different places suit different people. Now if you want to make an argument over the matter I suggest you adjourn to the lounge where berating places others live in is standard conduct. In here, it is not
By the by, I'm Welsh so having a pop at Cambridgeshire is hardly likely to bother me. Compared to home, the entire East coast is flat as a pancake

Now if you don't mind, let normal ECF service resume, without further derogatory comment, there's a good chap

 

[philiphurst]

I don't live in Maldon nor do I live on Mersea Island. However, I like both places and would move to West Mersea if it wasn't so far from the things that really matter to us.

Maldon is neither grotty nor crummy. It's a very attractive town with a great deal to offer to locals and visitors alike. It also - like Mersea - has a fascinating maritime history and legacy.

I'm a great believer in telling people that the Blackwater and surrounding areas (the Dengie in particular) is a dreadful place. We really don't want the place invaded by visitors and tourists and its charm destroyed.

As has happened to Ibiza and much of Spain ;-)

 

[philiphurst]

I'm not going to get into an argument over this as it's in the ECF, where gentlemanly behaviour is preferred, however, I think you missed the bit highlighted from TG's excellent (as always) description. I do think you need to accept that not everyone likes the same things. I don't like Ibiza and the last time the subject cropped up I was berated by yourself for saying so. I have been to Mersea, and didn't like the place. I have been to Maldon and do like it. Different places suit different people. Now if you want to make an argument over the matter I suggest you adjourn to the lounge where berating places others live in is standard conduct. In here, it is not
By the by, I'm Welsh so having a pop at Cambridgeshire is hardly likely to bother me. Compared to home, the entire East coast is flat as a pancake

Now if you don't mind, let normal ECF service resume, without further derogatory comment, there's a good chap

Excellent post :encouragement:

 

[Sixpence]

I'm a great believer in telling people that the Blackwater and surrounding areas (the Dengie in particular) is a dreadful place. We really don't want the place invaded by visitors and tourists and its charm destroyed.)

Can't quite make out where it is but apparently this is somewhere on the Dengie, looks rather nice I thought

 

[DavidofMersea]

I'm not going to get into an argument over this as it's in the ECF, where gentlemanly behaviour is preferred, however, I think you missed the bit highlighted from TG's excellent (as always) description. I do think you need to accept that not everyone likes the same things. I don't like Ibiza and the last time the subject cropped up I was berated by yourself for saying so. I have been to Mersea, and didn't like the place. I have been to Maldon and do like it. Different places suit different people. Now if you want to make an argument over the matter I suggest you adjourn to the lounge where berating places others live in is standard conduct. In here, it is not
By the by, I'm Welsh so having a pop at Cambridgeshire is hardly likely to bother me. Compared to home, the entire East coast is flat as a pancake

Now if you don't mind, let normal ECF service resume, without further derogatory comment, there's a good chap

I am not going to argue with you because I agree with much of what you say. We have a different opinion of Mersea, Ibiza, Maldon, and that is OK with me, these are just our opinions, not facts. I just don't agree with TG about the shops

 

[DavidofMersea]

Can't quite make out where it is but apparently this is somewhere on the Dengie, looks rather nice I thought

That is Burnham on Crouch, next to the Royal Burnham Yacht Club

 

[xyachtdave]

I was going to mention Ramsgate for the Kent option but there's enough trouble here already!

 

[philiphurst]

A grotty High Street, a park full of screaming kids, no decent pubs or restaurants, not much car parking space (apart from next the park, and that is quite expensive), not much water in the river

David; apart from the accurate reference to the river, you could almost have been talking about Ibiza!

Can I suggest that you visit Maldon again and pay closer attention to what is on offer? There is plenty of parking around the town, a number of decent restaurants, some very good pubs and numerous lovely walks. Heybridge Basin is an interesting place to visit and has at least one good pub and one or more decent cafes.

I could go on but when you've exhausted the possibilities in Maldon, get back to me :encouragement:

 

[philiphurst]

Can't quite make out where it is but apparently this is somewhere on the Dengie, looks rather nice I thought

It is but ffs don't tell anybody.

 

[Sixpence]

It is but ffs don't tell anybody.

I won't if you tell me where it is because it certainly doesn't look much like Burnham On Crouch

David, on the entire island of Mersea there seems to be, for example, only four cafes. In Maldon town centre alone there are more than twice that many. That tells me more about a place than much else

 

[DavidofMersea]

We really don't want the place invaded by visitors and tourists and its charm destroyed. As has happened to Ibiza

You are falling for a common misperception. Tourists go to places like St Antonio and Playa den Bossa, and then think all Ibiza is like that, and it is not.

Did you know that 30% of the roads are not yet made up, and that very few houses out of town are connected to mains water supply, and a few not even electricity. To day I walked with friends for two hours in a valley in the south west and we saw nobody. 80% of Ibiza is covered in trees - Ibiza is very rural, not many people know that.

 

[philiphurst]

You are falling for a common misperception. Tourists go to places like St Antonio and Playa den Bossa, and then think all Ibiza is like that, and it is not.

Did you know that 30% of the roads are not yet made up, and that very few houses out of town are connected to mains water supply, and a few not even electricity. To day I walked with friends for two hours in a valley in the south west and we saw nobody. 80% of Ibiza is covered in trees - Ibiza is very rural, not many people know that.

Yes and no and it is still of no interest.

 

[philiphurst]

I won't if you tell me where it is because it certainly doesn't look much like Burnham On Crouch

David, on the entire island of Mersea there seems to be, for example, only four cafes. In Maldon town centre alone there are more than twice that many. That tells me more about a place than much else

Yep, as DoM said, it's BoC. A very attractive river-side town with numerous good pubs and some excellent ones too. I hardly dare mention some very good restaurants. But don't tell anyone. Please.

And, no, I don't live in Burnham!

 

[Sixpence]

Yep, as DoM said, it's BoC. A very attractive river-side town with numerous good pubs and some excellent ones too. I hardly dare mention some very good restaurants. But don't tell anyone. Please.

And, no, I don't live in Burnham!

How strange, I quite like BoC but don't recognise that place at all

 

[philiphurst]

How strange, I quite like BoC but don't recognise that place at all

It's the Quayside Cafe which has a very good reputation.

Here you go: http://www.quaysiderestaurant.co.uk/BOC/service.asp?ccd=quayside_restaurant&page=2

No vested interest. Just supporting a local business.

 

[Sixpence]

It's the Quayside Cafe which has a very good reputation.

Much obliged thank you

 

[DoubleEnder]

Glad it has settled down. I didnt mean to rattle anyone, and thank you for all the interesting points of view.

 

[DavidofMersea]

It's the Quayside Cafe which has a very good reputation.

Here you go: http://www.quaysiderestaurant.co.uk/BOC/service.asp?ccd=quayside_restaurant&page=2

.

I will second that. I often go there for a coffee and cake