I was SO pleased when I heard the news that our Margate Town
Team had won their bid for the Portas Pilot money to spend on their campaign
for turning the high street’s fortunes around. Growing up here in the 80’s and
90’s meant I spent every Saturday in Margate high street, and cannot believe
the decline it has seen even in my short lifetime. I want to see it busy again
and be able to actually use it like I know lots of people in Margate do as well.
Like a lot of people probably, I’ve been just as worried
this week when news has been coming out about a Channel 4 TV program planned
around four of the Portas Pilot towns – one of which is Margate. Since one of
the contracts for town member involvement has been made public, there has been
a justified amount of concern about what it means to be on this TV show. Will
the silenced/contracted town team not be able to promote or inform about their
campaign on social media? (that'd be crazy surely?) Will the aims of a quick turnaround TV show be at
odds with a community campaign to sustainably and permanently turn the high
street around? Will the town and the people who are going to be passionately
volunteering be portrayed in the right way for their efforts?
This is all a big concern and definitely something, I think,
to be born in mind and monitored. My even BIGGER worry is that Margate won’t
grab this opportunity with both hands and make something of it. That silencing
clause needs to be checked, true, and I am dubious about the involvement of a
probably less than altruistic TV show. However, it goes without saying what a
huge opportunity it is to get even more drive behind, and attention for, the
work that the town can do for itself. Not to mention a chance to show the government and councils
what can be done when the funding is put in the hands of local people.
As a community full of scores of residents and businesses,
Margate now has a stellar opportunity to take this (in the end quite token)
amount of money and use it to make as much good as possible. If a TV show wants
to film? Let them! Grab it, use it, take every bit of promotion they want to
give it, and regardless of their involvement – lets actually turn our high
street around, in the way we want to. I have faith that this can remain a
community project, because no matter if we are seen on the telly or not, I feel
everything the team does (and will inspires others to do) is going to serve the
community in the end. Let whoever wants to be involved film the progress, keep
an eye on them – yes, and more than anything don’t let that put the rest of the
community off. I wanted to try and remind everyone that this can remain Margate’s
campaign, and this is a great time for all of us to get behind a project that
has well intentioned people at it’s very core and make it bear fruit.
I always think a party is only as good as the people that go
to it. I’m joining this one and I’m going to bring all my friends. Film away,
all I care about is being able to go to the shops again and having a town I’m
(even more) proud of.
If you would like to know more about Margate's Town Team you can find them here: www.margatetownteam.wordpress.com
3 comments:
Well put, Zoe. On balance, I agree, but it's a worry. We in Margate are great at using social media, and it's inevitable that the story that's told won't be the real one. It's all about control.
Everything depends on local support, as the programmes about the Secret History of a Street show. It'll mean loads of campaigning work in the community to get people to understand what's at stake and motivate everyone to make their voices heard. Your article is a great start. In the end, who will own this project and the outcomes? It'd be great if new generations of young people can feel the same about Margate High Street as you did.
However, from your article, I'm not sure what the 'silencing' is about? Who is trying to gag whom?
I like to imagine that the fine folks of Margate will enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m2jPzv7cnc&feature=plcp.
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