Ventnor Blog

We’ve all probably seen the rise of social networks and their replacement by others, as the fashion changes.

Many devoted their lives to MySpace when it arose, collecting as many MySpace ‘friends’ as possible to show others of their ‘friends’ just how ‘popular’ they were.

(more…)

VentnorBlog fave, Dame Ellen MacArthur, has been up in the Smoke impressing the heck out of everyone she came across.

The write up in The Telegraph couldn’t have been more complementary in its praise.

(more…)

All of you Bestival ticket holders have got this to look forward to … those who have been slow, regret at leisure, as all of the tickets for this year have just sold out.

We had a ball at Bestival last year, as did our camera-man, Spanish-born DJ, conga player and film-maker, Lucho Limpo.

If after reading the 150 articles that we’ve written about Bestival over the years, you’re still not convinced that it is the best festival going, why not sit back, turn up the volume on your computer and take a walk with Lucho through the crowds of Bestival 2007?

He’s managed to capture is that blissful, confused experience you have wending your way through the wide array of fancy dressed revellers in the wonderful surroundings of Robin Hill Country Park with the sun kissing the back of your neck.

(more…)

To watch the video in full screen, click in the video and it’ll open in a new window.

In this the final question in our series, Simon asks “How have you found the approach to the elections that we’ve had on VentnorBlog, opening up the candidates to questions through the election and distributing the information through the website?”

Overall, the candidates seemed pleased with the opportunity to express themselves through Ventnorblog. It was considered very brave by one candidate who was impressed with the coverage and appears from comments to have been useful to raise people’s awareness. One person was amazed at lack of information in the public domain and convinced of the fact that everyone’s vote counts.

Video after the click. (more…)

The penultimate question in our series of interviews with the candidates for the Ventnor West election. Here’s one we cam up with all by ourselves.

“What can Town Council do to ensure shops remain vibrant?”

There’s a real mixed bag of answers, Ventnor is ever changing and it was considered by one candidate that perhaps there’s a lot of uncertainty in what Ventnor currently has to offer. It was felt that the Town Council were not responsible for the vibrancy of the shops, but rather if aiding the vibrancy of the town in general, and the shops will in turn, benefit.

Video after the click. (more…)

Next up, question seven, posed by Drifting Bouy (apologies for spelling your name wrong on the video piece), he asked of the candidates “What is your vision for Ventnor?”.

One candidate felt that a town of this size should have a permanent population of at least 15,000 rather than the 6,00 it currently has. Too many holiday properties was raised several times, and one candidate believed that Ventnor could become a model for new ways of living and new ways of working. Finally, it was noted that Ventnor needs to tackle problems in a realistic and intelligent way.

Catch up on other questions is you missed them earlier
- Question #1
- Question #2
- Question #3
- Question #4
- Question #5
- Question #6

The sixth question for candidates was based on a one posed by FarmersBoy in Candidates Corner on the VentnorBlog forum. “Do you think the Winter Gardens important to Ventnor and what would you suggest in order to secure it’s future?”

All candidates considered the Winter Garden an vital element for the community. It was felt that it should be managed in a far more business orientated manner with keener commercial edge. One candidate believed it had been abused in the past, but poor management had improved immeasurably over the last year. Another that it should be the centre of town life and would not want to see it turned into flats.

Catch up on other questions is you missed them earlier
- Question #1
- Question #2
- Question #3
- Question #4
- Question #5

The fifth question in the series of candidate interviews tackles development in Ventnor as Simon asks “How do you ensure town’s progress, whilst maintaining the unique fragile beauty?”

Responses range from making the most of this precious resource by ensuring that progress should only be tackled in context, to pulling down old (over 100 years old) buildings to create more open space. Overall it is agreed that development should be dealt with sensitively.

Catch up on other questions is you missed them earlier
- Question #1
- Question #2
- Question #3
- Question #4

In this fourth video of candidate interviews, Simon asks “What’s your view on Ventnor going plastic carrier bag free and is there anything that the town council can do to help it succeed?”

Candidates are all in favour of the move, but warn that we should ensure that tourists are not alienated by the change. It is felt that the Town Council should lead by example and we should certainly look further into how the town of Modbury in Devon made their transition to plastic carrier bag free so successfully. There are clearly lessons to be learnt from past experience.

Catch up on other questions is you missed them earlier
- Question #1
- Question #2
- Question #3

In this third question, the candidates address the issue of activities for the youth of Ventnor, as Simon asks “There are some voices in town who say that the youth in Ventnor have nothing to do. Do you agree with that and if so, what would you do to remedy it?”

Responses range from ensuring that the youth are listened to, another points out that expectations change through the generations and we should be encouraging more outdoor activities, whilst another candidate comments that there is plenty to do, if the desire is there.

Catch up on other questions if you missed them earlier
- Question #1
- Question #2

Following on from the first question, What was your driver to apply to become a candidate?, this tackles the thorny subject of the town council not having their thoroughly considered decisions listened to by the IW Council, including planning decisions.

You’ll all be familiar with the fact that this Thursday, 13th December, there’ll be a parish election for the Ventnor West ward.

The five candidates standing make it the most hotly contested election in Island history (have you have got the message yet?).

We ran around Ventnor with Nige (thanks, mate!) at the weekend to shoot a series of interviews with the candidates.
(more…)