22 Responses to “ Fakenham – it’s our bag ”

1. Deiter Johanson on August 16th, 2010 6:22 pm

   Morning Steve, Nice bag, but………

   Came across your Blog whilst trying to find some honest unofficial feedback about Fakenham and trying to get a handle on WTF is honestly going on in the Town.

   I first visited FKM 12 years ago when I was posted to Norfolk (RAF) and subsequently made good friends in the area. We live across the border in Suffolk, but spend a LOT of time in North Norfolk and over recent years have agonised over whether to move to FKM or stay wedded to the rat race in an expensive house in Suffolk.

   However, after spending the last 5 years trying to convince ‘the Boss’ that Fakenham has fantastic potential and a great choice for a low/no mortgage quality of life lifestyle change, I’m beginning to have serious doubts as to whether FKM is in some sort of slow death spiral.

   Now, clearly, I recognise we are still not out of the worst reccession for 60 years and that as a relatively poor rural area with high unemployment, FKM will have suffered, but the Town does seem to going down the tubes! – maybe it’s just the Aldiss move, the Crown closing, the Discount Factory Shop and Poundland, but it’s not good – even the cool little toy shop on Norwich St has gone. I know I am laying it on with a trowel and should point out the mad bakery is still there, Benbow’s had a make over and Holland and Barratt amongst others. But the over all impression is pretty gloomy.

   When our little girl was a toddler we used to get fed up that you couldn’t get food before 6.30 in the Town and had to explain what a babychino was and then just get a cup of warm milk for our efforts. Frustrating, but we told ourselves Fakenham would get there soon enough – but now I’m not so sure. The chaps recently attempted a pub crawl in town, but gave up after we got to the Bull. It was comedy bad – Thursday night in early July: Pub A, Wensum Lodge; sticky carpets and chairs, smelt musty, crap beer. Onto Pub B, The Garden House; empty apart from 3 druggies, smelt of sick, ale tasted like vinegar. Pub C, The GB; walked in, laughed at the shockingly naff decor, walked out. Pub D, The Oak decent pub, decent pint, dead. Pub E, the Bull A, actually found a decent pub with a decent pint that was busy, so decided to stay (and had a great end to the night, thanks Bull dudes!).

   I just dont know how Fakenham can possibly begin to compete for foot-fall with the local opposition, unless those in charge get real and stop pretending that Fakenham is the ’8th Best Market town’ in the UK – cos (despite the fantastic Markets, the river, some great buildings and a handful of decent shops/bars) it ‘aint.

   Bottom line is, trendy Eco Bags fail to address the fundamentals of a failing town and suggest that those in charge have their heads stuck in the sand …or worse are too self interested to care. ….which is a tragic shame ‘cos Fakenham could be the hip boho capitol of North Norfolk, stealing the footfall of people who are fed up with Fat Face, White Stuff and Chelsea on Sea.

   I apologise, that was a rant.

   Thanks for the Blog.

2. Admin on August 16th, 2010 9:43 pm

   Hi Deiter, thanks for posting.

   Thing is, there are people are trying to help Fakenham succeed rather than just run it down. Being negative is so, so easy. You sit there in your armchair and pull it all to bits without having to contemplate how to get things to improve.

   People are working to do just that – via the Council, Town Council, Chamber of Trade, Area partnership, church, local media, Kick Start Fakenham group, and many other organisations as well as individuals. Problem comes when those people come up against entrenched negativity – it feels like you’re banging your head against a wall. People who would rather moan than get involved in improving the situation are a total pain.

   The negative areas you highlight – there’s another side to the coin too and I like to focus on that on this site. I like to talk things up – it helps to be positive rather than perpetuating the negative view. It redresses the balance.

   The reason I like Fakenham is because it is its own place rather than a clone of everywhere else. I’m actually not bothered you can’t get a Babychino here. In fact I don’t give a rat’s. It isn’t the measurement I use to judge whether it’s good to live here. I like it here because it’s unpretentious and the people, on the whole, are very pleasant and have time for each other. It’s inexpensive to live here. It’s in very nice surroundings. The crime level is very low. The market is good, as is the Farmers market. The roads aren’t at a standstill.

   I published the positive story about Fakenham being voted a top place to live rather than rehashing the old chestnut about being described as a boring place.

   That doesn’t mean I think that Fakenham shouldn’t strive to improve. However, the solution isn’t simple. It will take time. It isn’t just a case of opening a Babychino shop and a couple of tapas bars. Improving the town is a complex issue which starts with the question of what we want our town to be. How far do we want to go down the route of becoming just another clone town?

   Kick Start Fakenham was started over a year ago as a way to encourage people to become involved in the town and to redevelop a sense of civic pride – especially the youth of the town. Although I don’t necessarily agree 100% with how that’s all panned out, I loudly applaud the fact they’re getting off their arses and doing something positive rather than carp from without. It’s a great starting point, which has begun to develop a consensus between the various groups involved in the town.

   We may not be singing from the same page of the hymnsheet, we may not all even want to sing the same hymn, but everyone’s now starting to understand how a choir is supposed to work (with apologies for the religious metaphors)!

   What would you like to see in Fakenham? Don’t be vague – be specific and let us know how you’d go about solving the problems you see. It’s easy to gripe, but more difficult to actually do something.

   Apologies for my rant, but I get annoyed by negativity.

3. Admin on August 17th, 2010 8:54 am

   Deiter, having recovered from my rantback, I’d like to say thanks again for your post. I do recognise some issues you pointed out and will try to turn them into another positive. I’ll pass them on to the relevant peeps in Fakenham (who probably don’t read this blog) and it’ll hopefully do some good.

   Onwards & upwards.

   Cheers Deiter,

   Steve.

4. Deiter Johanson on August 17th, 2010 11:39 am

   Steve, If you can’t rant once in a while what’s the point?

   Thanks for your detailed reply – I take your point re babychino’s, but the points I was kinda’ trying to make was a, is there anybody there? and b, do they actually get it, or even care?

   I do understand how ‘effin frustrating it must be to read what, on the face of it, might appear to be a post doing the Town down. However, as an ‘auslander’, albeit a regular visitor to the town, I do feel that I (we) have a certain perspective on the town that might be of interest. Please be in no doubt that we do feel that the Town IS special, but we are very frustrated that it APPEARS to be stuck in a rut (a bit like finding a beautiful old TR4A languishing in a barn – neglected and past it’s best, but potentially – with a bit of TLC – very much a goer!). I definitely agree that one of THE plus points to the town is that it is not a clone (hence by comment re Fat Face etc) and should not strive to lose its quirkiness/individuality. I fully understand the importance of unique and independent in the context of a market town – as this is where the Town we now live is slowly loosing the plot.

   BUT, the facts are that in order for FKM to thrive, it must attract footfall from outside, from auslanders like ourselves, who want to spend their hard earned cash on more than just veggies and bric a brac (that sounds so crass, sorry): The family were present at the June Thursday market and the place was heaving – with OAPs – we tried to play spot the local and spot the yummy mummy….but found about three. I know OAPs are also vital to the ‘mix’, it just didn’t seem to be that much of a mix. In addition, by 15.00 all the oldies were getting back on the buses and, in all probability, staying away until next Thursday – whilst great for the Markets it’s not so conducive to a Market Square that is busy all season. This is where babychinos are important; their availability are (excuse the military metaphor – I did like your religious one, v good) a ‘combat indicator’ as to whether the Town wants young families with cash to spend to linger. You may not care about babychinos, but relatively sophisticated mums do – cos if they can’t get a decent skinny latte for themselves or a babychino for little Verity, they will bugger off to Holt and not come back – it is the truth honest!

   But enough with the negative vibes. What to do?

   The problem is that I, as an auslander, cannot hope to know the real issues that you locals have with the town – the politics, vested interests and stick in the muds. You correctly identified the importance of the forming of a consensus (using KSF as a platform?) amongst the key stakeholders; then once that is done, develop an formal plan from that consensus.

   For what it’s worth, I think you should strive to become an independant/boho alterative to Holt and the Burnhams, by embracing a fiercely independent ‘offer’ of small privately owned ‘trendy/edgy’ shops that celebrate being unique to FKM, whilst at the same time ensuring the Town stays a community town (the Markets, the Chippy opposite Tesco’s, Benbows, the Church, KSF stuff etc) not some sad Chelseaesque pastiche..

   Google Kings Rd, St Leonards on Sea, or The Lanes, in Brighton – also if you travel to any small town in a remotely touristy area in Aussie, you will see whole high streets full of Indie’s; cool little caffs, fantastic grocery, cake and veggie shops, retro shops, funky boutiques and not a chain in sight. These places may be slightly scruffy/dog-eared (FKM can do scruffy/dog-eared well) but they offer fantastic produce, really friendly service, are clean and have all mod cons (babychanging/free wi-fi/free tap water et al). You also need a cohesive/agreed street achitecture (minimal neon, no cheap plastic shopfronts) and something for everyone – just why do those youth go round and round on their ‘effin hairdryers? …and you’re also right about the Fuzz moving people on.

   The aim should be; Locals love the Fakenham vibe and only leave the town to, work, go to the coast and do ‘big shopping’ in Norwich. Auslanders love visiting the Town, not just for the Markets, but for the groovy shops/vibe, then love to stay on – visiting the the smart, bars/caffs/restaurants.

   The tipping point is probably affordability, community support and guidance and ease of doing business. I can tell you that we would love to sell up, move up permanently, to live in the Town and set up a business – but we worked bloody hard to get where we are and can’t afford to lose it on a poorly calculated risk – but we’re up for convincing.

   However, things cant get any worse and the only way is up…isn’t it?

   Objectivity, not negativity.

   Thanks again.

   Deiter

5. Keith Osborn on August 17th, 2010 12:01 pm

   Dieter, I’m not sure (as an incomer of 5 years from London) that I want Fakenham to ‘get there’. It’s just a joy to be able to order coffee and not be asked which of 300 variations you want, or to be charged the earth for it. I want Fakenham to be what it is – an extremely pleasant place to live with by and large honest people and still a reasonable degree of trust left. We have enough hip (faux-) boho places in North Norfolk – Burnham, Holt, Holkham to name just the first three. Fakenham is an honest hard working town not blessed with a great degree of wealth but in some ways all the better for it. Do I want Fakenham to become another Holt? Definitely, no.

   Steve, congrats on getting some blog feedback – it’s great you put it out there. Unpretentious Fakenham is, and long may it remain so.

6. Admin on August 17th, 2010 12:24 pm

   That’s brilliant Dieter, thankyou.

   I had already passed your original post on to people at the Council, Town Council, Area Partnership, Church, Chamber of Commerce and the Kick Start Fakenham group and also posted a link to it on Facebook. I hope they all take the time to read it and your subsequent post, which is thoughtful and constructive.

   For myself, I’d absolutely love to see Fakenham town centre as a mix of good shopping and Bohemian quirkyness. However, this Boho thing doesn’t turn everybody on and isn’t ever going to happen without the initial footfall created by mainstream retailers because you need to sell an awful lot of frappuccinos or ‘I love Fakenham’ T-shirts made out of Mongolian peasants’ recycled fag butts to make a business turn a profit. Catch 22 to some extent. Footfall has improved in some respects, since the opening of Tesco (extra free parking helped) but the momentum hasn’t increased since.

   One commercial landlord, in particular, hasn’t helped the situation here. Shop rents are high (especially in Millers Walk, the arcade) which has prevented new outlets opening. One owner I spoke to last week said his rent will be 15K next year. The square’s #1 main focus, The Crown Hotel, has been closed for a while and its owner seems content to keep it that way. I’d like to see an initiative to encourage the usage of all commercial spaces in the town, but the onus will be on owners of the buildings to ‘play the game’.

   You mentioned the market and it was only yesterday that I was discussing with another local business owner the fact that it dies after 2pm. Maybe something could be done to address that. I’ll try to find out what the issues are with that.

   Sorry you didn’t see many ‘yummy mummys’ during your last market outing, whatever they are. You’ll need to draw me a diagram and I’ll make a mental note for when I get my new glasses

   That poorly-calculated risk you alluded to… locals have the same problem too although they don’t have to ‘up sticks’ to find out whether starting a new venture was worthwhile or not. I’d certainly think twice about opening a shop selling anything non-mainstream right here right now.

   Cheers,

   Steve

7. Admin on August 17th, 2010 1:00 pm

   Cheers Keith.
   As you know, I came here from London 20 years ago and still appreciate the differences myself.

   You mentioned honesty – I’d agree. Although I’ve come up against the odd ‘old rogue’ in business here, apart from one notable exception local business owners have been a pretty good bunch to deal with. That exception took a little while to get his come-uppance, but he did so with the help of established traders who disliked what he was doing.

   However, Fakenham does need to improve itself in order to attract new businesses – especially as the town is going to expand greatly over the next few years. It isn’t dying, depite what some people may like to say, but it has remained static for a while and has to progress. We just need to work out the direction that progression should take and have it managed for the good of the town as a whole.

8. Claire on August 17th, 2010 1:48 pm

   Well said Steve. Fakenham is a safe place for our babies to grow, our teenagers to wander, our “Busy” mums to shop and our OAP’s to get about safely amoung helpfull and trustworthy people.
   Compare this to a town with “Yummy” mums, and expensive coffee bars and I would choose the Fakenham we have now, each and every time.

9. Admin on August 17th, 2010 2:21 pm

   Claire, I love that about Fakenham – there’s very little trouble and what there is appears to be low-key and isolated. It gave our youngsters more freedom when they were growing up than they’d have had in London.

   But there’s the downside that goes with it – because it’s a quieter place generally, there’s less going on. You need to travel, usually to Norwich, to do anything other than the ordinary. That was something our kids probably disliked. Swings & roundabouts.

   Would we lose the good side if our town changed? Like it or not, it’ll be changing (ie getting larger) with the influx of new housing in any case, so I think we just need to manage the inevitable change the best way we can. That involves thinking things through and finding out what people want the town to become.

10. Deiter Johanson on August 17th, 2010 2:46 pm

    Keith,

    Respect for putting your money where your mouth is and actually moving to live in Fakenham – something that we have so far failed to do despite talking about it for the last 8 years!

    Please do not think I am proposing Holt Mk2, I am definately NOT (one can only take so much faux Byford chumminess). The best way I can explain, is using my Aussie indie analogy – but if you ain’t been there you won’ t get it. …but believe me, out there, a really good coffee at a really good price, served by a really friendly and helpful waiter/ress in a small indie caff IS your RIGHT. They just would not stand for some of the C@@p we’ve been served with in the Town over the last couple of years.

    But lets move away from our collective coffee fixation…

    Over-priced Costa’s are the last thing the Town needs and yes the ‘faux’ boho of the Burnhams IS aaarse. UNpretentious is exectly what FKM should be, but surely also, interesting, properly ambitious and open for business?

    When I say that the Town ‘offer’ should be an alternative to Holt and the Burnhams, I mean a DISTINCT alternative, one that won’t cram your streets with over-paid Londoners in Chelsea Tractors (only farmers, the emercency services, the Military, and families who truly live out in the sticks should be allowed to drive 4×4′s) and start colonising your town with houses that stay empty for 9 months of the year. Normal middle england is out there, and they are fed up with cliche’s!

    However, the days of ‘open all hours’ type shops are over. I’m suprised that Benbow’s is still trading (and good on e’m for it, we always buy our veggies from there when we are ‘up’), as well as the butchers, now that you have Tesco. Even for a simple Town – you need to get the basics right and I’m afraid FKM has some way to go to get even score a 5/10 (the odd exeption excluded).

    Hi Steve,

    I note, with interest, your comment re ‘one commercial landlord’ and high rents. This links with a conversation we had with some locals in the Bull during our failed pub crawl. My mate, who lives very local, but not in the Town, was railing against having to pay to park in the Town (madness), and we alighted upon the issue of the vested interest of individuals going against the collective best interests of the town. This was at the 5 pint mark and was, clearly, heresay, but it all made sense at the time.

    I think you are bang on the money wrt your comments on the square’s #1 main focus, (The Crown) and your initiative to encourage the usage of all commercial spaces in the town, with the onus to be on owners of the buildings to ‘play the game’. Are they prepared to see cheap rents for the RIGHT kind of business to help kick start the process and break the ‘footfall’ conundrum? Once you have a nucleas of the right kind of shops then you can really start some viral marketing.

    As for the dead by 14.00 on Market Day – it won’t change until you encourage more of a varied demograph to visit and then keep them in town for longer by various the local hostelies being more ‘customer’ focused ….read some of the Tripadvisor reviews on the Wensum if you want to see what I mean and fancy a giggle (it’s not funny tho’). Perhaps you need the Hotel Insector to come and give the Town the once over.

    Regards

    Dieter

11. Admin on August 17th, 2010 3:03 pm

    The Market Town Inspector. As long as it wasn’t a TV programme it’d be a great idea.

12. Dawn Wakefield on August 18th, 2010 2:25 am

    I’m reading this too late at night to write a lot of sensible comment – will come back another time. But would just like to add, that I think most market traders who set up around 6am are quite happy to be packing up around 2pm, and am not convinced they would get much more trade by being there longer hours. The market has a ‘feel good’ factor because it is busy and spreading the customers out more thinly over a longer time span would not necessarily be an improvement.
    I think the dialogue going on here is great – it’s always good to look at others’ points of view, but I am inclined to go with the view that although there is undoubtedly plenty of scope for improvement Fakenham’s unpretentiousness, friendliness and ‘ordinariness’ is what makes it special; whilst it would be good to see it more thriving, crawling with tourists would not be an attractive thought.

13. Deiter Johanson on August 18th, 2010 10:29 am

    OK,

    Dawn,

    Your point about market trading hours is very well made – The market town where I live (admittedly significantly bigger than FKM) has a heaving market a couple of times a week and still the traders start to strike pitch at about 15.00 (they have lives too) – the point of departure with FKM is, whereas my local has any number of caffs/cafes, pubs/bars, indie shops (and chains) as well as parks/cinema etc that keep people in the town longer than the market, FKM is, quite frankly, a desert.

    Our town, like FKM, is NOT primarily a tourist town – primarily it serves the needs of the locals – I’m am beginning to think that the some locals expect much higher standards from their shops and bars than others? On reflection, I made a mistake of mentioning the Burnhams and Holt in my initial post, as well as using the term ‘yummy mummy’ as they have caused surprisingly emotive responses that deflect from the core issue; which is your Town is a wasted opportunity.

    Ultimately, as Steve has, I think tried to point out, the Town is going to change anyway – with or without you. Staying as it is, in the medium to long term, is not an option. Dawn, Claire, Kieth – you have a choice; you can do something positive to shape the way the Town changes in an organic way (because it IS going to change) to suit your needs, and the needs and wants of the local community, or you can be passive aggressive and let others decide how they want your Town to look in 5-10 years time – you might not like the look you get – because, I have a very good friend who works for a London based commercial property developer and all they care about is low risk clone chains and THEIR profit margin/share price, the needs and wants of the locals come a poor third. These people are actively looking for their next project/victim. Even once you cut away the histrionics – the bottom line is your opinion counts for VERY little with these people.

    So the clock is ticking. As Dawn stated, dialogue IS great and there is undoubtedly plenty of scope for improvement and YES Fakenham’s unpretentiousness, friendliness and ordinariness is what make it special. However, whilst NO, you don’t want to see it crawling with tourists – the Town can thrive and provide an wider ‘offer’ to meet the needs of the locals, the population of the FKM hinterland as well as drawing in auslanders who will spend in your bars/restaurant and shops, without wanting you to pay for their community services. I have been quite open with the fact that I am an auslander – but am I merely a tourist? And if I am, is it such a bad thing that I and my young family want to visit your town, because we also think it is special, and spend our hard earned cash (and are frustrated that we don’t have the opportunity to spend even more of it there), in a way that supports your local economy? My friends who live in the immediate hinterland around Fakenham and who are all North Norfolk born and bred, are quite open that Fakenham is a dump and only go there in extremis –preferring Holt to do the basics (these are your locals). Personally there are far too many estate agents and twee shops in Holt for my liking, and it is not as pretty. But these locals are not spending their money in their town – surely that is madness. I would never even think of travelling to Newmarket to shop, when my Town has such a great ‘offer’.

    You need to have as wide a dialogue as possible, consult where necessary and find your consensus within 12 months. Then you need to draw up a number of outline options (perhaps three) as to where you want the town to go. Then consult again to make your final decision. Then draw up your formal plan and stick with it. If you do not seize the agenda with purpose, enthusiasm, vigour and in an open and informed manner, you may well find that, unfortunately, ultimately you will become an irrelevance.

    PS, I hope you don’t think I am being rude or replying with a rant. My first post was a frustrated rant. However, in all my subsequent posts, my aim is to be a honest and objective as possible.

    Steve,

    I think some form of Market Town inspector would go a long way to ‘bottom out’ where the problems lie. You just need to find one that won’t cost the Council a fortune in fees.

    Please feel free PM me if you fancy to discussing further.

    Yours,

    Dieter

14. Deiter Johanson on August 18th, 2010 10:57 am

    Steve, apologies for the syntax err’ on that last line..makes me sound like Manuel Mr Fawlty!

15. Admin on August 18th, 2010 11:07 am

    Ees no prodlen

16. Admin on August 20th, 2010 5:41 pm

    It’s three days since I passed these comments on to people. So far I’ve had a posting from one District Councillor and some verbal feedback from another (thanks Dawn and Sean). I know at least one person is out of town though, so we’ll see what happens in the next few days.

17. Janet Holdom on August 22nd, 2010 5:04 pm

    Much of what you say Dieter, is easy to agree with until we try to address the issues specifically. It’s widely agreed Fakenham is a working town and proud to be so.
    Your implied charge that Fakenham is unwilling to face up to the inevitable and that local government, councillors and the community at large are just sleep walking into smelly pub oblivion, whilst perhaps meant as a wake up call nevertheless seems to be based on a fairly superficial review of the case. Looking at it from a wider perspective you would see Fakenham is targeted as a growth town with plans for significant residential development along the northern by-pass. These plans may well suffer in the short term as a result of the recession and public spending cuts but the longer term view is expansion with housing, infrastructure and amenities. Details of the Local Development Framework and the Core Strategy Plan following a public consultation in 2009, now at the site specific proposals stage, are available at http://www.northnorfolk.org.
    I’m guessing from your comments you’re also unaware of the work being done by many organisations and volunteers within the town and as Co-ordinator at the Fakenham Area Partnership and a local councillor I feel an obligation to bring this to your attention. There are many voluntary or not for profit organisations who work on a day to day basis to access funding and build support for community projects. For example FAP is currently managing or supporting 20 or more projects of varying significance across a wide spectrum of community need and aspiration. We can’t build houses or start up private enterprise but on the community front a great deal is going on. We ran a successful campaign for support, are lobbying NNDC and participating in the planning consultation process for a swimming pool within the new development plans. FAP, KickStart and the Town Council are working together to source funds and improve the Millennium Park with skate-park and BMX amenities. Work is progressing to access funding for a feasibility study on the Community Centre with the aim of improving the building, its facilities, its social enterprise potential and an expanded remit to serve a wider community base. FAP also runs a Community Bank under the auspices of the Norfolk Credit Union, recruits for the Speedwatch project and liaises with the SNT teams to help with ASB issues and so on and so forth………… on the fun side……… the Christmas Lights event gets bigger and better each year, we organise and maintain over 100 hanging baskets around town in the Fakenham in Bloom project each summer. At this very moment KickStart and others are organising the Fakenham Fair on August Bank holiday Saturday at the Millennium Park. Hopefully year 1 of a plan to rebuild the annual Fakenham Carnival. I could go on and on because there’s plenty more but I think I’ve made the essential point – a market town like Fakenham is made up of so much more than a retail experience. Not that good shopping choices aren’t important but the reality is that most shoppers like a bargain and will switch their allegiance without a single sentimental moment’s regret once the Argos type stores hit town.
    As a town councillor, I recognise immediately the frustration you speak about and know very well that changing things takes an awful lot of time, persuasion and energy. However one of the objectives during my year as chair of the council is to bring more young people on board with the town council and project working parties to balance and energise the process of change. The younger person’s input will be most welcome, mutually beneficial and so far there has been a positive interest from the High School and College.
    Though these examples are only a sample of the incredible amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to inject enthusiasm, fun, quality of life and at least some degree of progress in the community life of Fakenham they may well not have addressed your specific concerns as I struggle to encapsulate them myself. However, if you can be more precise with any suggestions on how you would address the issues as you see them, Dieter, I’ll be more than happy to raise your comments within town council or draw them to the attention of other tiers of local government or the appropriate community group.
    After all that however, going back to where this began, I’m glad at least you liked our eco bag. Another project with community wide participation from the students on the logo competition to promotion by and for the local independent shops, raising awareness of limited resources and reducing the level of plastic bags littering our streets and countryside!
    Quite a big ask for one small shopping accessory……..but nevertheless a START and a bit of fun.
    Cheers
    Janet

18. Admin on August 22nd, 2010 8:56 pm

    Thanks for your comments, Janet.

    It strikes me that the visitor from outside the town usually gets to see Fakenham’s retail and hospitality experience rather than the many community projects which are afoot. It’s the town’s ‘face’ and the reason most of our visitors come here. We need those visitors – and by that, I mean that the town as a whole needs them – if our shops/pubs/restaurants aren’t doing well, it will ultimately mean less choice for us if they close due to lack of footfall.

    So, I think it should be a focus of our business community to see that we are well-presented both as a retail experience and as an entertainment destination. How that can be done, I’m not too sure. It’s private enterprise we’re talking about here and it’s not simply a case of dictating to business owners how to do their jobs better! Perhaps the Chamber of Trade could have some kind of role in this – a bit of a project for the future maybe?

    Also, my ‘bee-in’the-bonnet’ of lack of communication gets another airing here. Janet spent a fair amount of time typing out her post, describing all the good work being done in the town by various parties, but if there was a central point of info where this could be accessed immediately she wouldn’t have needed to. Been discussed before, I know (mainly by me!).

19. Janet Holdom on August 23rd, 2010 10:49 am

    Thanks Steve and in response to your comment about communication – FAP holds regular monthly meetings open to anyone, latest details always available on our website, the minutes and update reports on projects are sent to all members and any interested parties, we usually have a couple of stories in the local papers most months and hold events throughout the year. I can send you reports from our meetings if you’d like to post them Steve, but they’re a bit short on ‘sound bites’. I can’t say I’m convinced there is such a thing as ONE specific central point of access though, how we all assimilate news is different from person to person depending on many things. I also think people hear, see and remember only what they want to, no matter how many rooftops you shout from.
    You just keep doing it…………. ‘wotever’.

    Cheers
    Janet

20. Deiter Johanson on August 23rd, 2010 1:36 pm

    Janet/Steve,

    Suddenly the conversation has taken a rather more objective turn…and a good thing too.

    Janet, I welcome your invitation to be more specific; please bear with me, as a I have a horrendous week ahead of me – so please accept that my formal reply to your invitation will be (well on) the drag. However, I can tell you that I started my detailed analysis with an really excellent lunch at D’Inacios – VERY good service, quality but low key surroundings and excellent food at a very reasonable price – now that is a venue that deserves repeat custom and something of a marker I think!

    In addition, despite the fact there is clearly a lot going on in the ‘background’ wrt the development of the Town, I would like to endorse both Steve’s points (last post) about a, auslanders and their retail and hospitality experience, the town’s ‘face’ and the reason most of these visitors travel to the Town and b, Sub optimal external communication.
    As you yourself Janet, I think recognised, there is no really effective ‘one stop media portal’ allowing easy access to describe all the good work being done on behalf of the town by the various parties. Excuse yet another military metaphor, but the Information Battle is key – most people are sophisticated enough to see through ‘sound bites’/vacuous platitudes, but they would still appreciate facts/plans/schemes/records of decision etc distilled into a readily absorbed format and available through ONE portal.

    Regards

    Deiter

21. Janet Holdom on August 23rd, 2010 3:15 pm

    Dieter,
    To avoid going round in circles on the matter of a single point of information access, I’ll hold my response and look forward to your detailed comments, sometime at the other end of your frenetic week. In the meantime I’ll make a point of talking to other people in the town and at meetings, which may provoke some wider participation.

    Regards

    Janet

22. Deiter Johanson on August 23rd, 2010 7:59 pm

    Lucy Edwards

    Thanks Janet.

    BTW, By Googling ‘Janet Holdom’ I found more information, more readily accessible, on how Fakenham was trying to adress its issues (this return was particularly useful; http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=50109234042&topic=7766)…...

    ..than I did Googling ‘Fakenham’ (!)

    D.