calne looks shocking

Local lass · calne looks shocking

drove through calne today and most of the time we were stuck in traffic.i

f you come from london road into calne it looks quite nice with the libary and the river .you turn right at the round about to go throughthe narrow bit and it look really bad
in wood street you have shops closed or borded up.phelps parade look like its recovering from a bomb hit.
it just looks so bad and tatty at present hardley a great impression for people who see the town for the first time.
also for the last couple of years the council have done a excelent job with the flowers through out the town even they have gone down hill this year.

Peter Dolman

I cannot agree with you, anyone living in the town should be aware of the refurbishment of Phelps Parade. This cannot be achieved without some disruption surely?
Yes, Calne is affected by the economic problems but so is every other town. In Chippenham high street there are some 12 empty shops, you could say that does not look very good but its not my town so why should I care?

I am more concerned over matters that concern me and the other residents of the town rather than than a vain opinion over how the town may look to outsiders.

LL how do you think the town should be improved and how would you raise the finance to fund your ideas?

Biggles

i must admit i have to agree with Locallass

I tried to take my disabled mother to Iceland this week, coming from south side once id actually fought my way through the gap by the Wheatsheaf i was faced with a queue of traffic which had no end in site waiting to come through the gap from the North side of Calne.

Well this toally cut off the route to the disabled parking outside the old post office (all 3 spaces were free probably cause no one can get to them) no way could i access them (whoever thought of putting it there).

Well i decided to just sit there and be as awkward as every one else with my indicator on. I started to recive various levels of abuse from drivers on the other side (but they soon shut up when i got out the car and walked towards them). Once a couple of coureous drivers had shunted about a bit leaving as gap you could just get through i parked there and got her out the car and was helping her to Iceland but there was so much building debris and various ascaffloding etc i couldnt even get her to the shop, so bundled her back in the car and drove her to the Iceland In Chippenham.

I agree some work is needed there but to block off the access to the shops for disabled people seems a tad harsh.

The disabled parking outside old Post Office needs looking at badly, They needa ellow hashed (no entrance bx) or something there cause coming from South Calne you can never access it because of the queues from Angels corner and way beyond

win2212

the sad fact is that I expect most of the cars on the road there should have been using the Bypass. People who know the area choose to take the shorter route of going thrhough the town centre, taking a risk that they wont get stuck in a jam.

I see new yellow lines are to be put in on the South side of Calne, in many area's. Lots of people dont have drives there, so where will they park their cars? Will they just leave them in streets further away - thus moving the cars from one place to another.

Does anyone know the details of the parade uprgade? It looks like they are extending the cover even at the top, on the corner. Are they going to extend the covering all the way down the arcade - only after Iceland there is no wall, so I cant see how this will be done. Lastly, will they put doors on it - this would be great as the yobs would be kept out at night - much like the one in Chippenham.

Peter Dolman

I think I have mention it before but the plan is/was to put a roof on the parade where possible. it looks as if they are removing some/all of the concrete canopy which has been in a very poor state for years. the bit at the front over the pet shop is being refurbished rather than removed.
the paving is/was schedule to be removed and replaced and I hope at the same time they will renew the drainage.
the old cemetary where they cut down the yew trees is to be paved over and will become the new site for the friday market.

win2212
1/ traffic is like water it will find the quickest way downhill.
2/ you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.

all efforts to control traffic flows are doomed from the start most drivers will make up their own mind which way is the quickest. I very seldom use the bye-pass as there are always queues at the roundabout at chilvester and again at the thomas's garage roundabout. which way you go you are b......d. I am always travelling from one end of the town to another you just factor in extra time dependant on the time ofr day.

Local lass

Local lass

Local lass

GTB

Local lass

Peter Dolman

if you read exactly my words "I am more concerned about what affects and the other residents of the town". yes unlike some who "contribute" I am a resident and pay my taxes.
how does that mean that I am only interested in what affect me? how does that square with all the issues I have been involved with in the past?

Phelps Parade is being revamped and when finished will look a million times better than it did before. to do this and allow the current traders to continue to trade means that you have to take precautions hence the scaffolding, yes it looks unsightly but its only for a short space of time.
it can't be done a flick of a button!

the town council have spent a considerable amount of money on the town centre flowers and many shops & companies have contributed large sums (including myself as a shop owner) towards those flower arrangements. could it be that with less shops trading and those still barely surviving there is less money to spend?
or it could be that the council have not put out the displays yet and is waiting for the Phelps Parade to be finished.

the town is not going downhill like other towns its adapting and going through change as it does periodically.

yet again it is easy to critiscise(?) and it makes good headlines. lets wait and see how it all finishes.

I agree with the disabled parking arrangements in the town, to often I see able bodied drivers parking in disable parking areas. if you comment to them they just give abuse.
it is pure selfishness and lazyness to take up a space reserved for others.
I wish there was a way to penalise this people. this happens in the 3 spaces in the square as well.

Chepfer

On a positive note .....

It is nice to see the two new shops opened on wood street, the sweety shop and the sandwich place, they make that area look beter already.

As for Phelps .... just give it another couple of months and the change you see will be drastic ..... and new open ended canopy, new paving incorporating a fantastic oxygen bubbles design, a new market square, new apartments where taylors was .... ummm ... oh yea the new building near sainburies .... and then it's phase 3/4 ! .

Calne is entering the britain in bloom competion next year, it's somethgin we can all get involved in if we want ....... NExt year WILL be the turning point ...... you'll see !

rosco

Peter Dolman

the disabled parking spaces outside the old post office across from the Halifax estate agents.
it good to see that there is a sign saying the square. in the old days there used to be a "fountain" in the middle. traffic would come up the high street, in from curzon street and wood street. (before my time)

no where I mean now?

rosco

Peter Dolman

and the india take away, and perhaps the wheatsheaf customers. it seems almost anyone but the disabled!

no one should park in a disabled parking bay except cars with a disabled disk, which should correspond with the registration number of the car.

how about someone designing a mock parking ticket which can be downloaded and put under windscreen wipers of cars we see parked in disabled spaces illegally.

I would print them and use them any good "designers" out there? I doubt many of them can be shamed into doing the right thing but we could try.

kathy27

Ive blocked plenty of cars in there when i used to take my dad shopping (he had a disabled disk) unlike the cars i bloked in

I made one women wait while we carried on shopping, told her to phone the police if she didnt like it.

On the other hand i dont agree with parent and todler spaces, they never had them when my kids were little they just had to learn to hold my hand or get run over!

Biggles

ive blocked them in before kathy, had one once said
oi what you parking there for youve blocked me in, i said well we have a blue badge and you dont and we are off to do weeks shop, the reply was a classic
youve gotta move my take away will get cold by the time you get back
i laughed and walked away

alana

Hi all,

I was at the town council's planning meeting last night and they had a presentation about window displays for empty shops. Basically there is a company offering full-window design covers with pretty pictures and things to make emty retail units less of an eyesore.

The council seems pretty keen on the idea and I'm going to follow it up for next week's paper and it would be nice to get some comments from residents ... What do you all think?

Alana

djq

Why pay some company to do this? In Hungerford some of the empty shops have window displays from neighbouring shops put in them.

Cost to the council £0

Chepfer

I thini the idea in principle is good.

Though i have to agree with djq, does it really need a company to do it.

I for one, as a resident of calne and someone wanting to make the town look attractive, would offer any assistance for free. As i am sure would some of the neighbouring shop keepers !!!.

Local lass

it would be a good idea ,certainly better than the sight of ply wood covered in graffitti.at least then it looks like somewhere cares about the town.
Just because we are going through a recession dos not mean that the town has to look a eyesore.

Mackie

Although it may make the empty shop windows look better I think the money could be put to better use.

Dog fouling seems to be one of many issues that most people feel needs to be dealt with. I would rather see the money go on more bins around the town. As a dog owner (a responsible one who clears up after my pet) I think we need more bins around the town.

Local lass

Peter Dolman

this is an idea from Devizes.
how about letting some of our graffitti artist the opportunity to do something with the windows.
in any event the town council does not own any shops in the town and the owners permission would have to be obtained. most of them are owned now by the wiltshire council.
I would also suggest that there are more important issues where the money could be put to better effect.

GTB

Biggles

no need at all for parent and child parking its a cop out its normally nearer the shop entrance than the parking for disabled they should use able bodied parking like anyone else

kathy27

We had car seats when my kids were little as well (im not that old

) but you managed.
I had 3 under 5 and they all knew they had to wait til i had got them all out and stand next to the car til i was ready, they then had to hold the buggie or shopping trolly, none of this running riot around the shop, then and only then if they were good they could pick a sweet.
most car parks havent changed that much in the past 20 or so years, i think its just a cop out and doesnt teach kids road safety.
You can tell that by the amount of kids coming home from john bentley thinking its ok to walk in the middle of the road!

Peter Dolman

I have just returned from town and was pleased to see planters throughout the town. the lions club are out in force planting the areas leading into the curzon street traffic calming.
also the town councils staff have been out this week planting in roundabouts and other areas.

there is a planning application for the former petrol station in london road for housing (want to build 9 houses!) which will eventually improve that area.

I believe that the town is changing for the better and credit should be given to the town council for this. I would say I don't always agree with them.

Biggles

yeah i stated weeks ago about the 9 houses on the old garage near me in London Road.

The orginal letter the council sent out said 4 houses but they "made a mistake".

9 more houses on that stretch is beyond believe probbaly means another 15 to 18 cars easy.

This is not long after they knocked down the 2 bunglaows just near there and built 11 houses where there was 2 they cramming too many in such a small congested area and i know lots round here are objecting to so many in such a small area

Local lass

9 houses on london road site what are they gonna build them with lego?
surley that site is not big anough.

like peters graffitti idea seem good providing there good.

as for the paent and toddler parking i do agree with it.
i went out with my sister in law who has twins when they were younger it was night mare parking and the space is needed bothn sides.
the main problem is car parks now maximise the amount of cars they can hold so you dont get a lot of with in spaces .older car parks fine go down by bottom sainburys there is loads of room for cars but go up upper sainburys there is hardley any.
if a car parks to close to me in a car i hit there door on purpose even if they are in the car either with my door or my body.
i once parked up th woodlands and a car parked so close that i had to gvet in the passenger side .i left a crappy note on there windscreen for that.

Peter Dolman

When I was on the town council when we objected to those houses going on to the "bungalow" site. the problem is that under the current rules there was no planning reason to object. we had hoped that the county highways department would support us especially as it was so close to where students cross the busy A4 to reach the John Bently School, but they did not object.
That being the case they are not likely to object to this application.

The site is run down and looks an eye sore so we something done with it and it was always going to be houses. the question is how many. builders always push against the boundaries and they have applied for 9 but hope they will get 7.
it was opposite this garage that there was proposal to widen the footpath, by narrowing the road, and have a cycle way. it would have meant the parking places outside the fishing shop would have to go and all the resident would not be able to park outside their homes. the locals did not like that idea at all.

the next site that is likely to be subject to planning is the old Blackford's site opposite the Trinity school. I hate to think how many houses would go on that site, it may be a few years away but it will come eventually. That would create traffic hazzard as there are currently no employment opportunities for new residents. They, the new residents, would just add to the traffic conjestion.

Chepfer

(Peter wrote)
I believe that the town is changing for the better and credit should be given to the town council for this.

As the town council are only representitives of the actual people of Calne .... Perhaps it's the People that should be given the credit, not the (i am, i did this, i am great - councillors((some anyway)).

I think the old garage site should be turned into something .... it's been a real eyesore for years. Perhaps they could compulsary purchace Carters food store and offer the people of this section of calne another place to buy some groceries, in a more modern and clean shop.

As for parent spaces .... They are so very helpfull when you have young children. They allow the space, so you dont have to bump others cars when having to open the doors fully to get a baby carrier (compulsary by law) out the rear doors of a car !.

Peter Dolman

who should compulsary purchase Carters shop and how would they pay for it?
if shops in the town centre cannot get enough customers how would one in London road. there is just enough to keep Carters stores and the Quemerford post office going.
the owners of the petrol station site, I suspect, would not be willing to build a shop instead of 9 or 7 houses. it would not maximise there profits would it?

Chepfer if it was your site what would you do with it?

my experience is that lots of people are prepared to complain about what the council does or not do but there not prepared to stand for election and worst still they are not even prepared to get of their backsides and vote.(as evidenced in Calne North last week when only 30.2% of those elegible to bothered to vote)

Chepfer

If it were my site.

I would have bought the old semi detached house behind the site (which is falling down by the looks of it) and turned the whole site into pleasant eco housing.

I could build the houses pretty cheap right now, then i'd rent the houses to a housing association (gaurenteed money) then i'd wait for the market to climb again and sell the properties at there premium.

The reason i mentioned the shop, is that i think that particular area has alot of potential for a nice new spar shop or something.

Think of north Calne ... theres already A tesco express on the new estate, a spar on william street and a private one on newcroft.

And what do we have on the south, thats easy to get to ?.

Quemerford post office on one extremity and and carters in the middle (though it really needs updating).

Peter Dolman

I agree with your arguement that we have to much at the north end (if only we could persuade tescos to close). your side of the town could do with a community hall as well as another shop. the only trouble being it that a new shop would result in at least 1 of the exisiting 2 to close.
the majority of people live north of the strand so that's where the businesses go, another case of supply and demand I suspect.

Local lass

quite a few people use the shop up london road.i would have thought they would have jumped at the chance of expanding it .i would much prefere that then houses

Peter Dolman

I walked from near the bye-pass to the leisure centre today and was pleased by the increased numbers of flower planters now on display. this was especially evident on the wharf, outside the Olive Tree they are worth seeing.
Well done to the town council.

Biggles

yes locallass lots use the shop in london road,
and the quemerford stores i use at least 3 times a week

keith notman

Chepfer

I use all three, Carters, TK Tackle and Quemerford post office.

Though it is lovely having Carters there, i feel we have the need for something a little bigger.

We occasionally have to drive to the north side of town for things when somerfields or the other 2 are closed (every evening)

Theres alot more people live up this end than many may think, especialy with the silverglades estate and fynamore gardens sat (quietly) out the way.

Biggles

yeah i sorta agree but better the devil you know eh

dont want Calne ending up like TescoTown (oops Chippenham)

Local lass

talking of tesco aprt from the parking issues around the store i would haveto say its 100 per cent better than one stop or the shop up by the jenny wren.one stop you get a load of kids out side either with bikes or like yesterday with water bombs.
the shop up by the jenny wren is like walking into a morgue the staff are either out side smoking a fag or out back they are the living zombies in that shop it is also over priced.
tesco on the other hand does a good range ,is reletivly priced and the staff in there are fantastic most of the time particully a guy called richard who is polite.

Peter Dolman

the staff in the little shop by the jenny wren are very helpfull people and the shop is used by many of the locals unlike tescos which seems to attract shoppers from all over eg Quemerford & derry hill.
the tesco shop is not cheap and you are better off buying in the town sainsbury's/somerfield/iceland and the quaility is no better in tesco's.

lets not forget the little shop was there long before the one stop shop or tesco appeared and likely to be still there when they go!

kathy27

Local lass

Peter Dolman

kathy why the anger, its not my fault that there are only a couple of small shops on the south side of the town, incidentally I have used both at times. I sent all my internet sales via the quemerford post office as do many others, which hopefully makes it more likely to stay open.

retailers go where the most potential profit is and with all those new houses in the north of the town thats where they want to be, pure enconomics!

Biggles

like ive said for months

since the so called traffic improvements in the town center the council have split this town in two

this convo proves my fears

Local lass

Peter Dolman

perhaps I am easier to please.

Local lass

Peter Dolman

I note in todays G&H there is an article about the town councils objections to the redevelopment of the petrol station in london road. In the letters page a local resident has written in supporting the plans.
just goes to show how diffilcult a job it is being a councillor, you can't all the people all the time!

Biggles

wow,

Peter Dolman

if one has written to the paper I suspect there are others who think along the same lines.
I also suspect that the final numbers if reduced will be 7, only my guess for what its worth.

Peter Dolman

I have just notice that the flower bed sponsored by Bevirs is being planted.

Chepfer

Truenmas used to be a good, handy little shop. It used to stand where the kitchen shop now is on london road.

The one next door was recently up for let but has been taken on by the kitchen shop as well ...... shame really as it looks like it's being used as a storage place with all the windows boarded up.

This would have been a good opportunity for someone to have opened up another conveniance store (late nighter) for the south of the town.