Quoted from Nobby

We could always throw Nick Carter in !

Someone of high status in Newbury has not just purchased a narrow boat by any chance have they? A small problem of somewhere to berth it perhaps, to overcome?  

As promised, here are some locations for the arts pavilion which might, I suggest, at least be worth investigating.

They all:

• use existing brownfield or unoccupied sites (although the unoccupied restaurant at Weaver's walk is displaying signs advertising for staff so it seems this is a missed opportunity - looks as though it could have been a good location);
  
• have road access and (in the case of the nice looking office building on the Wharf behind St Nics) even have their own car parking spaces - the proposed Victoria Park site doesn't have road access, unless they're proposing to build one or its own parking;
  
• wouldn't involve destroying more of Victoria Park.
  

There are lots of other vacant brownfield sites which are close to the centre of town and would have the advantage of drawing people into and across Northbrook Street or down to Cheap Street. Using the still unnocupied restaurant space below the cinema would seem ideal in many ways - what better than a combined cinema and arts centre?

I'm sure that those responsible for the Vision will consider these and other possible sites with open minds.

Constructive thoughts, anyone?

Good suggestions noobree only snag is they do not look like a Pigeon Loft and you know who will not be able to recover costs already incurred.

So sorry Vicky Park is still under threat!  

The third one is a pretty good idea - better be quick though, it's about to be demolished so yet more flats can be built on the site.

Weavers Walk is very good. It's got two floors, already got the facilities (bar, loos etc), and is available.

It could stimulate footfall for all those independent shops that keep folding down there.

And where's Griffins' profit in that then? Some of us might think it's a jolly good idea to use the Weavers Walk site. But they want a more expensive grandiose scheme. Got to boost the old ego dear boy, eh what?


Threep.

So, a vanity project. Something that will make a statement and look good on the pages of The Architect's Journal - http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk

It really does need to be set amongst trees and surrounded by plenty of grass to get on those pages, doesn't it? Something bold, different. You can almost hear them whispering in the client's ear 'You'll need real balls to pull this one off.  The little people* will hate you, but in the eyes of those who count**...'

Oh well, I can see we're screwed on this one.  Look on the bright side: we could turn the whole sorry tale into a 'Very Peculiar Practice' type humorous drama and sell it to BBC2.

*that's us, btw.

**these are the sort of people who make very senior appointments, award gongs etc.

Interested to hear your views about the Pavilion, whingewhingewhinge.  

Do you think it should be built in the park, as per the Vision, or would you prefer a brown field site somewhere else in the town centre?

It's always better to deal with specifics, rather than launch scatter-gun ad hominem attacks, don't you think? Let's hear what you have to say about what's actually going on in the town.

Quoted from noobree

Interested to hear your views about the Pavilion, whingewhingewhinge.  

Do you think it should be built in the park, as per the Vision, or would you prefer a brown field site somewhere else in the town centre?

It's always better to deal with specifics, rather than launch scatter-gun ad hominem attacks, don't you think? Let's hear what you have to say about what's actually going on in the town.

Have the anti's now got royal backing? Were they correct after all?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15358006

Could I add another site.  The defunct CCTV room which is sitting doing nothing.

Good thinking Jay.

I'm sure the Visioneers are very grateful for all our suggestions although they must be kicking themselves for not crowdsourcing this in the first place. Never mind, lesson learned.