Back in the day...

Hi Mouldy, funny isn't it, that when the council want to get rid of something, it goes, protected or not, the same thing happened with our town hall, and our church, both listed, both "accidentally" burn't down, my wife and I saw a council van parked outside the town hall at 6-30 pm and no sign of a fire, by 7-30 it was almost burnt to the ground, no-one worked there, as it had been closed down a few years earlier, quite conveniently destroyed, of course, but no proof unfortunately, Derek.

What a crying shame. A similar thing will probably happen to our county library, neglected until unsafe, a grant obtained from the Welsh government, and then dithered so long that funds ran out and grant no longer available. And no home for the library...

I'm of the opinion, quite harsh and even barbaric, some say, that anyone who wants to take up public office should be willing to have one of their hands amputated...as a sign of their commitment to those they serve and a reminder to themselves to stay uncorruptable.
Anyone caught stealing from public funds should lose both.

Such a shame. Those historic buildings should be kept regardless of cost. One of my pet hates Re old buildings is that when well meaning folks buy them in order to restore and save for future generations then those eejits in planning dictate on what they should do, insist on making it so tough, often sending these folks to the brink of financial ruin rather than taking the sensible root and seeking compromise. It happens all too often here in Edinburgh.
There is a huge on going corruption investigation going on here. Scandalous!!!

Funny how things can move so fast at times, I guess its good in some ways as they know the games will bring in lots of money for the city.....they obviously don't consider it of any historic value to the city...

It's "Progress." I recently came across a website that showed how many old buildings in Exeter were lost, not because of WWI, but immediately after, when the planners saw fit to lose control of a few bulldozers. Grrrrr

In my opinion most if not all councils are corrupt. Corrupt in the manner of not representing and serving those who put them there (or not). Agree with the hands but other partys of the body might be better ; )

Depressing isn't it? Power corrupts.....so true!

Scottish, we've lost so many, particularly of architechural value, those that tourists want to see.
The politicians, police and gangsters here all seem to sleep in the same bed.
Like the olympics, Lincs, these games have a projected financial gain.
Funny how reality never matches up to projection and more often than not falls far short.
Andrew, we both know they always claim the 'budget' had to be spent, regardless of what the public want.
They don't want the world to see they don't have a pot to, er, pee in, so do their best to keep up with the Jones's, even though the Jones's are in the same boat.
Stevie, I couldn't agree more, mate, Lol, but didn't know of any vets or butchers, who'd demean themselves.
Karen...and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I'm sure some of them start off well-meaning, then think: Well, the others have their snouts in the trough, so why not me?

Shame, shame, shame...

I hope the restoration of your tenement results in a true improvement, and doesn't involve too much discomfort for everyone.

It's criminal. I agree with Stevie, most councils are corrupt.

I hate to see the historical buildings with beautiful architecture to go... just to be replaced by uninspiring ugly boxes.
:-(

Thats such a shame Mouldy. Wouldn't you think money could be best spent elsewhere ! Years ago we had a lovely old town with a lot of character and they all went to make way for yet another precinct !

It's interesting how things change too.

Back in the sixties, we were tearing down Victorian buildings, and considered them to be ugly and old-fashioned. Now we think they're wonderful and worth preserving.

Half of Bracknell town centre, built in the sixties, has just been demolished. It only looked grim because no maintenance had been done on the buildings for about twenty years. Will people in a hundred years' time say, "Do you remember all those lovely 1960s buildings they tore down?"

Mouldy they are doing the same all over even here its been planned for years I watched a program a few weeks ago about it how all these new eye sores have been planned for years they just did nt know how to bring it all in not to shock the people and now the EU want us all looking the same hence the grants.

Big business has a lot to do with it which stemed from the 70s when they the business got greedy pushing out local business and destroying our towns, this has also happened in the usa I read a few years ago how Walmart has made their towns jobless and ghost town.

Look at China after the recession in 5 years they have built a sky scraper every 5 days 30 new airports in 25 cities they have built metro systems up and running in each of those cities. Over 6000 miles high speed rail tracks and all the stations , 3 longest bridges in the world and 26000 miles of motor ways. Another stationwhich will be finished with in 3 years finishing this September which would take London twice as long to build a cross rail station. They have encouraged their people to take out loans all this with the building has kept the ecconomy going world wide. Now we have signed up with China I can see us in trouble again like taking the bad mortage off the usa as they have already said the debt in China has gone out sidwe the country and does nt know whp owns it alsp they have said it will eventually fail.

As that lovely building was a hazzard it took them long enough to knock it down. Its no good protesting it does nt work we have done that here in our local paper. What people who wont stick together does not realise it takes away our identity and our history which I believe is their aim.

Yes indeed. It seems to come down to one of two words - backhanders and corruption. Seems a harsh judgement but its becoming the general opinion. We have great big civic offices but they are closing many of the public toilets, which may well put some places off limits to the elderly. Their reply is that people can use the toilets in pubs - but why on earth should the publicans be responsible for cleaning what then amount to public loos?

With so many pubs closing down where will they go then. As for oaps the ones who do spend the money in town and cities this will have a knock on effect on business.

Pretty grim, isn't it?
I thought long and hard, before posting this blog.
It's risky, I thought, because, as you stretch out your hand in the darkness you can't be sure if it's going to touch a light switch...or a mouth jam-packed with canines. Lol.

Hi, we have a central council offices, for the 9 towns that make up our 'Metropolitan' borough, it opened in 1980, so not long ago in terms of building ages, however in that time it has been refurbished at least 3 times, but now they say that it needs so many repairs, that it will be more economical to knock it down, build new council offices elsewhere, and re-develop the 'OLD' site, as this would 'only' cost £11 million, CUTS, what cuts, Derek.

That's totally disgusting. They ought to be made to work in it until it falls down.
Mouldy we would never bite your hand off.

It's the same everywhere, Derek.
That's what's so infuriating, as nobody can point to a group that is doing it the right and moral way and say to the rest "That's the right way to do things, now get on and DO it!"

Thank you, Stera! Lol.
You knew what I was driving at.

Mouldy, after looking at your blog, I had a look on google www.urbanglasglow.co.uk It is worth to log onto, I can understand now how angry you can get, to see a wonderful building been demolished. Built in 1899 and served the community for over a 100 years. After looking at the photo of Springburn Public Hall on the website www.urbanglasglow.co.uk , Looking at the photo on the outside and inside I think it must have been wonderful building in its day. Glasgow council should be ashamed of themselves. to have demolished that building where it should have been restored. Who ever made that decision should be held responsible.

JJ, the people that made the decision to let the building rot were not the same people who made the decision to rip up George Square, in the heart of the city, then replace it with red tarmac several years ago,
They were, however, of the same ilk...politicians, who don't like the idea of democracy, unless it favours their views and if it doesn't they don't hesitate to employ underhand tactics to get their own way.
The square was ripped up at 2am on a Sunday morning!
Sure, they take flak for a while, but always manage to wriggle out of it, except for the odd few.
My youngest brother told the family he was going into politics a couple of decades ago, after finishing uni.
We all fell about laughing and had to explain to him he was too honest and innocent to ever consider such a move.
Sad, but true. :-(

Maybe we could do a site like this for the councillors as well ; )
http://www.wewilldrivethemtotheairport.co.uk/