3 June 2008

Local Business man tells BBC Caernarfon looks like Beirut!

Last  week BBC Cymru's 'Post Prynhawn' spoke to the proprietor of  Castle News Edgar Owen about the work being halted at Caernarfon. Edgar described the Maes as "looking like Beirut than a tourist town".

We all know what he means..... but, if we feel like this then what will our visitors think?

How many of you have been abroad only to find the hotel half built? After which you ask yourself - Would you ever consider returning there?

Well this is the prospect facing visitors who come to Caernarfon this year.

The work on the Maes is to be suspended until after the summer season.
Will this be a short term gain and a long term disaster for the town?

Once the summer season is over, the workers will then be faced with completing the job in bad weather! A problem which could see more delays for the project.

If you remember, way back before the project began, the Town Council asked for reassurances that the area around the Cenotaph would be completed BEFORE Remembrance Sunday.

Will this still be the case? And if not, then how are we going to honour those who fought for our freedom during the last two World Wars?

At the moment the Maes is a disaster area and this doesn't entice shoppers to the centre.

Our new one way system is a disaster, more than one delivery vehicle has given up the ghost of trying to enter the town.

The photo above shows what the view from the castle looks like and no doubt you will agree that it does not look good for enticing visitors to return.

Let us hope that Gwynedd sees sense not to put what locals have dubbed as the "Caernarfon Eye Sore" back on the Maes this year as this would be the final nail in the town's coffin! Caernarfon needs to raise it's image, for far too long we have accepted second rate projects. What's the point of spending close on £3million on the Maes and then bringing the tone of the place down.

Sympathy for Shop owners

Most of you seem to agree that shopping in Caernarfon isn't what it used to be.

But... before we lose what little we've already got, we will need to try and make things as easy as possible for businesses to survive in town.
That's not to say anyone is 'entitled to a living'. Gwynedd Council does not owe anyone a living, businesses need to earn that themselves......BUT (again), Gwynedd needs to help in every way it can, otherwise businesses will not want to set up in town.

We reap what we sow and shops need to supply goods that the public want.

There are far too many shops of the same kind in town.... Shops selling stuff which we don't need.

What we want, nay what we NEED is variety and Gwynedd Council should be making sure that this is what we get.

All said and done, no doubt we agree that we all sympathise with the present situation. BUT (yet again).... I'm afraid sympathy does not pay the rents and rates..

Sympathy for Taxi Drivers.

If there's one business section in town who are up against it, then that's our taxi firms.

They have lost their ranks on the Maes and  have been re-positioned all over the place. The latest being on the new surface in the Maes itself. (As we understand, after the Maes is completed there are only going to be around 8 or 9 official Taxi ranks on the square).

Sympathy for Market Traders

This summer is going to be chaos as our Market traders will want to pitch in their usual spots but this is where the taxis are!!!
So what will happen there?

Our Market Stall holders have already complained that they have lost massively over the last two years and all because of the big wheel being situated on the Maes. Surely they are not going to miss out on the summer trade three years running?

What is the answer?

Caernarfon should not be looking at short term solutions. Halting the work on the Maes beggars belief!

We should be going ahead with the resurfacing with all guns blazing. The quicker it's finished, the better for everyone concerned.

Summer is only a short haul in terms of the whole year and to save long term disruption, we should all be rooting for the work to be completed without further delay.

Grumbling's

As yet, it is not even clear if locals actually like the slate and stone mixed surface. Grumbling's have already been made about the town looking a drab gray and resembling a cemetery (compared to it's unique red tar surface first  laid during the investiture).

Sense of Pride and raising one's standard

Let's hope that we uphold a sense of pride in the Maes (once it's completed) and only have QUALITY entertainment there. No more cheap and nasty fairground attractions all summer long please! A few rides for a week is fine, but please no more than that.

Welsh Music Festival

Bryn Terfel has successfully made his 'Annual Festival' a big hit with tens of thousands flocking here every year to see the stars. Caernarfon should be working with Bryn to bring a 'Faynol Fringe Concert Week' to Caernarfon and all this could take place on the Maes' new entertainment area.

Local talent could work with groups such as Sain etc to make this a week or even two week festival with The Faenol concerts being the grand finale. We have endless supply of local talents and groups and one of which has made an International name for herself only recently. Who's to say that others can't do the same?

We have venues like Galeri and Cofi Roc who could host even lore musical evenings as well as endless pubs in town who could do the same on a smaller scale.

Connections

We have a wealth of people in and around town who could do wonders for the Bryn Terfel Fringe Concerts. (Bryn himself of course) as well as people like Dafydd Iwan (with his vast connections on the Welsh music scene), top guys like Rhys Mwyn and Mici Plwm who are second to none in their field as well as excellent events security firms like 'KJ Event Support' and a few others we could mention.

The likes of Elin Fflyr and Sarah Louise could take centre stage Even 'Duffy' may be persuaded to appear and in doing so bring a 'Festival of Welsh Music' to the town.

All performing on the Maes. Supported by the Town Council, The Welsh Tourist Board and Gwynedd Events perhaps?

Far better than a rusty Ferris Wheel don't you think?