Weymouth seafront light plan defended (From Thisisdorset)
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Weymouth seafront light plan defended
2:00pm Monday 6th September 2010 in
Weymouth and Port-land Borough Council has defended its decision to replace Victorian lights on the seafront with lasers after concerns they could attract stag parties.
The borough is working with artists Claire Oboussier and Vong Phaophanit and lighting consultant Parsons Binkerhoff on the £500,000 scheme that will see ‘veils of light’ projected towards the sky and out to sea.
A council spokesman said a four-day exhibition had ‘elicited a very favourable response.’ The old Victorian lights and posts, along with the strings of coloured bulbs, will be removed from the central seafront area, but the Victorian shelters will remain.
It is being funded by English Heritage as part of the Weymouth Seafront Regeneration Programme.
But one resident is worried that the changes could be more suitable for ‘nightclubs, pubs and stag parties’ than seaside family holidays.
Mike Taylor, an Osmington artist, has been displaying his work on the seafront for over 20 years and said he is not happy about the idea of changing from the old-fashioned Victorian cast iron lights to the new laser ones.
He said: “The fairy lights look so lovely and now they’re going to get rid of them and put in these lasers. To me the fairy lights say ‘family’ and the lasers say ‘clubs and pubs.’”
He added: “What really upsets me is that from the King’s Statue to the Pavilion we have the Victorian lamps and the smaller festival lamps and they look classy and go with the Victorian seafront.
“Surely the money being spent on this should have been spent on the toilets. They’re disgusting.
“I think because of the Olympics the council is trying to make Wey-mouth ‘cutting edge’ but we’re not, and lasers will bring stag parties.”
But Seafront Regeneration Group chairman Howard Legg said that this couldn’t be further from what the council had envisaged.
He said: “There’s no basis at all for suggesting the artist-led lighting scheme will attract ‘stag dos’ or ‘drunk and disorderly behaviour’.
“As is clear from the title of the project, this is an artist-led scheme which will be subtle with gradual and phased introduction of lighting planned to create a relaxed and calming atmosphere. There’s no question of any sort of ‘laser light show’ with multicoloured flashing lights. That would be the very opposite of what is desired.”
Comments(39)
yes it's me
says...
2:27pm Mon 6 Sep 10
VampireFlux wrote:Rubbish and dated? like our Victorian seafront then? Tis the 21st century, why is it the trend to keep or restore features, rather than replace with modern technology?
Oh dear, we need a better excuse than these lights attracting stag parties to stop them. How ridiculous. We need to show the council that they will look rubbish and dated. Lasers are just so gimmicky. Urgh!
Islandjim
says...
2:44pm Mon 6 Sep 10
yes it's me wrote:Maybe its because somthing is only modern on the days its put up, and thereafter its only going to become outdated and tacky!
VampireFlux wrote: Oh dear, we need a better excuse than these lights attracting stag parties to stop them. How ridiculous. We need to show the council that they will look rubbish and dated. Lasers are just so gimmicky. Urgh!Rubbish and dated? like our Victorian seafront then? Tis the 21st century, why is it the trend to keep or restore features, rather than replace with modern technology?
I'm sure when the council had the great idea of demolishing the Picturesque quay side in weymouth and replacing it with there "modern 20th century" council building, they were probably thinking along the same lines as you.
I find it odd that English Heritage are funding the destruction of our heritage.
Put the lasers up by all means (until somone complains that there blinding sea birds) but have a little foresight and keep the victorian elements aswell, even if it does mean spending a little money on paint every few year!
GETALIFE
says...
3:16pm Mon 6 Sep 10
JANEAUSTEN
says...
3:17pm Mon 6 Sep 10
No, I am not Christine James.
No I dont work for the Council. or know anyone who does.
Yes - Howard Legg is talking a lot of sense.
(and Ive never met the man).
585
says...
3:43pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Islandjim
says...
3:53pm Mon 6 Sep 10
585 wrote:Laser is a very loose term, they wouldnt be any more dangerous than the lighting found at disco's and current laser light shows (which are impressive). Sadly they would be on par with anything found in a classic James Bond movie!
I understand that laser lights are possibly dangerous if shone into peoples eyes. Does this mean that an area of Weymouth Bay will be 'out of bounds' during the period when the lights are on. The raft which is involved in the firework displays comes close inshore for example
Islandjim
says...
3:55pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Islandjim wrote:EDIT: "wont be on par"
585 wrote: I understand that laser lights are possibly dangerous if shone into peoples eyes. Does this mean that an area of Weymouth Bay will be 'out of bounds' during the period when the lights are on. The raft which is involved in the firework displays comes close inshore for exampleLaser is a very loose term, they wouldnt be any more dangerous than the lighting found at disco's and current laser light shows (which are impressive). Sadly they would be on par with anything found in a classic James Bond movie!
Exiled Muff Fan
says...
4:27pm Mon 6 Sep 10
regardez
says...
7:09pm Mon 6 Sep 10
These lights are a huge positive, as for the council offices being being modern at the time, this is true but some things date, some don't.
The key here is to try new things and re-invent areas, we are all only on the planet for seventy years if we are lucky, embrace new ideas.....and if they don't work out pull it down and try something new.
Stop moaning and wasting money on things that need constant maintenance.
As for the stag nights, wake up and smell the coffee, it won't be the lights.
Islandjim
says...
7:26pm Mon 6 Sep 10
regardez wrote:I'm all for the lights, i just think they should be used to enhance the seafront rather being see as something to supersede what's already there.
This is a step in the right direction, I agree with 'Yes It's Me'
These lights are a huge positive, as for the council offices being being modern at the time, this is true but some things date, some don't.
The key here is to try new things and re-invent areas, we are all only on the planet for seventy years if we are lucky, embrace new ideas.....and if they don't work out pull it down and try something new.
Stop moaning and wasting money on things that need constant maintenance.
As for the stag nights, wake up and smell the coffee, it won't be the lights.
And as for anything that need maintenance not being worth keeping, that's a little bit of a short sighted comment.
I had to laugh at the stag night part of this story, like moths to a flame they will come to a laser light show. I thinks its more likely to be the mass of bar's personal!
Dorset Boy
says...
7:30pm Mon 6 Sep 10
585 wrote:In some instances laser lights can trigger of epileptic fits or siezures as they are now known
I understand that laser lights are possibly dangerous if shone into peoples eyes. Does this mean that an area of Weymouth Bay will be 'out of bounds' during the period when the lights are on. The raft which is involved in the firework displays comes close inshore for example
Peter Baylis
says...
8:26pm Mon 6 Sep 10
weymouthfox
says...
9:11pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Genghis
says...
10:07pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Peter Baylis wrote:The problem being that the current lights are obsolete, failing and difficult to replace. So if you want the children to be reminded of a dead Christmas tree with a string of lights that don't work then fair enough. The three choices are (1) do nothing and retain the rundown, ghost town look (2) accept the funding for the lasers or (3) have bog standard street lights as per the rest of the town. (2) is funded by a grant, (1) and (3) will be funded by the council taxpayers. If it's a choice between broken fairy lights and the laser then I'd choose the laser. However I'd also settle for the bog standard street lamps if the only other option the NIMBYs want us to have is a string of broken Christmas tree lights.
The current lights remind children of Christmas tree lights and they are an unforgettable memory for them, which lasts a lifetime. They are Weymouth's future holidaymakers. I don't think your Council has thought this scheme through properly. Sounds like a complete waste of money.
Bumblebee79
says...
10:28pm Mon 6 Sep 10
radiator
says...
10:43pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Genghis
says...
11:36pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Bumblebee79 wrote:Yes indeed the sole reason Weymouth and Portland was chosen was purely and simply because we have a string of decrepid fairy lights that won't even be in a working condition by the time the Olympics get here. As we also had disgusting public conveniences when the decision was made best not make any improvements to them either. As half the shops in the town centre were also either closing or boarded up then that state of affairs should also remain the same. After all this is what the decision was based on. Carry on treating all our visitors to sub-standard and outdated facilities and I think they'll soon start going elsewhere anyway.
The only reason we're getting these lasers is to "impress" the olympic folk. And what happens when they all go home? We're stuck with these things, which the majority of tourists (who are the life blood of Weymouth) don not like, nor do any of the locals I've spoken to. After the olympics finish the council will have to think up new ways to draw in money, and we WILL end up attracting morons (it's already started) At the end of the day, Weymouth and Portland was chosen to host the sailing events with the lovely lights we have, let's not let people who don't even live here push us around and ruin our traditional seafront. If Weymouths not up to scratch, they can go to Poole.
snowleopard
says...
8:11am Tue 7 Sep 10
Genghis
says...
9:13am Tue 7 Sep 10
snowleopard wrote:Or even events that will take place in WEYMOUTH BAY. And if the OHEC comments section is to believed nothing is being done to enhance either Weymouth or Portland.
I thought the area was chosen for the area of water in PORTLAND Harbour and nothing will be done to enhance Portland as yet again Weymouth thinks it is the important one only!
A chance to improve the whole area, Weymouth and Portland, but it will most probably go begging due to the negative outlook in the area.
scubadude
says...
9:44am Tue 7 Sep 10
Also any more light spilled skyward will further ruin the impressive night skies we have down here.
Come on council, a sympathetic and tasteful lightin scheme in keeping with the Seafront buildings and sea-side town theme need not include disco lasers and 1/2 a Million pounds expense- if nothing else just shelve the project till the cost cutting is over, anything Not REQUIRED should be on hold right now to save us taxpayers money, not wasted on baubles!
JANEAUSTEN
says...
10:15am Tue 7 Sep 10
Peter Baylis wrote:Hello Peter, not being funny but , are you for real? "children love fairy lights.' Not the children I know, they much prefer lasers !
The current lights remind children of Christmas tree lights and they are an unforgettable memory for them, which lasts a lifetime. They are Weymouth's future holidaymakers. I don't think your Council has thought this scheme through properly. Sounds like a complete waste of money.
Unless youre talking about the under 5's. Maybe Weymouth and Portland children mature a bit quicker (enough said).
radiator
says...
10:54am Tue 7 Sep 10
Islandjim
says...
11:43am Tue 7 Sep 10
radiator wrote:I wouldnt say we've got the worst deal in the world...national sailing accadamy, new shops, resturants, industrial units and a marina, where as sofar weymouths just got afew massive traffic jams.
Got to agree with snowleapord about Portland being the poor relation in this olympic fiasco. Funny how the planners seemed to push through the officers field so called housing estate i bet in any other instance the plans would not of been passed but for these olympics
The officers field is the joke in all this, i think it realy needs to be investigated whether these new houses are doing what they say on the tin...to get code 4 (code for sustainable homes) they must have basic living space standards and minimum daylighting factors, which from what i've seen sofar THEY DONT!
Pat O'Heck
says...
11:55am Tue 7 Sep 10
Monmouthsman
says...
1:08pm Tue 7 Sep 10
£100 thousand gets you a good long string of cheap to run and maintain LED lights that would enhance our nice in character lamp posts. Sure that you could even weave in some festive feature illuminations for that too. The other £400 ought to go a considerable way towards sorting out those loos.
Now if we can just divert some of that road works chaos funding to a bridge and underpass from Lodmoor and the town side of the Esplanade to the beach there might yet be something to show for all the Olympics ballyhoo.
Mabu
says...
1:57pm Tue 7 Sep 10
Skiff
says...
2:06pm Tue 7 Sep 10
Given therefore that we need to do something, why not do something original? I find it difficult to think of a single valid reason against, that isn’t outweighed by all the positives. Stag nights? Good grief, gimme a break…
citizenno210961
says...
4:33pm Tue 7 Sep 10
ihewer
says...
4:41pm Tue 7 Sep 10
citizenno210961
says...
4:44pm Tue 7 Sep 10
Be_Happy
says...
5:12pm Tue 7 Sep 10
.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-T
ubes/Round-LED
http://www.qvsdirect
.com/Festoon-Light-S
tring-Lighting-c-150
0.html
There you go, modern cheap to run replacement.
Can I have £500,000 now please?
JANEAUSTEN
says...
6:04pm Tue 7 Sep 10
citizenno210961 wrote:Good idea, but got a feeling they wouldnt last long - especially on a Friday night.
if we would like to consider something different and cheaper to run then we should surely be exploring the solar powered route should we not? we could have put the panels on the esplanade shelters roofs.
mark@greenhill
says...
7:26pm Tue 7 Sep 10
The same people regularly condemn absolutely anything that isn't Victorian, or Georgian or involves building anything that might alter the local skyline by a few inches.
The same people will still be proud to say they have kept this town exactly as they remember it as a child, even if all the tourists, money & jobs have long since left for the next south coast resort that embraced progress.
Bumblebee79
says...
9:32pm Tue 7 Sep 10
Modern "trendy" places are two a penny, and only seem to attract snobs and the 18-30 crowd. Weymouth will soon be the only traditional seaside town left, and if the council spend as much on updating what we do have, instead of trying to impress the blow-ins, it will carry on attracting people. Those who yearn for a traditional, family orientated resort. And I didn't say they chose Weymouth "because of a string of decrepit old fairy lights" I said they chose it while they were still up (and hopefully will be for years to come)
Sorry, but yes, I do want to keep Weymouth in the "dark ages" I love my town, I love its history, and I don't want to see it degenerate into a violent, mini city, where the young locals can't even afford to live anymore. It's not just about lights, it's about the much wider impact all this "regeneration" will have on us. Geez, why not stick some lasers and a casino in Stonehenge while we're at it? Weymouths "boring old history" is very important and much admired.
Genghis
says...
10:48pm Tue 7 Sep 10
Bumblebee79 wrote:Yes, Weymouth's history is important which is why I enjoy reading about it and also why I'm proud of it. I don't consider it's history boring at all. One of the things you find when reading about Weymouth's history is how progressive an outlook our ancestors had. They embraced change and moved forward. It's why we have so few Tudor and Stuart period buildings in the town. The Georgian and Victorian buildings replaced them lock, stock and barrel. These same buildings that the Keep Weymouth and Portland In The Dark Ages Campaign fawn and drool over were the Howard Holdings developments of their day. The Georgians had no qualms in giving themselves the most modern facilities available and adapting or replacing what they no longer required. The Victorians were the same. The now defunct fairy lights, they were the latest technology of the time when they were introduced. No doubt the NIMBYs of those days were up in arms about these lights spoiling the unobstructed views of the beach. Yes history is important and so is adding to it just like our ancestors did.
More people like the "traditional"
Modern "trendy" places are two a penny, and only seem to attract snobs and the 18-30 crowd. Weymouth will soon be the only traditional seaside town left, and if the council spend as much on updating what we do have, instead of trying to impress the blow-ins, it will carry on attracting people. Those who yearn for a traditional, family orientated resort. And I didn't say they chose Weymouth "because of a string of decrepit old fairy lights" I said they chose it while they were still up (and hopefully will be for years to come)
Sorry, but yes, I do want to keep Weymouth in the "dark ages" I love my town, I love its history, and I don't want to see it degenerate into a violent, mini city, where the young locals can't even afford to live anymore. It's not just about lights, it's about the much wider impact all this "regeneration" will have on us. Geez, why not stick some lasers and a casino in Stonehenge while we're at it? Weymouths "boring old history" is very important and much admired.
JANEAUSTEN
says...
10:26am Wed 8 Sep 10
Bumblebee79 wrote:I love my town too and want it to prosper, I think a mixture of old and new can work really well- its happened throughout history ,e.g. way back when Britons adopted the Roman villa style as their own.
More people like the "traditional"
Modern "trendy" places are two a penny, and only seem to attract snobs and the 18-30 crowd. Weymouth will soon be the only traditional seaside town left, and if the council spend as much on updating what we do have, instead of trying to impress the blow-ins, it will carry on attracting people. Those who yearn for a traditional, family orientated resort. And I didn't say they chose Weymouth "because of a string of decrepit old fairy lights" I said they chose it while they were still up (and hopefully will be for years to come)
Sorry, but yes, I do want to keep Weymouth in the "dark ages" I love my town, I love its history, and I don't want to see it degenerate into a violent, mini city, where the young locals can't even afford to live anymore. It's not just about lights, it's about the much wider impact all this "regeneration" will have on us. Geez, why not stick some lasers and a casino in Stonehenge while we're at it? Weymouths "boring old history" is very important and much admired.
But if you love the traditional aspects of our town so much, did you comment in support of our Guildhall? The lack of response from posters on keeping this lovely building for community use was amazing, especially in view of the fact that people have got so much to say about not wanting modern lasers or anything vaguely different. IMO
its accept change and prosper,or dont and decline.
Skiff
says...
10:47am Wed 8 Sep 10
Seriously, I too love my town but the fact is we can't stand still. We can either go forwards, or backwards. And this project is as good as any I've heard, and better than most.
Islandjim
says...
11:41am Wed 8 Sep 10
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VampireFlux says...
2:14pm Mon 6 Sep 10