Author Topic: Tourist news: developments, initiatives and strategies  (Read 61212 times)

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Offline Yorkie

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #90 on: May 11, 2011, 01:41:32 pm »
Quote from link. 
Mr Blackwell disagrees with the council’s assessment.  He said: “We had in excess of 350 birds, between 150 and 180 breeding pairs. That's a lot of nests, a lot of debris and a lot of chicks.
“This is a 20 acre complex and the hawks have driven the birds out of the area.


Exactly!   The hawks don't get rid of the seagulls, they just move them on to cause havoc to other people somewhere different.    As Delboy would say, "What a plonker!"      _))*
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Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #91 on: May 11, 2011, 03:13:48 pm »
The point is over time the Hawks will have a dramatic effect on nesting numbers, no nesting = no baby gulls thus obviously reducing the numbers.  A gull can live for anything up to 20 years if the council don't see the need for a deterrent now, can you imagine what it's going to be like in 5 years time!
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Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley


Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #92 on: May 11, 2011, 03:46:38 pm »
Another quote from the link:
Bob Blackwell, managing director of Quinton Hazell in Mochdre, said: “We engaged these guys until July purely to stop the seagulls nesting. They’re doing a great job.

Mike Espley, one of the founders of the Coastal Hawks which include a snowy owl, a harris hawk and a falcon, said that the intent was not to hurt gulls, but to move them away from busy areas.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #93 on: May 12, 2011, 08:15:46 am »
The point is over time the Hawks will have a dramatic effect on nesting numbers, no nesting = no baby gulls thus obviously reducing the numbers.  A gull can live for anything up to 20 years if the council don't see the need for a deterrent now, can you imagine what it's going to be like in 5 years time!

We have not had hawks chasing gulls for the past million years so where are the vast numbers?   Nature controls itself as it has done since time immemorial. 

Man is the culprit by trying to change and "improve" what nature intended. 

And holiday makers are the ones who feed the gulls thus preventing them following their natural instinct to hunt and forage for food.   As I have said before there is no problem with gulls in the Algarve resorts.
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Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #94 on: May 12, 2011, 09:02:29 am »
The Hawks are not there to kill or chase gulls.  They deter the gulls from laying eggs.
If you don't eat your food outside Llandudno cafe's, let your children eat ice cream on the Pier or eat your pastie in the street then you won't appreciate the need for this service.  Yes holiday makers feed the gulls we all know this and posters, flyers and warning signs concerning the feeding of gulls have all proved futile in turn the number of gulls present in Llandudno, Rhyl and Conwy have escalated. 

The scheme was originally instigated after  Mr Espley and Robert Davies from Rhyl, witnessed 37 seagull attacks in Rhyl town in an hour and a half.  Now if one of your children or grandchildren had been attacked, if you  had your alfresco lunch whipped off your plate or your sandwich snatched from your hands, I'm almost positive your stance on this problem would be entirely different.  I have witnessed these attacks on Conwy Quay, my son has been ambushed by gulls for his ice cream and I've had my Pastie stolen and so I know for a fact this service is vital for tourist safety. 

Or as suggested on Oscars shoot the tourists  ;D
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #95 on: May 12, 2011, 09:10:19 am »
Good news, Oscar has mentioned the Hawk Project on his site.  Looks like he supports us too.  :D
Take that back, he's only published the negatives apart from yours Fester.  Or am I just sulking 'cos he's not published mine.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #96 on: May 19, 2011, 12:03:49 am »
The derelict Butterfly Jungle is starting to take shape in Conwy, soon to be the base of the Coastal hawks Service.  I have no doubt this will prove very beneficial to Conwy.  Mike says he will post more pics soon.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #97 on: June 05, 2011, 06:20:19 pm »
The 30 mile sponsored walk for Help the Heroes was a great success yesterday.  Approximately 60 people including members from the Coastal Hawks Project, Soldiers and my little sister  :D started the walk at 8.15am from Prestatyn and arrived on Conwy Quay at 6pm.  They were welcomed in by cheering spectators, bag pipes and a band.  Fair play to them they were all extremely tired.  Rob was telling me they lost around 6 people due to severe blisters.  The auction raised over £500 and Coastal Hawks raised over £2000 for the Help the Heroes charity.  I'll write more tomorrow, got pool tonight so I'm in a rush.

Also had to give Dave Best (Besty) a mention as he is Conwys Town Cryer.  He looked great in his outfit.  One of my favorite people is our Besty.  Love him to bits  :-*
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline DaveR

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #98 on: June 05, 2011, 08:08:34 pm »
That's a long walk, well done to them all. I had a nose around the Quay in the afternoon, liked the Stocks where some poor lady was being bombarded with wet sponges. Military vehicles were good, too.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #99 on: June 05, 2011, 08:12:56 pm »
The derelict Butterfly Jungle is starting to take shape in Conwy, soon to be the base of the Coastal hawks Service.  I have no doubt this will prove very beneficial to Conwy.  Mike says he will post more pics soon.

Offline Michael

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #100 on: June 05, 2011, 09:49:57 pm »
Trust the forum to cover something like this have just read this thread. I didnt realise it was under "falconry" I searched around Twitter, facebook etc with Help for heroes including the local press but came up with nothing.

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #101 on: June 08, 2011, 02:58:57 pm »
As I mentioned in an earlier post the auction held on the Quay hosted by Adam Partridge from Tvs Flog it raised over £500.  However without doubt the main contributor to that amount was Iltrid.  She must have spent a fortune bless her,  she bid and won a Help the Heroes teddy, wine and chocolates. a £180 voucher for chocolates, the flag signed by all the walkers on the day, signed Benedorm dvds a voucher for the Mountain shop, something to do with someone from Big Brother? and various other bits and bobs in fact I think the only item she didn't bid on was the voucher for white water rafting.  Well done Itrid  $walesflag$
The photo below is Iltrid with the flag.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline SCMP

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #102 on: June 10, 2011, 12:43:17 am »
We had a lovely time in Conwy following the children's trail around the town from the Knights Shop. Such a worth while cause and the nipper learnt a few things to while he was dressed as a knight!

Offline DaveR

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Re: Tourist news: developments, initiatives and strategies
« Reply #103 on: June 13, 2011, 10:01:46 am »
Some interesting comment on Oscar's blog about the future of Llandudno:

"Why is retail the problem solver? Retail - modern format retail and the corporate pursuit of it to remain competitive with other places like bangor, wrexham, chester - is what is in part, killing Llandudno, dragging footfall away from the small shop town centre to the majors who can pay the higher rents.

You want positive retail – get Waitrose: im told they would love a store here but cant assemble a site. They choose only town centre locations, like to fit with the community. Brings spend.
Recent major developments in Llandudno have ripped at its character - it started with the shocker of the theatre, redeemed only by the modern glass boxes that don’t fit but somehow make the whole a more positive thing than the sum of its parts; the swimming pool, Parc Llandudno and ASDA. Ysgol John Bright... jesus, a shocking design that we will be paying for through PFI for years to come.

Do I have a solution – no, I wish. I sense a little change – the World Rally Championship is a sign of a town a little more confident in itself; anyone noticed the reduction in caravan events on Bodafon?; the Grand Hotel site is an opportunity waiting to happen presumably if the legals could get sorted; the upper Orme/Ski Area surely has potential.

Look at (smaller) success stories like Abersoch – I don’t like it but its busy, attractive, Beaumaris – again niche makes the most of its setting.

Every time I drive over the Little Orme I never fail to be impressed… the bay is a jewel so why the hell aren’t we starting off with a sign on the A55 @ Old Colwyn saying “Llandudno via Coast” or as the French would undoubtedly say “Route Maritime et Scenique” Who DOESN’T drive that on holidays. Quid pro quo people pass the new “thing” at Eirias Park/Sea front Colwyn Bay, the pier, Rhos and Craig y Don – they all get the chance of footfall.

Why not look at Urban Lighting, Secondary uses of the prom, the opportunities the sea and sailing might bring, why not a season of festivals; A Local Enterprise Partnerships of local business people looking to promote the place. If the Council don’t offer it, sod em, do it yourself….

Little things build momentum; all the planning in the world doesn’t stop for entrepreneurialism, the people who want to make it happen.
Personally I think Llandudno can be salvaged.
thetownplanner "




A very good thread from townplanner indeed. Personally, I think there are a lot of positives to work with BUT you have to look at the stale leadership locally as well. More focus on events, niches and the natural product would all bring dividends if properly managed and the odd risk taken. Change of use in Mostyn street to A3 as opposed to the dogged defence of 'the retail core' which looks indefensible, given the centre of gravity for shopping has shifted to Parc Mostyn.

Not that it will happen of course. In a previous incarnation, I was a tourism and leisure consultant and worked all over the country on major development and regeneration schemes in resorts up and down the country and abroad, as well as events and tourism strategies - many of which have been successfully executed in places like Southport, whose amazing events programme puts us to shame. Being from Llandudno though, I could never win any work in Conwy and eventually gave up on it.

There's no single magic bullet for Llandudno alas, which is why I'd be skeptical of the ideal of a Blue Planet style big attraction. I'd like to see more focus on the events side personally, with big event at key parts of the calendar supplemented by smaller event that use the pubs, bars and restaurants within the town (Southport's Jazz Festival is an excellent example). The return on investment can be superb and, in time the subsidy can be reduced or phased out completely.

We're also missing out on a good quality, linked hotel to the conference centre which would make it of national stature, but again there seems to be little will to fix this at the moment.

12 June 2011 13:36





the "future" problem with planning is that it gets hung up in debates about the numbers of houses, the amount of jobs (measured in hectares of employment land). All very worthy and keeps planners and landowners and agents (and Council officers and stakeholders) in business as they battle out vested interests for years.

Im not a local government planner, (thought I once was). I can get you permission for your development or pick on the process or the facts to make a hole in a case. That's not my point. My point is that the trigger sits outside planning policy or the way its developed and implemented. And i feel as strongly about Colwyn Bay as i do Llandudno

Anonymous 13:36 and I clearly sing off similar hymn sheet. What is needed for Llandudno is a way to recreate it as a place where people want to come AND stay or return. MAYBE that means reducing the areas and number of shops. MAYBE even a reduction in hotels and B+Bs to cut out the rubbish and strengthen the better.

As retail rents drop in the town centre, watch out for falling investment in buildings. It’s a slow creep thats already happening. (look at uppers floors on Upper Mostyn Street)

For me the solution comes from leadership, proper civic or business leadership that cuts through and across politics, brings in the right expertise at the right time, challenges the status quo of declining places (for so many reasons) and (from reading the blog) declining attitudes, challenge the mindset that contributes to decline; foster entrepreneurialism:

Ill throw out a suggestion. Investigate a nightly tourist tax to fund it. (and perleeze don’t tell me that will make Llandudno less competitive… if 50p or a £1 per night is the difference between you going in holiday, you cant afford it in the first place.) How about using it to make it better, cleaner, more attractive?

12 June 2011 14:44

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Falconry in the Three Towns
« Reply #104 on: June 26, 2011, 02:51:56 pm »
‎"The Coastal Hawks Medieval Extravaganza" - one of the successful bidders in Colwyn Bay's "Colwyn Counts" PB Voting event, June 2011

I've email Rob for more information.  ;D

Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley