Author Topic: Llandudno Pier  (Read 396599 times)

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Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #270 on: June 25, 2012, 09:25:38 am »
Good news about the Landing Stage  is on the way, I'm reliably informed.  ;)

Story in the Daily Post today about how 'funeral like' the Pier is.  Not the state of this season's trading, but all the floral tributes festooned over the benches:


Llandudno Pier visitor says bench flowers reminded her of a funeral
by Dave Powell, DPW West Jun 25 2012


A HOLIDAYMAKER says walking past floral tributes on a pier’s memorial benches make her feel like she’d been to a funeral.

Rita Evans, 68, says her visits to Llandudno leaves her feeling miserable, rather than uplifted.

Pier manager Simon Mason said he sympathised with the tourist but said only a handful of the 50 benches was festooned with flowers.

Mrs Evans said: “There were four wreaths, photographs and plastic funnels for flowers when I visited. That’s pushing it a bit too far. By the time I’d got to the other end of the pier, I felt as if I’d been on a funeral march, or someone was going to whisk me off to Heaven. I love Llandudno but I don’t go there to be reminded of death. It’s bringing itself down.”


Mrs Evans, of Northwich, Cheshire, who was with her sister and a friend, added: “We usually have a drink at the bottom bar and go to a nearby café for a bite to eat. This time, we did neither.”

Days later, Mrs Evans said she bumped into a woman at the Tatton Show in Cheshire. Coincidentally, she had also just visited Llandudno – and felt just as strongly about “inappropriate” flowers on the pier.

Privately-owned Llandudno Pier’s Simon Mason said: “I sympathise with the lady but most people say they do not see any harm in the flowers.”

He said he had counted 50 benches and only four floral tributes on them – and they were not wreaths, which he felt would be unacceptable.

He also said the prevalence could be because Mrs Evans’ group arrived on Father’s Day – when families were remembering loved ones. Mr Mason will be writing to Mrs Evans to explain the situation.

Customers can order the Anglesey-made £516 benches through Mr Mason but they are not “memorial benches”.

Mayor of Llandudno Cllr Myra Wigzell could see both sides of the debate. She said : “I think the lady (Mrs Evans) has got a valid point. Personally, I used to read memorial plaques on benches but I don’t do that any more. I find it upsetting.

“These memorial plaques are perhaps not meant to be upsetting. They may be bought because of happy memories of coming to Llandudno.

“On the other side of the coin they may bring back sad memories. But if the flowers comfort the bereaved, who are we to stop people putting them there?”

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/06/25/llandudno-pier-visitor-says-bench-flowers-reminded-her-of-a-funeral-55578-31252904/

Offline Ian48

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #271 on: June 25, 2012, 11:03:51 am »
I agree with her if I am honest. I haven't been down the pier for a while, but I do remember seeing some benches that looked particularly funereal.

It's a tough one as people obviously have very strong emotions about this. But they are ultimately benches to sit down on and some have so many flowers and teddies etc covering them, that it's not ideal to sit down on some of the benches.

Also, a lot of this stuff is plastic and not that good for the environment, especially up in Haulfre or Invalids' Walk, where they can get blown off and litter the area.

I don't know if it's horribly unfeeling to say, but often I don't think that festooning things and making what is, to all intents and purposes, a shrine, is the most positive form of overcoming a bereavement and moving on with life.

It's difficult because ultimately if you raise objections you're intruding on someone's loss, which can be highly problematic.


Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #272 on: June 25, 2012, 11:15:44 am »
For the record, this problem is not new as me and Blodyn can testify.   $good$


I also often wonder why the Pier Manager sells wooden benches and then to allow purchasers to decorate them with flowers and wreaths at either end when the memorial plaque on the seat should be sufficient.

It is such a shame because it leaves visitors too scared to sit on the benches.


Bri, I agree completely and it's a problem not just on the pier but wherever there are memorial benches.  Does anyone ever come back to remove the flowers when they are dead (or tatty if they're artificial)?  It doesn't look like it!  Some of the benches then become such a mess that I wonder about posting them on the eyesores thread.  My OH gets pretty cross about this and we remove any dead or tatty flowers that we see.

When a bench has been given in memory of someone, whose property is it?  There are plenty of benches in public areas which also suffer from this, e.g. Invalids' Walk, Happy Valley, West Shore. 
 

Offline Craigydonian

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #273 on: June 25, 2012, 12:35:45 pm »
Familiar words that have already been spoken about many other eyesores in and around the town.  Don't hold your breath.

I reckon it's a load of bollards!    :rage:

I'm afraid you're wrong Yorkie. DaveR is spot on, but the information is embargoed until mid-day Wednesday. See Thursday's Weekly News for the full story (I know you don't buy it but it will also be online)!]
« Last Edit: June 25, 2012, 01:47:07 pm by DaveR »

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #274 on: June 25, 2012, 03:32:13 pm »
Come, come, young lady, the reference to bollards was a sideways comment at the marine aspect associated with the plans.   And also to preserve the embargo until the release date.    ZXZ
Wise men have something to say.
Fools have to say something.
Cicero

Offline Quiggs

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #275 on: June 25, 2012, 06:48:43 pm »
Ref. the stairway off the Pier, I can recall that it was used for 'Speed Boat ' rides around the bay, as it was past the low tide waterline it could be used at all states of the tide.   ^*^0  ( nearest I could see to a Speedboat )
Dictum Meum Pactum

Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #276 on: June 25, 2012, 09:41:38 pm »
Well done for preserving the embargo, Yorkie.  $good$

Offline sjwright

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #277 on: June 25, 2012, 10:32:22 pm »
We looking at a new landing stage or a patched up one then?! Either way it's good for business :D The rest of the snaps we took when we were under the pier can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ste-wright/sets/72157630199588302/

and here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ste-wright/sets/72157630256557342/

As for the flowers on benches, I mean no offence, but bloody hell, isn't that what the grave yard is for? Me and my mates walk the pier most sundays, its just morbid these days with flowers on benches! I totally agree with what the woman said in the daily post! People are treating them as shrines.

Anyone doing that low tide walk on 2nd August of the old pier?

Offline Fester

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #278 on: June 25, 2012, 11:51:27 pm »
I feel pretty outraged at some of the comments I have seen about the memorials on the pier benches.

Why the hell is it an issue?  Why can't Mrs Evans (and others) go about their lives and find something more pertinent to comment upon?

For one, to get the facts straight, only FOUR out of FIFTY FOUR benches had any kind of floral tribute on.
There were NO wreaths as the disingenuous Mrs Evans states... and there NEVER has been.
So, she states ALL the benches were ''covered' in these things.... but obviously 92% of them were not!!

Now, she also happened to walk the pier on Fathers day.
Are people who loved their deceased Father, and have forked out over £500 for a bench supposed to just forget about them on Father's day?

If people want to remember their recently departed loved ones, how dare anyone be so crass as to tell them what is, and what isn't appropriate?

Finally, the bench outside the bookshop on the pier has 2 photos, and 2 other items on it.  Inappropriate Mrs Evans might say?
The lady who runs the bookshop had the terrible misfortune to lose her Husband AND her Daughter, in the same year.
So, the bench is dedicated to them.  Would Mrs Evans (or any Forum member) like to go and tell her that it is wrong of her to want to remember her loved ones in this way?

Mrs Evans and those who agree with her need to 'get a life' ... they obviously do not have enough to worry about.
I hope that when they are bereaved, they are not subjected to the same mean spirited comments that I have witnessed on this matter.

Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline snowcap

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #279 on: June 26, 2012, 12:03:05 am »
i think you summed that up very well indeed Fe's. but we all know some people are made of stone or it may be they have been lucky and never lost someone that close to them.

Offline Ian48

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #280 on: June 26, 2012, 07:28:11 am »
This may have been brought up by Mrs. Evans in this instance, but it's something we have discussed before, so it's therefore a subject that is correct to be discussed as it's not just her who's noticed it.

There may have been only 4 on the that day, but I've seen others in the Happy Valley, Invalids' Walk etc on other occasions that are like shrines.

I completely disagree with you when you say we should 'get a life' and talk about something else. What is wrong with mentioning it?

I firmly believe that if someone does something that makes the unremarkable, remarkable; then they shouldn't be offended when someone discusses it, just because it is to do with a dead relative. It may be their 'personal grief', but they, by their very actions, have made the personal, public and therefore they can't complain if someone mentions it.

I don't mind saying that I find it ghoulish when I see these things on the benches. A memorial plaque, with a message should be a sufficient memorial. If people want to make a shrine, then they can do so at their own home.

Snowcap: we'd have to be infants not to have lost someone close to us, whether that be a grandparent, parent, sibling, spouse or maybe child. To say we are made of stone is hugely untrue, I know I am not. But perhaps I've learnt to cope with things in my life and I suppose that's something to be thankful for.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #281 on: June 26, 2012, 08:42:06 am »
A very measured response, Ian. $good$

I was brought up to believe mourning was something that should be done with dignity, rather than gaudy displays etc. As Ian pointed out, we've all lost a loved one, yet 92% of the people who bought a memorial bench on the pier do not feel the need to cover them in plastic flowers etc. Each bench has a plaque attached, that is sufficient.

Offline Llechwedd

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #282 on: June 26, 2012, 12:28:47 pm »
Come to Llandudno - god's waiting room.  It's It's really depressing seeing thes festooned seats.  The churchyard i s the place.  West shore, Haulfre gardens and the Pier are all infested with them.  Perhaps the Council gets lots of money for them?

Offline Fester

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #283 on: June 26, 2012, 11:30:02 pm »
I am utterly astounded at the opinions expressed here.

Llechwedd, who are you to decide where and how people elect to remember their departed loved ones on a special day?
You use a word as strong as 'infested',  where is the infestation if 92% of the benches are 'flower-free?'
You are entitled to your opinion, mean spirited though it is... and I am entitled to challenge it equally strongly.

Dave, I have seen no 'gaudy displays' ... no 'wreaths' ...EVER.
If I lose a loved one, and I decide to create a 75ft high solid brass memorial to them. then I might invite upon myself some ridicule or comment.  But these few flowers or photos are not in that category, and do not merit the attention of anyone on this forum.

Ian, I don't think your response was measured at all.  It was the response of someone who should have something better to do than pick fault with the way in which people choose to grieve and reminisce.

This should be a non-issue, unworthy of raising and unsuitable for debate.
It will be forgotten, instantly once Wednesdays story about the landing stage emerges.... and rightly so.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline wrex

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Re: Llandudno Pier
« Reply #284 on: June 27, 2012, 07:22:04 am »
The fact that some people travel to Llandudno especialy to put flowers on a bench must be a good thing,most are dedicated to holidaymakers who either loved sitting on the pier,West shore ,Heulfre gardens and the family must pay CCBC or the pier company to put them there,so the fact that their families continue to come to Llandudno ia a good thing.