O/T The Platform Morecambe

[redrobo]

Went to the Platform last night to see an Eagles Tribute Band which was good.

However wasn't aware that Lancaster Council have earmarked next March as the date for the Platform's
closure.

Surely this can't be allowed to happen as it is currently the only local live theatre that caters for a wide selection of both cultural and art tastes.

If it is closed then this is yet another example of the local council's lack of providing services for its council tax payers.

Does everything have to be about profit or even breaking even.....

[sandgrown]

is the Dukes closing ?

[Keith]

If it is closed then this is yet another example of the local council's lack of providing services for its council tax payers.

Does everything have to be about profit or even breaking even.....

Central government funding to local councils has been cut by about 40%. It's no longer about profit or break-even, it is about theatres and libraries or Social Care for elderly people. Obviously, central government are content for people to blame the wrong targets for the cuts.

[jbc.shrimp]

Went to the Platform last night to see an Eagles Tribute Band which was good.

However wasn't aware that Lancaster Council have earmarked next March as the date for the Platform's
closure.

Surely this can't be allowed to happen as it is currently the only local live theatre that caters for a wide selection of both cultural and art tastes.

If it is closed then this is yet another example of the local council's lack of providing services for its council tax payers.

Does everything have to be about profit or even breaking even.....

Not true, admittedly the Winter Gardens is closed during the winter to allow essential repair and maintenance, but when we open again next April we will hold any events organisations wish to book. Yes we are a little more expensive, but anybody having experienced both venues say the Platform is far inferior.

[Billy bodger]

The platform is yet another example of how Morecambe is treated by Lancaster City Council. Our councillors are out voted all the time. We should be a separate council not tied up with that rabble. Cuts always in Morecambe.

[Keith]

The platform is yet another example of how Morecambe is treated by Lancaster City Council. Our councillors are out voted all the time. We should be a separate council not tied up with that rabble. Cuts always in Morecambe.

You'd cut Social Care, in order to keep The Platform open?

[deadorred70]

I allways prefer the more intermite atmoshere of the platform.

[Argumentative]

You'd cut Social Care, in order to keep The Platform open?
Ooooooh will anyone take the bait ?
Well I will for tge sake of discussion or argument whatever you want to call it.
Yes I would and I would cut a load of other stuff as well.

[Born again Bill]

The platform is yet another example of how Morecambe is treated by Lancaster City Council. Our councillors are out voted all the time. We should be a separate council not tied up with that rabble. Cuts always in Morecambe.

Second that BB probably one of the main reasons Morecambe got into the state it did !.

[captain sparkle]

Well, you lot, do something about it then! Don't just sit there, clatterwalloping away on your keyboards!!
How many times have you written to your MP about it? written to your councillors about it? attended council meetings, demonstrations (while you still can!) etc.?

On the flip side, I emailed local councillors & our illustrious MP about the closure of the Tourist Information Centre just before it closed forever. I researched, using government statistics, proving that tens of thousands of people would be visiting the Eden Project that had neither internet enabled smartphones or any other access to the internet, so wouldn't be able to see the wondrous TIC web presence...
But I never got 1 reply!

[redrobo]

Well, you lot, do something about it then! Don't just sit there, clatterwalloping away on your keyboards!!
How many times have you written to your MP about it? written to your councillors about it? attended council meetings, demonstrations (while you still can!) etc.?

On the flip side, I emailed local councillors & our illustrious MP about the closure of the Tourist Information Centre just before it closed forever. I researched, using government statistics, proving that tens of thousands of people would be visiting the Eden Project that had neither internet enabled smartphones or any other access to the internet, so wouldn't be able to see the wondrous TIC web presence...
But I never got 1 reply!

Please sign the Save The Platform petition details in the new thread.

Thanks.

[Keith]

You'd cut Social Care, in order to keep The Platform open?
Ooooooh will anyone take the bait ?
Well I will for tge sake of discussion or argument whatever you want to call it.
Yes I would and I would cut a load of other stuff as well.

That's fine. If you genuinely believe this, then I will respect that belief, and simply accept that we have completely different opinions on what matters the most.

However, if anyone doesn't want to cut Social Care or close the library instead, or slash funding to the museums or... or... AND want to keep The Platform, then they need to understand that the problem is 13 years of austerity, funding cuts, while allowing billionaires & multinationals, to avoid paying taxes.

Despite record profits of £68 billion in 2022, this year, Shell will pay UK tax for the first time since 2017. Can't have low taxes for the wealthy and pay for services too.

In unrelated news, Liz Truss used to work for Shell.

[redrobo]

.....and no doubt Keith a change in Government will change things.......I only wish that was true.....

Labour's only solution is to tax the profits of companies as if that will solve the problems.....oh and to borrow even more.....sounds to me as though we've been down that road before.

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

....if anyone doesn't want to cut Social Care or close the library instead, or slash funding to the museums or... or... AND want to keep The Platform, then they need to understand that the problem is 13 years of austerity, funding cuts, while allowing billionaires & multinationals, to avoid paying taxes.

Lord and lady Kinnock, who did not a lot for this country, aren't doing too bad for themselves are they? Arthur Scargill too, still living in splendour at who's cost? Lets not forget the daily millions of £pounds being spent on largely uninvited visitors to the UK, not only on scores of hotels, but the spending on the NHS that uninvited guests are burdening the tax payer with.....I appreciate who the government of the day currently is but on who's watch did this all kick off with

unrelated news, Liz Truss used to work for Shell.

It's easy to cherry pick.....how is the family Blair doing these days?

[marky No.1]

It's easy to cherry pick.....how is the family Blair doing these days?

He"s got £45M, she's well behind at £12M

Kinnock £5M, same as Scargill

Truss £8M

Captain Hindsight £7M

Poor Sunak family have lost £200M this year, now down to £73 B

Welcome them all on our Board, lol

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

Welcome them all on our Board, lol

Lol.

The next General Election is going to be a horrible affair for this country. Many traditional Tory voters will either vote for Reform or won't bother voting at all.

My slant on that, is that Reform aren't anywhere close to big enough and a non-vote is in effect a vote for Liebour.

I'd like to see an extra final box on the voting form which should read 'None of the above'. 'None of the above' includes ALL candidates on that voting form. At least that would allow for people to have their say, and show what the depth of feeling is for the shambles this country has got itself into.

[KenH]

You'd cut Social Care, in order to keep The Platform open?
Ooooooh will anyone take the bait ?
Well I will for tge sake of discussion or argument whatever you want to call it.
Yes I would and I would cut a load of other stuff as well.

That's fine. If you genuinely believe this, then I will respect that belief, and simply accept that we have completely different opinions on what matters the most.

However, if anyone doesn't want to cut Social Care or close the library instead, or slash funding to the museums or... or... AND want to keep The Platform, then they need to understand that the problem is 13 years of austerity, funding cuts, while allowing billionaires & multinationals, to avoid paying taxes.

Despite record profits of £68 billion in 2022, this year, Shell will pay UK tax for the first time since 2017. Can't have low taxes for the wealthy and pay for services too.

In unrelated news, Liz Truss used to work for Shell.

Trouble with councils (and public sector generally) is their default position of race to the bottom when it comes to finances. If they're short of money, they just cut! No thought whatsoever to growth/increasing income. I.e. the council should raise money by improving services and facilities. Help grow the local economy and they'll raise more in business rates, car park charges, more businesses surviving. If they'd developed and run the Platform properly, then it could be a money raiser, not a cost.

[Keith]

Lets not forget the daily millions of £pounds being spent on largely uninvited visitors to the UK, not only on scores of hotels, but the spending on the NHS that uninvited guests are burdening the tax payer with...

Now don't be a silly-billy! Blaming refugees is the only tactic left for the Tories, and it is a problem they've deliberately created by not dealing with asylum claims and allowing a backlog to grow. Also, in 2022, according to the government's statistics, there were 99,939 asylum seekers in 2022. That accounts for 0.15% of the population. Given the demographic of asylum seekers, even if there were zero asylum seekers, that would 'improve' the NHS by less than 0.1%, and probably not even that much.

I appreciate who the government of the day currently is but on who's watch did this all kick off with

THIRTEEN YEARS IN CHARGE!!!

Seriously, when will you stop blaming a government from THIRTEEN YEARS AGO???

And even then, I don't know what you are blaming on others in the first place?

"In the centre of our movement stands the idea of a Charter of Human Rights, guarded by freedom and sustained by law".

Winston Churchill, Chairman of the United Europe Movement, in a speech as President of the first Congress of Europe in The Hague.

Churchill was a key mover in the formation of the '1951 Refugee Convention' and also, what led to the Convention on Human Rights.

.....and no doubt Keith a change in Government will change things.......I only wish that was true.....

Labour's only solution is to tax the profits of companies as if that will solve the problems.....oh and to borrow even more.....sounds to me as though we've been down that road before.

You know that is the absolute opposite of what they are going to do, and that UK debt, no matter which matrix you use (real, index linked or percentage of GDP etc), has massively increased since the Tories came to power? Taxing profits of Shell, for example, who made billions in profit, but didn't pay any UK taxes, would appear to me to be a sensible measure. Cafe Nero, Amazon, Ebay, Apple... etc... etc... Why do they pay less tax than the workers they employ? More to the point, why do you think cutting the NHS and taxing workers is better than companies with huge profits?

Cap on bankers' bonuses to be scrapped has just been announced... ..."sounds to me as though we've been down that road before"... ...indeed, and look how that turned out?

[Dave (Barra)]

Trouble with councils (and public sector generally) is their default position of race to the bottom when it comes to finances. If they're short of money, they just cut! No thought whatsoever to growth/increasing income. I.e. the council should raise money by improving services and facilities. Help grow the local economy and they'll raise more in business rates, car park charges, more businesses surviving. If they'd developed and run the Platform properly, then it could be a money raiser, not a cost.

IIRC the local Tories pushed for Salt Ayre to be cut but the Lab/Green/whoever else coalition kept hold of it, invested in it and it turns a profit. Maybe they looked at the Platform - which is a crap venue as it is, lets face it - and decided it wasn’t worth the investment to compete with The Dukes, The Grand, the forthcoming Eden venue, the Winter Gardens etc

[Argumentative]

Keith
Am I correct that you live or have lived a number of years in tge Isle of Man

[Keith]

Keith
Am I correct that you live or have lived a number of years in tge Isle of Man

Absolutely. And?

[Argumentative]

Absolutely. And?

Keith who will do anything for Morecambe bar live there.

[Argumentative]

Keith
The answer to your other question is yes I would cut social care as too many take the piss out of the system. The only people that I would give it to are those with no family. Too many families do not accept responsibility for their relatives by advocating responsibility for them. Quite frankly someone’s mum is not my or every other tax payers responsibility because family can’t be arsed looking after them.
Give credit to the people from other cultures as they accept responsibility for their own. You see very few Asians for one example ending up in care homes where white Europeans fill these places whilst their sons and daughters are living it up in big houses with big cars and holidays as everyone else picks up the bill.
To preempt the do gooders and the moral police on here yes I know some have to sell assets for care purposes but I disagree with this as well. If you save hard and sacrifice to get a house that asset should be yours not to subsidise those who pissed it up against the wall, smoke it like a chimney and enjoy Benidorm rather than do imo the responsible thing.

[Seasider9601]

Keith who will do anything for Morecambe bar live there.

Shocking comment.

Be prepared for the response you will rightfully receive.

Over to you, Keith.

[Old Man Kensey]

Absolutely. And?

Keith who will do anything for Morecambe bar live there.

Really?

Can we keep this Forum above the Facebook level of just insulting other users.