Council leader adamant bandstand will not be replaced
THE CALVERLEY Grounds bandstand is "not worth refurbishing" according to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council leader Cllr Roy Bullock.
More than 900 people have so far signed the Kent and Sussex Courier's petition to Save the Bandstand at the time of going to press – just six days after it was launched.
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ADAMANT: Cllr Roy Bullock
But this week Cllr Bullock described the bandstand as a "monolithic monstrosity" in a comment on the Save our Bandstand story on our website www.thisiskent.co.uk
He was adamant a new bandstand would not take its place.
He told the Kent and Sussex Courier when asked if he would listen to public opinion: "We will listen to public views; I have a contrary view.
"We are going to demolish it. The plan is not to put another structure in its place.
"We will leave it as a virgin space.
"We will have to make a considered decision about the public opinion when we put the application in to demolish it."
The council said due to the strength of feeling expressed by the public it would carry out a structural inspection to provide an up-to-date assessment of the bandstand's condition, which would form part of any planning application.
Cllr Bullock questioned the worth of the current bandstand.
He said: "The materials are rotting away, the cast iron is rotting away.
"When you start talking about changes to refurbish, it's in the thousands of pounds.
"What is its worth? In a cost benefit analysis it is not worth it.
"The bandstand was for traditional music events in the 1900s. We've moved on a lot from that era.
"Nowadays people have their own entertainment centres. Fashion has changed. Times have changed and entertainment has changed.
"People don't want to sit in the park and listen to music. They have the world at their fingertips.
"If there are events held in our parks it is so easy to import a temporary structure."
When asked why the council's leisure department had not commissioned entertainment on the bandstand in recent years, Cllr Bullock said to was "not a priority".
"We stage events in all our parks. We are limited to the number we can organise at the moment in this recession.
"They are all loss making, none make a profit.
"We run the Assembly Hall and Trinity Theatre.
"We put considerable money into them and they are also not profitable.
"If you have a constant structure you have a long-term maintenance cost.
"We are at a time when we are trying to reduce revenue costs.
"In this particular time our leisure budget is minimal.
"The bandstand is not one of our priorities.
"The council are not in a position financially to be subsidising this thing now and into the future."
He added people could fundraise for a new bandstand but ruled out seeking funding from other sources.
"It doesn't have to be the council to provide this service. The public can consider funding it.
"It is just a feature in the park. This feature in the park is at the stage of being a dangerous structure."
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by Ray Mewett, Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday, March 11 2009, 12:28PM
“Who the h*** does Herr Ober Fuehrer Bullock think he is? He is a (supposedly) elected councillor who seems to have delusions of grandeur. Clean your ears out Bullock and listen to the people who pay your overinflated salary. WE ALL want the bandstand looked after, at least until such time as it can be properly restored. The present financial climate does somewhat restrict things at the moment, especially as this useless council (who should all be dumped) has already lost us ratepayers a fortune by their squandering of money on themselves, instead of doing some urgent jobs such as repairing our abismal roads. The condition of our roads is truly appalling and not just due to the recent bad weather - I have watched council workers spray-mark the same holes year after year without ever repairing them all around the Broadwater area. As for Ober Leutnant Cottrill, who has decided he needs to abandon the present council offices (front page of March 6th Courier), as "they are a barrier between the top of TW and its other areas", I would like to know how this barrier is formed. Indeed, I think us ratepayers should DEMAND a full and detailed explanation of such a stupid and futile remark. In my opinion, what he really means is that he wishes to waste more of our rates on nice, new, luxurious offices - I certainly want to know what the "barrier" is comprised of. How dare either of these arrogant, puffed up individuals dare to impose their pathetic views on us, the ratepayers, who unfortunately keep them in their cushy little jobs! This council is easily the worse pack of idiots we have ever had to endure, especially when we read that one third of our rates go into paying their highly inflated (and undeserved) pensions. Less spoken c*** please and more democratic action from those people who have unfortunately been elected, although certainly not by me. Over the years we have seen them deliberately destroy the Pantiles and all its associated events and themes, even to the extent of not buying it when the chance arose. The "Day at the Wells" was closed as soon as it started to make a profit and they wish to remove the Tourist Information Office from the very area where it is most needed - in the tourist area! They only wish to advertise our somewhat limited shopping centre - what should have been done years ago was to have provided free shuttle-bus services between the Pantiles and the centre of town. I have heard, on many occasions, people coming out of the Victoria centre, only to say amongst themselves " there doesn't look like there's much down there" as they look down Mount Pleasant, unaware of the Pantiles existence! Why don't we throw out this (universally accepted) useless council and start again? Many other councils around the country are renovating their bandstands, older buildings etc. with help from lottery grants and the like - why can't we? I acknowledge the fact that a bandstand is unlikely ever to be used by a brass band anymore, but it could have many other uses as I'm sure many people would soon point out. Anyway, it is part of the town's heritage - if we keep throwing it all away, what's left? A similar stupid decision has been made about M & S in Longfield Road! What madness - you can't move there now, and as for the ludicrous A21 roundabout - well, that just beggars belief that anybody on this earth could be so stupid! Do we wait until somebody dies in an ambulance stuck in the traffic before something is done? Castle Hill was due for dualling over 35 years ago, after the "Sevenoaks bypass" and "Tonbridge bypass" (as they were then called) were completed. The mind just boggles at such utter incompetence of the local councils and Highway authorities.”
by Alan Bullion, Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday, March 11 2009, 12:05PM
“Virgin space? The mind boogles!”
by Gatwick commuter, Tonbridge station
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 11:41AM
“I note from an item on the Royal Tunbridge Wells town forum website that the council is going to spend £12000 on new town signs with the tacky slogan"Love where we live"!Surely this money would be better spent on projects that will benefit everybody such as the regeneration of the bandstand.”
by Alan Bullion, Tunbridge Wells
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 10:36AM
“Thanks Peter. Note also the party in the park on Saturday April 11 on facebook.”
by Peter Taylor, Tunbridge Wells
Monday, March 09 2009, 2:43PM
“Please publish this comment.
There are nearly 1700 members of the Facebook group 'Save The Bandstand'.
I know you are not 'allowed' to publish a link but at least allow your readers to be aware that this group exists and is looking for positive ways to address this current situation.
Thanks.”