Comments for Ben Locker: Scorn & Noise http://www.benlocker.com Mon, 8 Sep 2008 16:56:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on Swan song? by Gary http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-380 Gary Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:58:26 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-380 Anything that stops it being converted into silly , cheaply-made flats and sold off for a massive profit is fine by me. At the other end of Lower Clapton Road, the derelict pub there has curiously been set alight, and will no doubt suffer the obligatory make-over, with no sense at all for the local street, area or indeed any sense of it's surroundings whatsoever. Roll on Tesco's and their plans for that massive pile of bricks round the corner. Just think, now you won't even have to walk there. If you buy one of those flats, they can send your weekly pile of crap up in the escalator. Sorry, I'm going a bit off-topic. Anything that stops it being converted into silly , cheaply-made flats and sold off for a massive profit is fine by me. At the other end of Lower Clapton Road, the derelict pub there has curiously been set alight, and will no doubt suffer the obligatory make-over, with no sense at all for the local street, area or indeed any sense of it’s surroundings whatsoever. Roll on Tesco’s and their plans for that massive pile of bricks round the corner. Just think, now you won’t even have to walk there. If you buy one of those flats, they can send your weekly pile of crap up in the escalator. Sorry, I’m going a bit off-topic.

]]> Comment on Swan song? by Ben http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-379 Ben Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:11:13 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-379 David - did you actually read my post or my comment under it? Linking to a letter written by a member of the local Orthodox community in which he is evidently worried about community relations is not, as you put it, insinuating that community relations will suffer. Sadly they appear to be suffering already - read through some of the comments on the protestors' site. Hardly, as you loftily suggest, irresponsible reporting. Likewise, I've made it clear that I haven't any objections to the Bobovs buying the pub. Why shouldn't they if it's for sale? My point was that it would have been better all round if the pub's locals and supporters had had a chance to put together a bid for the pub too. Not too much to ask, is it? David - did you actually read my post or my comment under it? Linking to a letter written by a member of the local Orthodox community in which he is evidently worried about community relations is not, as you put it, insinuating that community relations will suffer. Sadly they appear to be suffering already - read through some of the comments on the protestors’ site. Hardly, as you loftily suggest, irresponsible reporting.

Likewise, I’ve made it clear that I haven’t any objections to the Bobovs buying the pub. Why shouldn’t they if it’s for sale? My point was that it would have been better all round if the pub’s locals and supporters had had a chance to put together a bid for the pub too. Not too much to ask, is it?

]]> Comment on Swan song? by David http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-378 David Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:09:56 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-378 Let's not blame communities. Here is a link to a source that pubs are closing at the rate of 30 a week with urban pubs hardest hit. http://www.beerandpub.com/documents/publications/news/NR%200508%20-%20pub%20numbers.pdf So it seems The Swan has gone the way of thousands of other pubs and someone has stepped in to purchase the property. Would you have preferred it to become a boarded up property for junkies and squatters? The sellers made their commercial consideration and decided that the money being offered was more attractive than the income generated from the locals. Yes, it is sad to see local facilities being closed especially one with a rich history and which is interwined in the fabric of the local inhabitants. But why blame the buyers and insinuate that communal relations must inevitably suffer as a result? That is irresponsible reporting. Let’s not blame communities. Here is a link to a source that pubs are closing at the rate of 30 a week with urban pubs hardest hit.

http://www.beerandpub.com/documents/publications/news/NR%200508%20-%20pub%20numbers.pdf

So it seems The Swan has gone the way of thousands of other pubs and someone has stepped in to purchase the property. Would you have preferred it to become a boarded up property for junkies and squatters? The sellers made their commercial consideration and decided that the money being offered was more attractive than the income generated from the locals. Yes, it is sad to see local facilities being closed especially one with a rich history and which is interwined in the fabric of the local inhabitants. But why blame the buyers and insinuate that communal relations must inevitably suffer as a result? That is irresponsible reporting.

]]> Comment on Swan song? by kris http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-377 kris Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:10:43 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-377 Trouble is, many pubs are struggling for survival and breweries are having to cut some of them loose so they don't go down (the swannie) with them. How's this for a blanket statement: The orthodox jews are better entrepeurners than Hackney Council wannabes; they are better at managing property portfolios better than Hackney too. Leave Hackney out of this. If you really want to get worked up at about religious building construction, look no further than the wahhabi mega-mosque on the cards in Newham. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2419524.ece Trouble is, many pubs are struggling for survival and breweries are having to cut some of them loose so they don’t go down (the swannie) with them.

How’s this for a blanket statement:

The orthodox jews are better entrepeurners than Hackney Council wannabes; they are better at managing property portfolios better than Hackney too. Leave Hackney out of this.

If you really want to get worked up at about religious building construction, look no further than the wahhabi mega-mosque on the cards in Newham. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2419524.ece

]]> Comment on Swan song? by Dominic Harvey http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-375 Dominic Harvey Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:06:57 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-375 Is there any other location in the area that could accommodate a pub if the demand were big enough? I’m no fan of organised religion (though this is not an issue in this debate, I still want to point out that if I could choose I would much prefer a public drinking house than a place of worship), but my gut reaction is: the owners should sell to anyone, in any legal circumstances, if they are happy with the transaction; and if the original function of the premises is popular enough then it can surely continue elsewhere under the initiative of the people involved. This new premises may take over another business that is less profitable or has a less imaginative approach to how to promote their product. This is okay; it is healthy, even if it is a secretive deal. The seller must have calculated the real profitability of the Swan, rather than the proposed concepts of a group that are activated only by the notion of losing it. Is there any other location in the area that could accommodate a pub if the demand were big enough? I’m no fan of organised religion (though this is not an issue in this debate, I still want to point out that if I could choose I would much prefer a public drinking house than a place of worship), but my gut reaction is: the owners should sell to anyone, in any legal circumstances, if they are happy with the transaction; and if the original function of the premises is popular enough then it can surely continue elsewhere under the initiative of the people involved. This new premises may take over another business that is less profitable or has a less imaginative approach to how to promote their product. This is okay; it is healthy, even if it is a secretive deal. The seller must have calculated the real profitability of the Swan, rather than the proposed concepts of a group that are activated only by the notion of losing it.

]]> Comment on Swan song? by Ben http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-374 Ben Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:58:36 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-374 I'm not particularly worked up about Orthodox Jews buying the pub. If the owners want to sell, and the Bobovs can buy it - then fair enough. Good luck to them. What I object to - as I said above - is the fact that Punch Taverns didn't inform the people who run or use the pub that they were planning to sell, or - more importantly - give others the chance to bid for the building. I quite agree Hackney Council is useless. Indeed, that's a major reason I've spent many hours this year tramping round Stamford Hill and other parts of Hackney (and Waltham Forest) to campaign for the Tories. I wish we could get some members of the Orthodox Community to come and campaign in other areas of Hackney too - after all, we'll never get rid of the Labour Party unless we win considerably more council seats than those that are up for grabs in Stamford Hill and the surrounding area. I’m not particularly worked up about Orthodox Jews buying the pub. If the owners want to sell, and the Bobovs can buy it - then fair enough. Good luck to them.

What I object to - as I said above - is the fact that Punch Taverns didn’t inform the people who run or use the pub that they were planning to sell, or - more importantly - give others the chance to bid for the building.

I quite agree Hackney Council is useless. Indeed, that’s a major reason I’ve spent many hours this year tramping round Stamford Hill and other parts of Hackney (and Waltham Forest) to campaign for the Tories. I wish we could get some members of the Orthodox Community to come and campaign in other areas of Hackney too - after all, we’ll never get rid of the Labour Party unless we win considerably more council seats than those that are up for grabs in Stamford Hill and the surrounding area.

]]> Comment on Swan song? by isaac leibowitz http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-373 isaac leibowitz Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:11:00 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-373 Orthodox Jews want to live in harmony with the wider community. The Orthodox Jews in Hackney are proud to be in one of the few areas in the world where Jews and Muslims, synagogoes and mosques are friendly nieghbours. statistics from the police confirm the Jews as a violonce free community. Whats happend now. Hackney Council has turned its back on this community and have invested massive resources to resist the expension of exsisting/new synagogoes operatings. They are no being forced to compete and outbuy existing community facilities to meet thier growing need. We can still save the Swan. All we need is to persuade Hackney Council leaders to see sense and offer meaningful support, not just a lip service,to all local communities even those who dont vote for the Labour party. Orthodox Jews want to live in harmony with the wider community. The Orthodox Jews in Hackney are proud to be in one of the few areas in the world where Jews and Muslims, synagogoes and mosques are friendly nieghbours. statistics from the police confirm the Jews as a violonce free community. Whats happend now. Hackney Council has turned its back on this community and have invested massive resources to resist the expension of exsisting/new synagogoes operatings. They are no being forced to compete and outbuy existing community facilities to meet thier growing need. We can still save the Swan. All we need is to persuade Hackney Council leaders to see sense and offer meaningful support, not just a lip service,to all local communities even those who dont vote for the Labour party.

]]> Comment on Swan song? by Cassland http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-372 Cassland Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:53:11 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-372 How about an Orthodox Jewish pub! Kosher wine on offer everyone happy How about an Orthodox Jewish pub! Kosher wine on offer everyone happy

]]> Comment on Swan song? by Pants http://www.benlocker.com/2008/09/swan-song/#comment-371 Pants Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:18:50 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/?p=205#comment-371 Hi Quinkie I was involved in a number of unsuccessful 'save the local pub' campaigns in the 90s and also a conversion of a disused synagogue into a business centre. Communities change. If local people feel strongly enough to mount a campaign to keep a social venue going, it's worth doing. What would Hackney be without Chats Palace? xxx Pants Hi Quinkie

I was involved in a number of unsuccessful ’save the local pub’ campaigns in the 90s and also a conversion of a disused synagogue into a business centre. Communities change. If local people feel strongly enough to mount a campaign to keep a social venue going, it’s worth doing. What would Hackney be without Chats Palace?

xxx

Pants

]]> Comment on Blogging from ITV Local by ian http://www.benlocker.com/2008/08/blogging-from-itv-local/#comment-370 ian Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:04:04 +0000 http://www.benlocker.com/2008/08/blogging-from-itv-local/#comment-370 sounds fun - how did this come about? Who were the other bloggers? (ps writing this on my phone) sounds fun - how did this come about? Who were the other bloggers?

(ps writing this on my phone)

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