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23/07/2008, 5:11 PM LittleLecta Joined on 23/07/2008 Posts 1 John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate So did you see the news? personally i have to agree with him, I think he is totally justified to make those comments. About time someone high profile said something, hope the council feel happy with themselves, its rather embarrassing for everyone here to hear someone like John Cleese talk of the town in such a way and I applaud him for it. fingers crossed the people with the power actually see the story and get on with westons much needed rejuvination, I really think its beyond a joke now.    Report

25/07/2008, 9:12 AM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate so what did he say then ? I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

25/07/2008, 9:47 AM AllMouthNoTrousers Joined on 21/02/2008 Weston Posts 373 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate Quite legitimately, he said he was "disappointed" by what an "unattractive" town Weston has become. Coming from a long-term resident with genuine affection for the town, I would say that is a pretty damning (yet fully justified) indictment.    Report

25/07/2008, 10:08 AM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate Weston isn't that ugly, but maybe that's because I have been photographing Grove Park and and and Sand Bay for the last year... The high street, is a regular highstreet I guess - but they are carbon copies all over Britian.  Alexadra Parade and the Beach Lawns have loads of flowers - if you look in the history books - Grove Park and Fountain Square (patch of grass infront of Seven with the fountain on) are the same layout and/or features for the last 100 years - Grand Central could probably do with opening up again - I remeber when the markets there were open! The Pier has just been jazzed up - shame the tide is coming in too far - but in reality we can't stop that, so the cranes need to be there chopping off that side of Weston til 2010... John Cleese does he still actually live in the town ? - Last time I saw him he was goose stepping up Tuffnell Park way (London) :P I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

25/07/2008, 10:32 AM AllMouthNoTrousers Joined on 21/02/2008 Weston Posts 373 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate No, he doesn't live here any more, but was raised here. He lived here for long enough that I think he's entitled to an opinion, certainly. And you're right, of course, that Weston does have nice areas. Grove Park in particular is lovely, Uphill is really nice, some parts of the seafront are beautiful. But at the same time, there is much of the town that is downright tatty. Regent Street, St James' Street, Oxford Street, Orchard Street, Meadow Street, Dolphin Square, some of the area around Big Lamp Corner and a large part of the seafront are all pretty grimy and rundown. And considering that these areas are among the ones most commonly visited by tourists, it's little wonder that a first impression can often be a negative one.    Report

25/07/2008, 11:43 AM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate St James Street is a bit tatty - could do with being paved over (as could Meadow street and Orchard Street) st James turned into a street market once a week, add another revenue stream - place to go for cheap food other than Tesco. Some of the tatty building make great photos - but I guess signs replaced and a lick o' paint might help too. I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

25/07/2008, 1:23 PM The Green Knight Joined on 23/02/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 57 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate Yes,john Cleese(or Cheese as he was then) is entitled to his opinion, as are any resident or non resident celebs, but until they decide to live here and contribute to the upkeep and maintainence I would ask why they want to put us down while they live in Florida/St Moritz or wherever? I don't suppose for one minute he pays a local council tax here? The permenent residents of Weston, whether or not they were born or raised here, are the only people with a right to demand answers. We could all express opinions about various destinations worldwide but until we are prepareed to put our hands in our pockets, or vote with our feet, we should look to our own homes first. Maybe the Mercury should run a survey of the residents to assess whether we need to drag our council to their assembled feet for some answers? I do however applaude the man for not being some pyschopantic ex resident who prefers to be nice to everyone regardless. I respect an honest comment. The Green Knight    Report

30/07/2008, 12:45 AM Mark Norville Joined on 28/07/2008 Posts 15 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate  The Green Knight wrote: The permenent residents of Weston, whether or not they were born or raised here, are the only people with a right to demand answers. Although I agree with you in some respects, but Westonians have a love of the town and in the days of John Cleese, and myself and many other Westonians, we have a right to voice our point of view, regardless of where or if we pay taxes. When my grandparents lived in Milton Brow, it was a friendly neighbour where everyone knew each other, and they would grow vegatables in one garden, vegatables in another garden and swap veg and other produce. Now it is a rough area and well known for trouble. When I grew up firstly on the Bournville estate, it was a nice and community spirited estate, where again people knew each other, would stop and chat and so on. Now it's called the Bronx and one of the highest places for drugs. Then moving to the Oldmixon and spending 26 years in the same house, and spending most of my childhood there, again that was another nice safe estate where children could play in peace and happiness. Now the Oldmixon is just a dumping ground for druggies and alkies. I and most other Westonians have seen our home town which was nice and peaceful been brought to it's knees by immigrants, bringing in the drugs and the crime. These immigrants are not Polish, or neccessary, black or other minorities, but they are whites from Glasgow, London, Birmingham as well. Please do not get me wrong, but there are a lot of nice immigrants whom bring things into the town, but a true Westonian whether they pay taxes or not has more of a right to a say about the town and how it has gone downhill from what it was in Childhood, than someone whom has come into the town for ten minutes just because they pay taxes. I have moved from Weston in the past four months, to what I call my spirtiual home in some respects mainly because I am a Westonian first, and a Somersetian second, so I was always in places like Burnham, Bridgwater, Taunton with my grand dad as a child, I love Weston to bits, but I'm in no hurry to rush back to see the ruins of the place. Sadly with Weston pier gone, Weston no longer has anything to attract tourist makers in their droves, true people will still visit, but what do we have? A beach, mud, the Winter Gardens mainly for the older generation. Weston High Street, which being fair, when you have lived in one place for all of your life, you tend to go in, do your shopping and go back home. Now I can go walkabouts, spend a few hours relaxing rather than working at my computer 14 hours a day, I'm on holiday twice this year, to which before my holiday was driving past the pier. Three years time and I'll be back for my 25th school reunion but apart from memories, Weston really holds nothing anymore. So well done John Cleese    Report

30/07/2008, 12:22 PM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate oophs and this one I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

30/07/2008, 2:48 PM Mark Norville Joined on 28/07/2008 Posts 15 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate  lemoncakes wrote: Why don't you go into the local schools and give all the little kiddies that live here a bit of cheer for their future here (not)- I think you are very short sighted to condemn a whole town - maybe you should have ventured out a bit more... I remember thinking like that about Burnham when I was about 14 - this place is borring, there is nothing to do here, it's full of old grannies, it's a dive etc. - then I grew up and realised that you can find good things everywhere if you look hard enough, Mark if you are suffering some kind of depression I am sorry, to be so cross with you, I suffer with depression myself, but - you have to re-educate your brain, if everyone thought such sad things and spread them about we'd all have jumped off the pier by now and hung ourselves already : / What the hell are you on about? I lived in Weston 38 years of my life and have seen the place go down with the immigrants both domestic and forgein immigrants, drugs, alchol centers, now bail hostels. Your an idiot to have your best arguement being that someone is suffering from depression or any form of mental illness, just because they do not agree with your point of view. Deffinatly people like you that are part of the problem, if you cannot handle a debate.      Report

30/07/2008, 5:48 PM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate oophs and this one I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

30/07/2008, 6:19 PM The Green Knight Joined on 23/02/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 57 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate So, in summary,you grew up on the Bournville which turned ,as you insist into 'The Bronx', then you moved to the Oldmixon which became a drug and alchohol dive, then on to Milton Brow which similarly slipped from its high eschelons of dignity when you left. Can you see a pattern yet? Maybe if you or even the eminent Mr Cleese had chosen to remain and help to inspire young people or to preserve the good aspects of the community you lived in rather than take all you could and leave things you might have been able to be proud of your community. I live here, I wasn't born here but came here at the age of three and consider Weston my home. Rather than up sticks and run away to a nice green and pleasent place elswhere, I chose to work with local groups and to join organisations that support and help promote Weston. People who run away when things look grim don't really do much to stop it happening again and again wherever they go. But that has always been the easiest option, when the going gets tough, the weak run away and moan from a distance. My original criticism was that John Cleese was happy to criticise but offered no help in changing the situation. I still stand by that.   The Green Knight    Report

31/07/2008, 2:22 AM Mark Norville Joined on 28/07/2008 Posts 15 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate LoL firstly let me correct you on quite a few issues. 1) My grandparents lived in the Brow, not I, this was during the 50's 2) The Bournville was deemed a nice estate in the 70's 3) The Oldmixon was deemed as the posh estate in the late 70's and up to the 90's 4) I was a helper in the youth club that was on the Oldmixon estate, until the building had to be ripped apart, so far this hasn't been replaced. 5) I was a helper at Bournville youth club, all of which lead to point 6 6) I was in her Majesty's Royal Air Force when I was 20 serving during the first gulf war 7) Upon leaving the forces, I worked with Weston police on a number of occasions due to teenage drug users and other survelliance in local areas. 8) Going back to post 6, I have evacuated near enough 1,000 service personal due to a bomb scare at xmas time during the gulf, I have groaned at Nottingham train station due to another bomb scare when I was going on much needed leave, this was a couple of weeks after the one at base, I have turned up to Paddington train station to find another bomb scare, lets not forget the bomb scare in Weston where the high street was cordoned off, then the tory party conference in Weston with John Major, when I was trying to enjoy some leave again. 9) Have a look in Weston Museum sometime and when they do local history have a look at one of my ancestors pictures hanging in Weston museum. 10) Due to my closest family dyeing I decided upon a new life and new adventures, rather than being stuck in the mud (excuse the pun) for the rest of my life. I have defended Weston time and time again on the interenet especially when I see people who call the town Weston super Mud, as that gives the town a bad image, although Westonians are free to slag off Weston, but running the place down and not doing something about what life they have is bad. If your not happy then move, if you become rich and famous then you will want to move. 11) I have websites which are personal to me, which are privatley funded with no advertising involved and no pack drill which are easily findable if you really searched for certain terms. Sadly personal websites, over business websites take a back seat most of the time, but I have websites dedicated to Weston in one way shape or form. John Cleese, Jeffery Archer, the late Jill Dando, became successful. John went into media, and earnt enough money to live where he wanted, success. Jeffery Archer another Weston success again due to work moved away but regulary visited. Jill Dando moved away but family and the love of Weston brought her back as much as she could. I met Jill at the Admag/Mercury xmas bash when I came out of the forces, and an old lady had been raped in her own home, 83 years of age. Rapist never been found, or how about the murders that has happened in Weston, murderers never found. Weston Woods for one where I used to play, until I was banned from going there due to the murder. Kewstoke Toll road, where it is safe to drive but when people who speed at night time, sadly go off the edge of the cliff. I have driven a more dangerous road where there is no cliff edge just straight roads and turns, where in accident spots, they have accident tolls on road signs encouraging motorists to slow down and think. 95 accidents/deaths one corner, 36 another, and this is in Somerset. People are blindfolded until they want to be, and yet when something happens, then they want to be on their soap box and do something about a cause that has already happened. John Cleese is an old Westonian, and came back to visit his mother, and other family, Archibald Leech (Carey Grant) used to visit Weston from Bristol, but he went to America to be in movies, was he wrong to do so? I love Weston with all of my heart, but unless you want to kick all the political correctness in this Country out of the window, then you will always have druggies or alkies that bring any town or city into the gutter. It isn't just Weston, society is falling every decade with new drugs, and lack of discipline. Oh and the old Worle was a well to do area, then the new houses and estates were built, at first they were posh, but then they have gone downhill, when the youth burn down a well known burger place. So come on wake up and smell the coffee.    Report

31/07/2008, 11:51 AM C-Frost Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate Mr Cleeses comments are not worthy of comment, I will say that Westons fortunes are like his acting career as of late a little down but unlike his career this towns fortunes will rise again. Our town is no where near as bad as many parts of London and I dont think there would be enough room for his head in our small town!

31/07/2008, 6:15 PM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: John Cleeses comments about Weston - Debate oophs and this one I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

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