Our poor old Town

Scaldy Ned

I Despair when i drive through town and see a handfull of people walking through during any day except Frday when there;s two handfulls.......anyway on with this thread.It behooves every one of us young and old to ensure that T&H's is not turned into a Coffee shop or Charity shop that employs 4 or 5 people and gets the **** kicked out of it to do so.....Whats become of my poor old town that the 2nd oldest "inn" in the country closes ?.............is there a line we will never cross in this town.It appears not.
Fine Gael, Fianna Faill, Labour....you Bastards...Shame on you all...look at the downfall you're facilitating to the oldest City in this country....You Waterford politicians shame on you........Chain yourselves to your plush dail benches and starve until we are recognized for the integral part of this country that we are....that's why we voted you in for christ sake.......not even one ministerial seat.
Waterford politicians.....don't you love this city and county as we do ?
Our town is dying around us and we've all become so lethargic that it now seems we can't be arsed.You are the ones in the influential seats of power when our city and county is being sidelined to a "safe bet" for any politician who plays the game.
What can we do for our poor old town ? me personally , nothing at this stage except to promise that anything i can buy in Waterford , i will buy in Waterford....even if it's a fiver cheaper on ebay.....and also make sure my extended family do the same.....Anyway rant over...look out for my next thread titled Waterford Millionaires....and direct to as many people you know in Waterford as possible...Thanks al

To finish ....My memories of this ould town and what disappeared before we knew we shouldn't have let it happen. Lets invigorate our kids to hold on to what we have now

Leo Harts Esso garage on the Tramore Road....still sadly an empty plot
Billy Boyces.....Where you could get "Monkey Boots" or hire a two man tent for the weekend.
Winstons department store ...where you could walk up the wooden staircase and look down at your mam buying a striped shirt for your dad in an exotic plastic case.
Tony Delacathas chipper....."Two bobs worth in the bowl please Tony"
Wallaces ....before it became the reknown or the Gingerman.....Billy Hoare and Eddie.
Ned elliots on Barrack Street.....was that finger thing ever proven ?
The Coachmans.....Where the Mods drank
The Mods......And the Freewheelers....In O'Sheas on Saturday Night
Bands....SIMON,WAVES,DROPS O' BRANDY,TRAUMA
Tops of the town in the theatre royal....which the glass won more often than not
The Glass........whose downfall has knocked the **** out of us and why our confidence is on the floor
The Chariot which is now the Exchange
Bobby Graces
The Bullpost
The Ostman....RIP Paddy and Johnny De Bromhead who came in to the Ostman for a break from Downes's....Belt and Braces Johnny...
The Savoy,The Regal, The Regina
The Crystal city river cruise with bar at 11:30 on Sunday morning....an hour before the pubs opened......Gino Hearne playing the middle of the road hits when you cast off.......RIP Gino
The Ardree hotel.....when it closed we should have seen the rot setting in
The Old Stand....when yer woman and her jack russell decided if you could have a drink or not....i hated that dog...if he barked at you ....out you go
Catch 22 in The Tower
i could go on and on and on

Something that i've never seen mentioned but one of my best memories......THE MING SPECIAL.......I quid (punt) from a caravan on the applemarket, a Vietnamese mix of rice and spices that youd actually get out of bed and go for, drunk or not .....easier to queue for a half hour and bring it home with you...whatever became of ming ?...no Flash Gordon jokes please.
The Reg Jazz on Sunday morning......the third pint killed he pain of the hangover....RIP Bruno
Suffice it to say Waterford i love you

Max Powers

agree but don't like word dying, there is positives there, January is a bad month for most places. too many people on here complaining about spending a couple of euro to park their car, not supporting city centre because they couldn't be ar$ed going to a restaurant/pub in city centre and are happy to stay out in Uluru, Viking hotel wherever, complaints about 15 minutes worth of traffic jams and happy to save a few quid by buying on-line.
I used to think everyone on here had Waterford's best interests at heart, I have come to realise that a lot of it is just talk and don't walk the walk.

however, we are not all lethargic and a lot of us make a real effort every week to get into city centre, support the cafes, support the shops, pubs, theatres, restaurants etc.

MRnotlob606

Max Powers wrote: »

agree but don't like word dying, there is positives there, January is a bad month for most places. too many people on here complaining about spending a couple of euro to park their car, not supporting city centre because they couldn't be ar$ed going to a restaurant/pub in city centre and are happy to stay out in Uluru, Viking hotel wherever, complaints about 15 minutes worth of traffic jams and happy to save a few quid by buying on-line.
I used to think everyone on here had Waterford's best interests at heart, I have come to realise that a lot of it is just talk and don't walk the walk.

however, we are not all lethargic and a lot of us make a real effort every week to get into city centre, support the cafes, support the shops, pubs, theatres, restaurants etc.

Whats wrong with the Uluru and the ramada ?

Dicky Pride

Max Powers wrote: »

agree but don't like word dying, there is positives there, January is a bad month for most places. too many people on here complaining about spending a couple of euro to park their car, not supporting city centre because they couldn't be ar$ed going to a restaurant/pub in city centre and are happy to stay out in Uluru, Viking hotel wherever, complaints about 15 minutes worth of traffic jams and happy to save a few quid by buying on-line.
I used to think everyone on here had Waterford's best interests at heart, I have come to realise that a lot of it is just talk and don't walk the walk.

however, we are not all lethargic and a lot of us make a real effort every week to get into city centre, support the cafes, support the shops, pubs, theatres, restaurants etc.

Lot of sense being spoken here.

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

Whats wrong with the Uluru and the ramada ?

You misunderstand. There's nothing wrong with these places, but the OP is lamenting about the town...the city centre...the place that has been mostly neglected by people.

I do think some of the venues in town could help themselves by marketing themselves a bit better though. The gingerman for instance, they just seem content with getting whatever passing trade they can get...but I suppose who can blame them.

mike65

Didn't someone do this thread last week?

Its the slowest time of the year in the foulest weather of the year. What do people expect and what do people think is going on elsewhere in the country? Fiestas and festivals? Nope everyone is staying indoors until its safe to come out.

The deeper issues are as they always were, and the City Council can take some of the blame for most of it. Still the rates came down a little didn't they.

MRnotlob606

Mmm waterford pessmism is everywhere on facebook in these groups like things you miss about waterford

Dicky Pride

Those groups are now flooded with weird conspiracy theorists. Couple of right tin foil hatted freaks on there.

membersonly

OP would you agree that the town is gone to the dogs?

nunn351

membersonly wrote: »

OP would you agree that the town is gone to the dogs?

I agree , - One of the best nights out , is an evening in Kilcohan .

Eat - drink - and bet , all at the same time .

Its as easy as 1-2-3-4-5-6

cyclone14

nunn351 wrote: »

I agree , - One of the best nights out , is an evening in Kilcohan .

Eat - drink - and bet , all at the same time .

Its as easy as 1-2-3-4-5-6

only thing is it is over too early in the night!!

wmpdd3

Ah listen, do ye not remember walking around Waterford in the 80's , dog sh1t everywhere, footpaths in bits, a car park where city square is.

There was one road of shops, Shaws to the USA Stores, nothing in the side streets.

Lads its crap but it will get better again.

Losing the Glass has been a disaster, like losing Krups and Dell was in Limerick,but its alright that young fella that sells android apps in Del la Salle is going to open a new Microsoft type business out on the Cork Rd and the town will be mad busy again in 5 years time.

albert kidd

i believe things will get better again..but at the moment the place is at rock bottom no question..and people have every right to feel let down..loads of places have closed down granted..but look around..things are starting to move again..plenty of signs of construction starting to happen again..big jobs that werent happening for a few years..dublin is starting to move again..it will filter down here,it may take a few years for us to see the real benefit..but we will rise again..if you dont have a bit of belief in your heart you have notting..this is from someone who has spent 3 year unemployed.

onwards and upwards.

deise abu.

Scaldy Ned

albert kidd wrote: »

i believe things will get better again..but at the moment the place is at rock bottom no question..and people have every right to feel let down..loads of places have closed down granted..but look around..things are starting to move again..plenty of signs of construction starting to happen again..big jobs that werent happening for a few years..dublin is starting to move again..it will filter down here,it may take a few years for us to see the real benefit..but we will rise again..if you dont have a bit of belief in your heart you have notting..this is from someone who has spent 3 year unemployed.

onwards and upwards.

deise abu.

I hope you;re right , i really do but unfortunately in this Banana republic of ours you're knackered unless you have a Minister because it's all parocial politics....and all politicians look at getting whatever they can for their constituency....Look at Martin Cullen...Living the high life in LA and claiming he was the best thing ever for Waterford....unfortunately he's right...how ****ing sad is that ?????...Penthouse overlooking the park that he "bought" ..i hate that ****ing building
I'm not left or right wing....just tired and wary of all the bull****...At this stage in my life i'm Waterford wing.....but it seems that in these days we just can't be arsed to have pride in our city anymore........

xavier8228

My aunt lives in Waterford City and I have been there several times; the last time being feb 2012. My partner and I went from our hotel (dooleys) to the main nightclub area (don't know the name of the street but there is a chipper on it and dignity was on it too). It was a Friday night but it was so quiet that I thought something had happened. We ended up in a bar at the top of the street but it was still awful quiet. For a city/big town I thought this was (for lack of a better word) ****! Galway is busy most nights as is Dublin

GarIT

Sometimes things change. Entertainment moved from the city into the home with television as will shopping now. It's unfair to blame the government there is nothing they can do, they can't force people to go to the city. There are better options available and people will take them.

Scaldy Ned

xavier8228 wrote: »

My aunt lives in Waterford City and I have been there several times; the last time being feb 2012. My partner and I went from our hotel (dooleys) to the main nightclub area (don't know the name of the street but there is a chipper on it and dignity was on it too). It was a Friday night but it was so quiet that I thought something had happened. We ended up in a bar at the top of the street but it was still awful quiet. For a city/big town I thought this was (for lack of a better word) ****! Galway is busy most nights as is Dublin

Thanks for that and you're 100% right,,,,,,we are supposed to be the driving hub of the south east but have ended up being sidelined and ignored....why ? because the view is that Waterford people would prefer get drunk or stoned and be left alone to do it......Thats also the view in GAA circles of why we'll never win an all ireland. And you know something...there's some truth to it. It's an open Waterford secret.
BTW....From what i hear Dignity is also now closed from lack of business.
Siigh

Scaldy Ned

GarIT wrote: »

Sometimes things change. Entertainment moved from the city into the home with television as will shopping now. It's unfair to blame the government there is nothing they can do, they can't force people to go to the city. There are better options available and people will take them.

Oh for Christ sake......What party ?

GarIT

Scaldy Ned wrote: »

Oh for Christ sake......What party ?

Sorry, what?

Scaldy Ned

GarIT wrote: »

Sorry, what?

Look ...i'm not here to argue (honestly) but to say that the Government has nothing to do our problems with belies a huge Naeivety in the way our little country works.......i learned this at age 20 in 1982 when i was put out of a job because of a personal feud between Garrett Fitzgerald and Charlie Haughy....i worked for someone who backed the losing side.
That's all BS but nothing has changed .....take the time to look up what constituencies with serving ministers gain and you'll understand.
What i'm asking is what can we do about it ?.
To answer your question directly....One of thr reasons the Waterford is on it's uppers is because we don't have anyone at the cabinet table...and to suggest that this is not right shows a huge naeivity in Irish politics....hence the question.."what party"(have you been brainwashed by)

GarIT

Scaldy Ned wrote: »

Look ...i'm not here to argue (honestly) but to say that the Government has nothing to do our problems with belies a huge Naeivety in the way our little country works.......i learned this at age 20 in 1982 when i was put out of a job because of a personal feud between Garrett Fitzgerald and Charlie Haughy....i worked for someone who backed the losing side.
That's all BS but nothing has changed .....take the time to look up what constituencies with serving ministers gain and you'll understand.
What i'm asking is what can we do about it ?.
To answer your question directly....One of thr reasons the Waterford is on it's uppers is because we don't have anyone at the cabinet table...and to suggest that this is not right shows a huge naeivity in Irish politics....hence the question.."what party"(have you been brainwashed by)

What in your opinion should the government be doing?

What is happening in Waterford isn't unique, online sales are increasing and will continue to do so, every small urban centre is seeing a great decline at the moment. Businesses will adapt and the role of cities will change. Propping up dying retail units won't help anything.

Dicky Pride

People blamed the government for the closure of Waterford crystal. Nothing to do with the fact that they were selling a luxury product during a time of international recession. (What the government have done since it has closed is sickening though)

Waterford losing Waterford crystal and several other companies in addition to others downsizing has hurt our nightlife.

Urban sprawl has hurt the nightlife in the centre of town (everyone from dunmore road staying out there etc)

All of this has led to a shortage of money and people going into town after filling up on drink at home.

Previous governments have contributed to the problem but they're only a small part of the problem.

Dum_Dum

GarIT wrote: »

What in your opinion should the government be doing?

Giving us free money - that's the game every other region is playing.

GarIT wrote: »

What is happening in Waterford isn't unique, online sales are increasing and will continue to do so, every small urban centre is seeing a great decline at the moment. Businesses will adapt and the role of cities will change. Propping up dying retail units won't help anything.

You seem to want to do things properly - that's not how it works.

There's a competition among Ireland's failed regions (which is nearly everywhere) for state life-support. The West excels at this, the south-east doesn't.

membersonly

GarIT wrote: »

What in your opinion should the government be doing?

Bringing back the Mods and Freewheelers apparently...

jmcc

Dicky Pride wrote: »

People blamed the government for the closure of Waterford crystal. Nothing to do with the fact that they were selling a luxury product during a time of international recession. (What the government have done since it has closed is sickening though)

And that moron Cowen was asked to have the government guarantee loans for Waterford Crystal and he would not. Considering the damage the pondscum intellect and his pals did to Ireland shortly afterwards, the guarantee to keep people in jobs was tiny. But that's the problem with Irish politics - inbred pondscum intellected, coffin surfing, lifers who are too stupid to get a job in the real world making decisions for the Irish people. Waterford people have to believe in themselves and their own abilities. We have to take the opportunities rather than relying on the government to provide them. If we rely on the government to provide them we are in a queue with all the other whingers.

Previous governments have contributed to the problem but they're only a small part of the problem.

I have a simple solution for these people - strip them of their multiple pensions for their economic mismanagement of the state and leave them with just one. Use the funds recovered to build a startup fund for Ireland.

Regards...jmcc

GarIT

jmcc wrote: »

And that moron Cowen was asked to have the government guarantee loans for Waterford Crystal and he would not. Considering the damage the pondscum intellect and his pals did to Ireland shortly afterwards, the guarantee to keep people in jobs was tiny. But that's the problem with Irish politics - inbred pondscum intellected, coffin surfing, lifers who are too stupid to get a job in the real world making decisions for the Irish people. Waterford people have to believe in themselves and their own abilities. We have to take the opportunities rather than relying on the government to provide them. If we rely on the government to provide them we are in a queue with all the other whingers.

I have a simple solution for these people - strip them of their multiple pensions for their economic mismanagement of the state and leave them with just one. Use the funds recovered to build a startup fund for Ireland.

Regards...jmcc

Funding a dying business never helps, if the supply is much greater than the demand there is nothing that can be done. Doing anything would be wasting money. Maybe WC could have saved themselves, opened an e-shop, shipped internationally (there's a big market for Irish products in the states), offered competitive prices, but they refused change, they wanted to save their old way of doing business or nothing at all.

The government is elected by the people, if they are incompetent whose fault is that?

GarIT

Everyone seems to be saying the same thing, they want the country to pay to keep everywhere open even if it is haemorrhaging money. I get that people are nostalgic but we don't have the billions they would be needed to subsidise Wexford, never mind the rest of the county.

jmcc

GarIT wrote: »

Funding a dying business never helps,

It might have bought them time to reorganise. A loan guarantee is not a loan.

if the supply is much greater than the demand there is nothing that can be done.

Wateford Crystal was a Giffen Good in that part of its attraction was its high price and exclusivity. It wasn't the two for one drinking glasses deal in Tesco.

Maybe WC could have saved themselves, opened an e-shop, shipped internationally (there's a big market for Irish products in the states), offered competitive prices, but they refused change, they wanted to save their old way of doing business or nothing at all.

You don't seem to know much about what Waterford Crystal did. The US was one of its biggest markets and it also brought a lot of tourists to Waterford. The web isn't a cure-all. Some products don't sell well on the web compared to sales in bricks and mortar shops.

The government is elected by the people, if they are incompetent whose fault is that?

Actually it is not. The TDs are elected by the people but the government is decided by the parties who vote for the Taoiseach.

Regards...jmcc

GarIT

jmcc wrote: »

It might have bought them time to reorganise.

Wateford Crystal was a Giffen Product in that part of its attraction was its high price and exclusivity. It wasn't the two for one drinking glasses deal in Tesco.

You don't seem to know much about what Waterford Crystal did. The US was one of its biggest markets and it also brought a lot of tourists to Waterford. The web isn't a cure-all. Some products don't sell well on the web compared to sales in bricks and mortar shops.

Actually it is not. The TDs are elected by the people but the government is decided by the parties who vote for the Taoiseach.

Regards...jmcc

They had plenty of time, they didn't go under overnight.

Things selling based on exclusivity is almost dead, it's not a viable business model. Even in a high quality/price model you still have to conform to the laws of supply and demand.

The US was a market based on word of mouth, they weren't targeted. Online sales don't instantly cure everything, and maybe they wouldn't have sold well online but a poor performing business online is usually much better off than a popular local business. The online sales could have saved them, it would have been a boost anyway and it wouldn't have hurt them but they chose not to try. A note on online selling is nearly anything that can be given as a gift sells well online.

You are right there, so I'll rephrase the pool the government can come from is decided by the people. The government is comprised of elected representitives of the people, if the government are at fault for anything so are the electorate. When something goes wrong everybody tries to blame somebody else rather than asking themselves what could I have done better.

People keep mentioning that areas with a gov representitve do better, can you explain the ghost towns in enda kennys constituency?

albert kidd

Scaldy Ned wrote: »

I hope you;re right , i really do but unfortunately in this Banana republic of ours you're knackered unless you have a Minister because it's all parocial politics....and all politicians look at getting whatever they can for their constituency....Look at Martin Cullen...Living the high life in LA and claiming he was the best thing ever for Waterford....unfortunately he's right...how ****ing sad is that ?????...Penthouse overlooking the park that he "bought" ..i hate that ****ing building
I'm not left or right wing....just tired and wary of all the bull****...At this stage in my life i'm Waterford wing.....but it seems that in these days we just can't be arsed to have pride in our city anymore........

it would wear you down no question about it.

i would'nt p@ss on one of them if they were on fire..i have notting but contempt for every single one of them..whether they are FF/FG or whatever other clown masks as himself as a one who is here to serve the people..they will all have only one thing in mind,to feather their own nest and ill not vote for them to help them get to that position.

things will get better..its slowly starting..once the banks get their house in order and start to lend again will see waterford get off its knee's.

GarIT

albert kidd wrote: »

it would wear you down no question about it.

i would'nt p@ss on one of them if they were on fire..i have notting but contempt for every single one of them..whether they are FF/FG or whatever other clown masks as himself as a one who is here to serve the people..they will all have only one thing in mind,to feather their own nest and ill not vote for them to help them get to that position.

things will get better..its slowly starting..once the banks get their house in order and start to lend again will see waterford get off its knee's.

If you think the government can be run better go for it.

Are you actually suggesting that we should build with a borrowing culture again? That's what caused the crash. I love this the banks not lending conspiracy, the banks are desperate to lend, they need to so they can stay alive but they can't find viable business to lend to. The banks have millions in reserve, if a viable business came along the bank would lend.

albert kidd

GarIT wrote: »

If you think the government can be run better go for it.

Are you actually suggesting that we should build with a borrowing culture again? That's what caused the crash. I love this the banks not lending conspiracy, the banks are desperate to lend, they need to so they can stay alive but they can't find viable business to lend to. The banks have millions in reserve, if a viable business came along the bank would lend.

sadly i have a conscience and moral's so sadly that career path wouldnt be an option for me.

what caused the last crash was the brown envelope culture in regards to the banks and its pals..im not talking about that at all..but surely ta god your not that silly to think that is what i was getting at..