General Discussion

Noticed whilst sat in Reflections Bistro (great cappuccino there btw), that a couple of the banners have become semi-detached and are looking rather forlorn at the moment. I thought I'd post this on here to bring it to the attention of Michael Clayson, for him to look to get it resolved. Thanks. 

I doubt people even notice them, they are placed too high and are too small, waste of time and money.

I notice them and believe that they're effective. Thank you for your constructive input however. 

Thanks

The banners are the responsibility of the Town Centre Management company.  I've just come back from a dog walk and can see a little TLC is needed.

i will alert the necessary people.  I'm sure the Town Council will give them any help they need.

Thanks Michael. 

Burnside, fortunately you did notice them, even though they are small and are too high, something of a contradiction methinks, Specsavers beckons.

You have to strain upwards to read the banners which are ridiculously small, just visit any other town to see how it should have been done.  And my eyesight is fine rat.

Yes, I bet they know how to do lamppost banners on the Isle of Dogs.  Us provincial peasants don't have a clue do we...?

Bernard

For what its worth, I agree that the banners are difficult to read at that height. 

Apparently the design of the lamp posts make it impossible for banners to be hung any lower, or for longer banners to be hung from the existing fixings

I have suggested that when they come up for renewal it might be better for them to be designed with block colours and an abstact design.  Certainly less text.

I dont want to criticise anyone involved in the design of these banners, it was a new venture and experience is the best teacher.  The banners are attractive and with the lights and hanging baskets they have transformed the ambiance of the shopping street.

@Mrs C

Clearly, whoever arranged the banners in Dawlish didn't have a clue.

Clearly. 

Burneside

You have been critical of all of the elements of the recent CCF bid and you have now turned your attention to the lamppost banners in the Strand. I find your continual criticism of our town irritating and am unhappy that you continue to imply that our Town Council, with the exception of your sister, are all smock wearing bumpkins.

Do you have anything positive to say about Dawlish? 

@Likeablerat

When have I ever suggested the Town Councillors are all "smock wearing bumpkins"?  You have made that up.  It's quite true I have disliked the banners from the first time I noticed them, they are totally unfit for purpose.  And I'm not at all bothered about your unhappiness at my comments, if you don't like them, then tough.

Just for the record, I would like to state that I was not a member of the Dawlish Town Centre working group that agreed the size of the banners attached to the lamposts. This group was wholly responsible for the design of the lamposts, which I think are attractive and in keeping with the architecture of Dawlish, and the design of the lamp fittings for hanging baskets and banners. I was part of a small group that chose the themes for the pictures for the banners but at that time we were led to believe these were large banners, not the wholly inadequate specimens we have hanging now that most people do not notice. 

I've more than noticed them.  Who are these 'most people'? Margaret, you don't speak for 'most people' you just make more noise than 'most people'.   Speak for yourself, don't claim to speak for me.  

Surely, the size of the banners is dependent upon the size of the supports (width) and the distance between the supports (height) it's not physically possible to fit larger banners.

Dorian, I can only speak for those who have mentioned them to me and that is a lot of people in Dawlish. I don't speak for you if you have not passed comment to me. 

Dorian, going by the population of the town, over 6500 Dawlishians have said that they didn't notice the banners...

Pathetic!! Is that the best you can come up with? 

Likeablerat you are not wrong but the whole point of having a councillor who is a retired architect on the town centre working group, I was told, was to ensure we got things like this right. Clearly we got them wrong! Torquay and Paignton got them right so where did we go wrong? 

Just had a thought, if my memory serves me correctly, the banners were removed just before Christmas and replaced with festive lighting displays, these were really good and could be seen without the aid of binoculars.

Because they are illuminated and we are not required to try and read writing which is too small to see.

@Margaret Swift 21.50

As the only retired architect on the Council, I can see that it is me, again, that you want to string up from the lamp posts for the weak design of the banners as well as for a modern bandstand design.  Well, I drew neither.  The banners were a project of the Community Interest Company and developed by the Town Centre Development Manager who asked for Town Council funding for the purpose.  Emma Kay worked with a small group to settle final designs while I was on holiday for a few weeks and I had no direct input to their design.  I do have my own thoughts about future versions, should they be replaced, but no doubt we will have to have a wide and deep public consultation before anything can be agreed.

Others have explained the limitations on size and placement that evolved with decisions about fixings for hanging baskets and catenary lighting, all of which seem to meet with public approval.

Good night.

The size of the banners is entirely dependent on the design of the lamp posts and the fixings. We wanted to put larger banners up for this year but were told categorically that it was not possible. A review of the banner design will be made again for next season as some banners require replacement anyway. Bigger banners will only be possible if full stress tests are carried out on the lamp posts.

Just out of curiousity who/which committee/councillors/council officers decided on the design and fixings of the lamp posts and what criteria was used in the making of that decision?  

It was the decision of Devon County Council

They consulted the town council and district council.   The imperative was that the lamp posts selected were suitable for the conservation area.   I remember that recomendations were brought back to a meeting of the full working party, and that I voted to accept their proposal.

I think on balance the right decision was made.  The lamp posts look appropriate in the setting and work perfectly for the hanging baskets and the catenary lighting.   The banners are pretty good and certainly colourful.   I think there are lessons about how much image detail and text should be included, and this can be addressed in the next version of the banners. 

Thanks for the clarification Michael. 

For crying out loud, I'm getting thoroughly sick of a certain Cllr who takes every opportunity she can to find something to distance herself from decisions made by the Town Council and have a dig at the rest of the council at the same time, especially if it involves Cllrs Clayson and Vickery.

Now whilst I don't agree with everything the Council do, and frequently I don't agree with anything they do, I do think it is important that the dignity of the office of Councillor is respected.

Disputes and differences of opinion should be aired within the Council chambers not through an Internet forum!

Once a majority decision is made suck it up and move on.

So, ice bucket challenge anyone? ;-)

A point of accuracy.

I tend to agree that the concept of the banners is a good one, possibly the second generation will have less information and utilise a larger font.

Those of us with exceptional eyesight, Burneside and myself included, will have noticed that the attachment rings are still firmly affixed in the banners as are the eye bolts on the lamp posts; from this I deduce that the banners have become detached because the cable ties have failed.

Let’s now point the finger of blame at the contractor who fitted the banners with inferior cable ties; ‘off with their heads’

Just to keep everybody updated, I had a meeting with the Chair of the CIC this morning, who has given me the contact details of the Contractor who put them up and I will pass this information on to the appropriate people. 

I hadn't noticed that, likeablerat, I don't bother looking up at the banners, nothing to look at really.

Thanks anyway to those councillors who have provided constructive/positive feedback to my original request. 

Update on banners on the Strand I have been in touch with the contractor he will re hang the banners as soon as he can.  His cherry picker is being serviced at the moment but it should be sorted this week.

Thanks for the update Linda. 

Quick update -banners in the Strand have been re hung.

Thanks again Linda.