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| November 6, 2011, 10:59am |
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No Father Christmas in Newbury this year?
For the first time in living memory, it seems that there will probably be no Santa’s Grotto in Newbury Town Centre this year.
The popular tradition ceased at Camp Hopson, when they closed their toy department. Kennet Shopping then took over the facility, and Santa has enjoyed a central location amongst the Christmas polar bears. He even had a special parking bay for his sleigh in the nearby multi-storey car park.
Unfortunately, Kennet Shopping have decided that it is no longer worthwhile to continue. Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year.
Footnote.
In a leaked memo to the chairman of the Newbury Retail Association, Santa has indicated that he is having problems in many towns and cities this year because of increased rent and business rates in many locations.
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| user23.3 |
| November 6, 2011, 11:15am |
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Will Santa be at Parkway? |
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| BrianB |
| November 6, 2011, 11:32am |
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Will Santa be at Parkway?
I often wonder about your ability to read and understand the postings on this and "the other" forum. Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again: "Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year" |
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| Archie |
| November 6, 2011, 11:48am |
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I often wonder about your ability to read and understand the postings on this and "the other" forum. Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again:
"Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year"
I think rose tinted glasse must be standard issue at WBC, judging by this explanation that I have just retrieved from Google: "If someone sees things through rose-coloured glasses, they see things as being better than they really are." |
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| greenmeanie61 |
| November 6, 2011, 11:59am |
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Will Santa be at Parkway?
Quoted Text
Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again:
Does anyone actually know for a 100% fact, that santa isn't going to be at Parkway? A quote from a local forum administrator is hardly irrefutable evidence. |
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 Greenham Common |
| November 6, 2011, 12:02pm |
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Will Santa be at Parkway?
There's plenty of space. |
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| Threepwood |
| November 6, 2011, 12:08pm |
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I think you'll find that Santa himself is very busy at this time of the year, and that these 'other Santas' are really just his helpers standing in for him. That said, it does seem a shame that there may be no appearance by any of them this year in our town. Although, of course, he will still turn up on Christmas Eve, (but only to boys and girls who've been good) (obviously).
In the past, Santa's helper has had the humiliation of being escorted through town by Ronald Macdonald and a bunch of bikers on Harleys. (chuff-all to do with Christmas, but at least someone from Santa Land turned up)
Seems a shame that as soon as Parkway opens one of the first side-effects (albeit unintentional) is the removal of just a small part of the magic of Christmas.
Of course, since the deal, SLI probably think that all their Christmases' have come at once, so they'll be too busy counting the Car-Park money to notice the lack of a grotto.
For them, at least, Santa came early.
Threep.
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| Cognosco |
| November 6, 2011, 12:22pm |
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There's plenty of space.
And statistically it would make their occupation figures look better, if only for a very short while?  |
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| user23.3 |
| November 6, 2011, 12:45pm |
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Does anyone actually know for a 100% fact, that santa isn't going to be at Parkway? A quote from a local forum administrator is hardly irrefutable evidence.
No, they don't. Even the title of the thread shows this, it concluding with a question mark. Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers. |
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| Cognosco |
| November 6, 2011, 12:58pm |
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No, they don't. Even the title of the thread shows this, it concluding with a question mark.
Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.
And if there is no Santa in Newbury where else would people take their children to see Santa? Also if their are no shops in Newbury that you want to shop in where else do you go? Or do you just put up with the little that Newbury offers and just go and read the hoardings on the empty units? |
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| greenmeanie61 |
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I think you'll find that Santa himself is very busy at this time of the year, and that these 'other Santas' are really just his helpers standing in for him.
Threep.
 Please wear this from now on...  |
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| Administrator |
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Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.
Point taken, presumably they can contact him via Facebook or Twitter. I have changed the original posting accordingly |
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| user23.3 |
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Point taken, presumably they can contact him via Facebook or Twitter. I have changed the original posting accordingly
Thank you. |
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| blackdog |
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Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.
Where are shoppers being told to go elsewhere? The nearest I can see is that people will need to get their child's wish list to Santa by an alternative method - obviously the case if there is no Santa in town. |
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| Threepwood |
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Please wear this from now on...
You appear to have the wrong end of the stick. |
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| user23.3 |
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Where are shoppers being told to go elsewhere? The nearest I can see is that people will need to get their child's wish list to Santa by an alternative method - obviously the case if there is no Santa in town.
The original post has been edited. |
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| greenmeanie61 |
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You appear to have the wrong end of the stick.
It's ok, I was only joking that you have ruined Christmas because you've told everyone that the Santa you meet in Debenhams isn't the real one. Who wants to meet one of his 'helpers'? Anyway, enough of this non-parking related posting, i'm off out booking! |
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| Muddler |
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For a town with no toyshop, it would seem fitting that FC has better places to be. Trebles all round FF.
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| PaulaM |
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Father Christmas, as we like to call him, usually has a lovely grotto in Wyevale. I would recommend a visit BEFORE Tesco take the chain over  |
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| brian |
| November 7, 2011, 10:51pm |
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Father Christmas, as we like to call him, usually has a lovely grotto in Wyevale. I would recommend a visit BEFORE Tesco take the chain over
Is that the Thatcham one. I recollect there was a grotto last year but not to sure about there being a Father Christmas in it but I may be wrong. |
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| MontyP |
| November 7, 2011, 11:43pm |
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What no St Nick in Newbury?? |
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| PaulaM |
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Is that the Thatcham one. I recollect there was a grotto last year but not to sure about there being a Father Christmas in it but I may be wrong.
Yes Thatcham - he works shifts there - so you have to check his timetable |
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| Greenham Common |
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Yes Thatcham - he works shifts there - so you have to check his timetable
And there's no point in trying to get hold of him in the evening on the 24th of December, the phone rings off the hook! |
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| Muddler |
| November 8, 2011, 10:15pm |
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The Kennet Centre killed Christmas. Whoodathoughtit? |
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Guest User |
The Kennet Centre killed Christmas. Whoodathoughtit?
Apparently the theme this year is a Christmas Carol. Without Bob Cratchett & Tiny Tim. Lots of volunteers to be old Ebenezer though.... |
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| richard.garvie |
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The Kennet Centre killed Christmas. Whoodathoughtit?
I wouldn't say that is true. |
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| noobree |
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| Cognosco |
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| user23.3 |
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(As I write there are 432 vacant car parking spaces at Parkway and 36 at the KC. You can't argue with facts.)
Where can you see the individual figures for spaces at Parkway and individual figures for spaces at the Kennet Centre on one sign? |
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| James_Trinder |
| November 9, 2011, 10:01pm |
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Where can you see the individual figures for spaces at Parkway and individual figures for spaces at the Kennet Centre on one sign?
Probably nowhere but you can drive between two different signs in the space of a few minutes, which isn't going to affect the figures greatly. |
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| user23.3 |
| November 9, 2011, 10:14pm |
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Probably nowhere but you can drive between two different signs in the space of a few minutes, which isn't going to affect the figures greatly.
You'd have to reverse your direction to see both, wouldn't you? For example you'd have to drive South down the A339 to see the Kennet Centre, then North up the A339 to see Parkway, wouldn't you? I think he's got confused and quoted the combined figures for Parkway/Northcroft and The Wharf/The Kennet Centre. |
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| richard.garvie |
| November 9, 2011, 10:39pm |
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Hey User, any way of putting a live updates thing on the website which could be linked to the car parks? May even link it to social media like twitter / facebook so there is a half hourly update saying "there is x parking spaces at x car park"? I've seen a few towns do this, might be something to look into? |
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| MontyP |
| November 10, 2011, 6:32pm |
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Hey User, any way of putting a live updates thing on the website which could be linked to the car parks? May even link it to social media like twitter / facebook so there is a half hourly update saying "there is x parking spaces at x car park"? I've seen a few towns do this, might be something to look into?
They could also connect to a counter of how much is being added to the SLI shareholders coffers |
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| Greenham Common |
| November 10, 2011, 7:11pm |
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You'd have to reverse your direction to see both, wouldn't you?
For example you'd have to drive South down the A339 to see the Kennet Centre, then North up the A339 to see Parkway, wouldn't you?
I think he's got confused and quoted the combined figures for Parkway/Northcroft and The Wharf/The Kennet Centre.
As you drive north past the railway station on your left, you will have a sign that shows Parkway/Northcroft (combined), The Wharf, and The Kennet Centre. Proceeded to Parkway, via the Robin Hood giratory, and you will come to a sign on the London Road that shows you the amount of spaces at Parkway and Northcroft. |
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