- Abertillery Online Discussion Forum -

admin · Site Admin Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 195

Youngsters in the town's comprehensive school have been doing a project to brighten up boarded up shops and premises that are earmarked for demolition. The pupils worked with the Communities First teams from Abertillery and Cwmtillery, BGCBC's town centre Karin Lamb and ZAP Graffiti from Liverpool to produce the art works.

Pics here - http://www.abertillery.net/features/streetart.html

So, what do you think?

Ellis · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 47 Location: Abertillery

I noticed it on the stute wall and the shops at the bottom as well and think it is great it is quite decorative and brightens up the town. It gives the youngsters something to do and be proud of. Well done to them all can't fault it myself
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mrh35 · Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 66 Location: Six Bells

Couldnt help but think how it made Abertillery look even more poverty stricken damn awful.
Karen Lamb should be more concerned about helping to put business's back in the shops.
Also what happened to wilkinsons and wetherspoons???

Ian · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 137 Location: Abertillery

Couldn't agree more mrh35,either knock them down if that's what they destined for or better still offer some incentive to traders wishing to use them.I cannot see how artwork,however well it's done is going give a better impression to anyone of a closed,run down shop.Let's hope the much heralded 'new independent regime' of Councillors can deliver. Rolling Eyes

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Politics,n.Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 195

I actually think they are good as well as getting youngsters involved and much, much better than smashed windows and awful rusting shutters, which really gives a depressing picture. The buildings will be coming down but it will take some time before it happens. It appears to be a question of damned if you do and dammed if you don't.

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1480 Location: Abertillery

I agree I think they are good, I remember the state the top of Church Street was in at one time I was expecting to see the tumbrils blowing down the street in 2001, smashed windows and boarded up windows and doors most did not have shutters then either. The word "regeneration" was on the tip of every traders tongue and we have seen one meeting after another come and go year after year until frankly no one believes it anymore.

The old white elpehant car park proposed for Iceland or Argos came and went then there was a call centre, all in vain, all we got was the Aircraft hanger, the car park undeaneath is still just as useless as a park park being too narrow even for an average size car without risking a bump as you turn around the bends and not in view of the CCTV cameras either. No incentives we given to keep traders there then or attract new ones, I was one when work started on the aircraft hanger and the car park closed it was like the Marie Celeste overnight for Church Street with nowhere for people to park. Trade stopped almost imeadiatly for the traders at the top end.

It's 2008 and it's still very much the same old story although I must admit the town has at last seen some changes, but for some it is too little too late, nobody, especially traders has any faith in the fairy tale regeneration plan anymore. At least the art work will brighten up the town and since the school children have done the work maybe youngsters will respect their efforts leave the buildings alone until they are eventually demolished bearing in mind that it was a long time coming in Church Street.

The much heralded 'new independent regime' of Councillors are very much left holding the baby and could also be damned if they do and damned if they don't I still believe it is too little done too late to attract trade to this town now
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My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

Ian · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 137 Location: Abertillery

Yes,Carolyn but like you probably also remember when all the shops were open and trading.My point was if some incentive such as reduced rents were available at least some of them may open up again.This in my view would be the best impression we could give of our town centre.As you say though and I think we are in agreement on this I won't be holding my breath waiting for the impact of our new councillors.Not because of who they are but due to the fact they have to pick up where labour left off,it would probably be impossible to scrap and start again a lot that has been set in motion,eg the regeneration plan. Rolling Eyes

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Politics,n.Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1480 Location: Abertillery

Yes I can remember when all of the shops were open and trading, I worked in one of them when I first left school. I did not see any change in that shop in 2001 either other than the woodwork had rotted and the walls crumbled. No heating wash facilities or toilets. Incentives should have been given to the shop owners, many long gone from the town to renovate their properties and not allow them to decay way before now. Incentives of cheaper rents were given in Blaina it was something we considered at the time. Small businesses could not afford to renovate the shops in order to trade, rents and rates increased trade went down so small businesses looked elsewhere to get some return for their labour.

With the general run down of the town you could not expect bigger business to invest in the town with such a poor outlook. It is BGCBC putting the cart before the horse once again.

My point is that reducing rents is not within the power of Communies First they can do very little about the closed and rundown shops, however, brightening up the town in the meantime and actively engaging the youngsters into doing something positive with their free time should not be criticised. It is far better than smashed windows or broken shutters and the disorganised graffiti that would result.

The 'new independent regime' have been left with a pigs ear of a legacy, and I wont argue that some of them were in the position to have done something before, alas two wrongs won't make a right. Apathy has reigned for many years in Abertillery let's hope that at last people have begun to realise that it is they who have the power not the party.
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My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

SonOfACynic · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 17

The graffiti I suppose was a good idea in principal but I'm reluctant to say in my view doesn't do Abertillery any favours at all.

Yes 'organised' graffiti is better than smashed windows and broken shutters but whether organised or not graffiti is graffiti.

I'm not for a second knocking the creative talents of the children though i feel there would, with a little thought, be better ways to channel said creativity.

The 'independent regime' have an uphill struggle for sure but i do hope they are as swift as possible in turning around the fortunes of Abertillery as i'm of the view our town centre now looks like the side of a London tube train Sad

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I'd Like to think all is good but.............. I've miss-placed my rose tinted glasses

Morris Minor · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 199 Location: Posh part of town

I do not intend to attack anyone's opinions"organized or not graffiti is graffiti". I am not sure what this art work is meant to represent and I am sure a good few others are of the same thought.

Urban inner city styled street art is not for me if indeed that is what it portrays. I would have preferred to have seen your average anti disestablishment slogans especially in the run up to the elections, far more interesting Wink

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Tchambuli9 · Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 34 Location: BLAENAU GWENT

Ghastly.
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LET THOSE WHO WOULD BE CLEVER DO GOOD DEEDS NOT CRITICISE OTHERS FOR TRYING !

somersetsam · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 21

i agree with mrh35
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The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum.

ab22 · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 7

They are much better than the awful derelict buildings e.g at the bottom of Tillery St. Well done to the kids. Hopefully they won't have to be there too long as the long-promised regenaration takes place to our town and new budilings are developed.

The Green Man · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 13 Location: abertillery

Not everyone's cup of tea. but to be fair the ones by the Bridge are quite good I think and better than in Somerset Street. I have heard some favorable commnets. Perhaps the previous council needed to tell us what the grand plan really is for the town and then we'd know what's happening and wouldn't need graffiti. I don't much about the new lot - have they decided whos who yet? - but communications with their electorate will hopefully get better.

Morris Minor · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 199 Location: Posh part of town

I retract my earlier statement it was intended ato be a bit tongue in cheek to some extent my reference to my preference to average anti disestablishment slogans I do miss old kilroy and knowing who is mostly likely to.... and who actually is Laughing

I must admit that the ones up by the stute are quite splended it is a big improvement on that corner
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Elections are won by men and women, chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody