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Oh
dear, poor old Yarmouth. I was born there in 1951 and a number of
my family still live in the vicinity. Before foreign package holidays
were invented, this was a cheap beach vacation and the town had
been fairly prosperous for some time. It was referred to as "the
poor man's Blackpool."
Well it might not have been such a bad idea if Yarmouth had followed
precisely in Blackpool's footsteps as the previously tacky northern
resort is more popular than ever and consequently very affluent.
Yarmouth's road and rail links are disastrous (for example just
look at those three main roads converging at that tiny roundabout
!!) and these things clearly need massive investment to help an
area that is somewhat cut off.
It
could be restored to a holiday place again with some smart business
brains. Rather than pondering further on the benefits of an outer
harbour, which has been under discussion since my father worked
in the planning office in the 50s, the movers and shakers (if there
are any) could spend time scrutinising high turnover businesses
such as Potter's Leisure Centre and Pleasurewood Hills and follow
their example.
ROGER
WARD, THRIPLOW, CAMBS
I
have to agree, Great Yarmouth is seriously going downhill. Being
married to a lovely Norfolk man I first came to the area in the
late 80s and it wasn't exactly brilliant then but during the last
three to four years it has got worse.
Some
of the buildings on the seafront are almost in ruins and apart from
the lovely beach there is nothing that sets Great Yarmouth apart
from other resorts. Lowestoft was quite bad but they seem to have
pulled their finger out. Take note you councillors of Great Yarmouth.
CAROLINE,
GERMANY
Yarmouth is a dump! I've lived nearby all my life and can't wait
to get out of here. For youngsters there is nothing in Great Yarmouth.
The clubs are really terrible, the pubs not much better. If I were
u, I would never come for a holiday here. It needs help. BADLY!!!!!!!!!
PETE,
YARMOUTH AREA
I
was speaking to my husband just now and asking him if we had ever
been to Great Yarmouth, he said "No, but I have I did my three weeks
initial training in Great Yarmouth, and when I was in a barber's
shop a plane came over and strafed the street", It was in 1941 and
they all lay behind the low wall of the barber's shop. The bullets
came over their heads and smashed the mirrors as well as the windows.
I think they hit the nurses' station amongst others. Otherwise sadly
I cannot comment on whether you should have more pubs, probably
depends on how much one drinks I suppose.
MARJ
BUSBY, AUSTRALIA
Oh
dear I've just requested the 2002 holiday brochure then came across
this forum. I'll probably flick through the pages when it arrives
and file it in the bin. The last time I was in Great Yarmouth was
the mid 70s and recollect it being a superb holiday.
ANDY,
OXFORDSHIRE
I
think Jim Davidson is totally correct in his opinion of the hotels
in Great Yarmouth. I would actually stretch the remark to the whole
of Britain's hotels. Central London hotels are about the best, but
as for the rest of UK, the so-called hotels are awful. I really
do feel for overseas tourists who book hotels outside of Greater
London. They can expect dowdy wallpaper colours, old curly carpet,
a musty smell in general in the whole hotel and no parking. Please
hoteliers give yourselves a kick in the behind and use your imagination
and drive to make hotels value for money and more attractive to
people who are now travelling across the Tunnel and expect more
for their money.
S.
LLOYD-MCKEOWN, DUBAI
I
am originally from Great Yarmouth and I love my home town. There
are so many things which are 'great' about the place which are not
valued as much as they should be, from the magnificent architecture
of buildings like St. Nicholas Church to the natural history of
the coastline and Breydon marshes. It's understandable that tourists
are put off by the air of neglect and decay that GY has acquired.
If only there was investment in the treasures Great Yarmouth already
has, the town would offer more to both tourists and its own residents.
KATHRYN,
OXFORDSHIRE
We
Norfolk people love Yarmouth, but I'm afraid it's being let slip
into the North Sea like a lot of our coastline. Come on councillors
of Yarmouth stop looking behind to the past - start looking to the
present and beyond.
PETER,
DEREHAM
I
agree that Yarmouth needs help. I have lived here all my life and
there can be no denying that the atmosphere and appearance of this
town is suffering. I recently invited some friends to stay in the
place where I live - it was almost depressing. Everywhere seemed
to be covered in a layer of tackiness. Bring back a bit of class
to the town!
Great
Yarmouth should be the perfect place to live. With the sea, the
countryside and a great city within its surroundings surely someone
should show respect to the town by making it a better place to be.
MARIA,
GREAT YARMOUTH
I
am Yarmouth born and bred and I currently live in Gorleston. At
a young age I realised Yarmouth had very little to offer someone
like me and at sixteen I left to join the Navy. That was twelve
years ago, in that time I've seen Yarmouth go from bad to worse.
Apart
from the sea front the town is now a dump! You only have to walk
back one street to see litter in the streets and the way everything
is so unkept. I remember when I was at school everyone being excited
at the prospect of an outer harbour which would bring jobs and prosperity
to the town.
Now
with the latest plans not to dual the A12 the town's prospects look
bleaker than ever. Yarmouth has become a haven for drug dealers
and users and crime is now spiralling. Yarmouth needs a complete
change of attitude not just from the local government but from the
residents of Yarmouth as well. We all have a part to play in making
Yarmouth GREAT again but sadly for the foreseeable future I can
only see things getting worse!
WAYNE,
GORLESTON
Some years ago I remember there was a local press campaign to put
the 'Great' back into Yarmouth. Whatever happened? For a town which
is - or was - allegedly the east coast's premier holiday resort,
second only to Blackpool, it apparently ranks behind Lowestoft,
and even Hunstanton (whom Radio1 selected over Gt. Yarmouth for
a Summer 2000 road show) painfully often!
Every
summer Lowestoft has its Carnival Week - not to mention that air
show (one of the best in the country - we're told!). Yarmouth, meanwhile,
argues over whether there should be a Carnival (forget the week!).
Town proprietors, forgetting these events attract people to the
town in the first place, apparently believe holidaymakers aren't
using their amenities while enjoying the entertainment! The council
offers little leadership on the subject. Maybe they think it's an
event for the people by the people - let 'the people' do the organising.
'The people' meanwhile think let somebody else organise it.
The
result is, reportedly, an embarrassment and, probably, (like the
belated Millennium Firework Display) the butt of many a joke! As
for the air show, there was a suggestion Lowestoft should share
it, why? The few special events that do occur - or have occurred
- in the town have an apparently uncanny knack of being scheduled
out of season. The Festival Of The Sea in September, after the bulk
of holidaymakers have gone back to their jobs and schools.
The
reenactment of Nelson's victorious return to the town - November!
OK, in the case of the latter, I appreciate there was a desire to
hold the event of the exact 200th anniversary. Sadly it seems the
town is now only worthy of the title 'Grate' Yarmouth!
PHIL,
CAISTER-ON-SEA
A
lot of people go boating on the Broads, we do, but Yarmouth is one
place we do not stop, first you look at the prices the mariners
are charging, then you look at the town itself, sorry, but most
of the front and a lot of the shopping centre could do with redeveloping!!!
Seriously!
I honestly don't think the town has tried to move, unlike some coastal
towns in the north, the best been Bridlington, used to be a dump,
now, clean bright, a lot of redevelopment, and building restoration,
Scarborough, is going the same way, you need a council that has
some imagination, Yarmouth I'm afraid, has been stuck in the past.
PAUL
HOLDSWORTH
I
am a teacher, currently working in Japan, who was raised and schooled
in the town. It is with a sad heart, that I find that nothing appears
to have changed, since I've been away (almost two years now). The
town has a lack of ambition that breeds insecurity in its citizens.
The National Lottery needs to allocate serious amounts of money
to the area for improvements. I despair whenever the "outer harbour"
plans are talked about. There's more chance of me marrying Jennifer
Lopez, than the Council parting with their money.
MATTHEW
GIBBS, JAPAN
The
condition of many hotels and building in Yarmouth is disgraceful,
with little attempt at upkeep. Tourists do not want to holiday in
a slum! A visit to the Devon towns of Teighnmough, Torquay and Dartmouth
was enlightening - no shabby buildings, streets and pavements in
good repair, everything seeming to have been painted and cleaned
ready for the season. What a contrast, what a delight!
Yarmouth's
worst enemies seem to me to be those who take their living from
the tourist trade, but do so very little to maintain their premises.
It would be nice if, as in other countries, there were designated
tourist areas, where property owners were obliged by law to maintain
their premises. Perhaps this is what Yarmouth needs - coercion?
ALAN,
GREAT YARMOUTH
I
also have to agree with the views of many here. I was also born
and bred in Yarmouth, I had many 'great' memories of the town and
happily shared them with my mates down the pub. I visit family often
in Yarmouth and over past years have realised that the town is turning
into Ghost Yarmouth! Everywhere is boarded up, flaking paint and
extremely dirty.
I
brought some friends and girlfriend down this year after telling
them it was better than Skegness, needless to say I felt extremely
ashamed about saying this and was very embarrassed at the sight
that welcomed them (or didn't as the case was). Although Yarmouth
folk are still as friendly as I remember, the town has become an
enemy of the council and its inhabitants.
CRAIG,
NEWARK
As
a resident of Great Yarmouth, I sometimes have to think why I bother
to vote in council elections. The town needs money to be spent on
projects. For instance, plans were produced for a new complex near
the Pleasure Beach which would include a multi-screen cinema and
a new bowling centre. I believe the council rejected the plans and
have left the land to deteriorate even more. during winter months,
I am sure Great Yarmouth will close down. There is nothing for the
locals to do. Surely if the council were willing to carry out a
few ideas, the Great in Yarmouth might start to come back.
DALE,
GREAT YARMOUTH
Whilst
it has to be said that Great Yarmouth is not the gem it used to
be, we need to look at the reasons for this unfortunate decline.
Social degredation and neglect have caused a drop in morale as well
as a very real lack of local funding caused by cutbacks. It is easy
to critisise the local government but I'm sure that they are as
frustrated as the rest of us. We would all like to bring back the
days of well-kept gardens and manicured public areas BUT these have
to be paid for.
Being
a realist, I believe that most people would rather not contribute
extra money to improve the situation. The low moral seems to breed
vandalism and graffiti and most of us realise that Great Yarmouth
has a drug problem, which brings its own problems with crime etc.
So to sum up, I agree with most of the comments, but cannot think
of an easy solution given today's social & economic climate. Can
you??
ROGER,
MARTHAM
I
come from Yarmouth but have been living in Rotterdam for the last
25 years. I have noticed over the years how Yarmouth has change
for the worst. Such a shame as I have good memories of Yarmouth
as a teenager.
SUSAN
TAYLOR, ROTTERDAM
Yarmouth
does need a lot of money spending on it. It is way behind the times.
The Pleasure Beach is closed too soon in the year, to make it worthwhile
ever opening. Yarmouth needs livening up. I had a long weekend at
Yarmouth early September. And people with young children were walking
along the prom and there wasn't anything open for them to enjoy
a nice evening out. Come along Yarmouth Council have a bit of vision
and get the great back in Great Yarmouth because it is a great place
to visit and have holidays.
PETER,
NORFOLK
Being
born and bred in Great Yarmouth I do maintain a certain pride for
the place. But why? The ONLY reason I return for holidays is because
of family and friends. The seafront is like a Wild West ghost town
without the tumbleweed. There is simply no reason why anybody would
WANT to move to Great Yarmouth and every reason why people choose
to leave.
I
really do wish that this was not the case as I have great memories
from growing up in the area. However, these memories are as a result
of the wonderful friends and family I have - not of Great Yarmouth.
But then maybe Great Yarmouth shaped these wonderful people so I
have that to be thankful for.
PHILIP MARSTON, SAPPORO, JAPAN
I
am unfortunate enough to have to work in Great Yarmouth and I have
to agree that so much more needs to be done to revamp the town.
The council should be applauded for their attempt to recreate the
historic South Quay, however, one doesn't have to travel too far
from this development to find evidence of decay and degradation.
Thankfully, each night I get to travel home to Norwich, which is
akin to visiting a foreign country!! That is once I've negotiated
the one-way systems and poor road infrastructure but that's another
debate.
STEVE,
NORWICH
I
agree - every holiday I spend at home, I become more and more ashamed
to tell people of where I come from.
However
for Jim Davidson to comment on how things should be improved - I
feel he should take a look at what he has done for Yarmouth's image!
I'm quite disgusted at the disrepair of his pier, I agree that the
Britannia is no gem but Jim should put his money where his mouth
is.
It would be far nicer if the Winter Gardens was returned to its
original Victorian state or used as tearooms - there is a beautiful
building being wasted. Great Yarmouth far from being a traditional
British seaside experience is a cultural gem! St Nicholas's church,
Nelson and Victorian buildings is where the hidden beauty lies.
LYNDSEY,
UNIVERSITY of WALES, LAMPETER
I
agree with Jim, Yarmouth has gotten worse. It has been deteriorating
for years now. Yarmouth Council should be ashamed of itself.
MIKE,
YARMOUTH
If
you come from where I come from, Great Yarmouth is one of the best
places I have been to. My family has been holidaying there for over
40 years and last year we moved there. You all don't know what you're
on about.
RYAN
O'HARA, AGED 13, CAISTER-ON-SEA
Jim
Davidson is quite right - the town needs a major facelift, looks
all right in the dark, but in the daylight it is very run down and
tacky. The hotels are awful, the restaurants much the same. The
town needs investment and businesses are declining. Will the last
person to leave please switch off the lights?
HUMPHREY, NORTH WALSHAM
I'm
afraid Great Yarmouth has had its day. It just cannot compete with
the foreign holiday. Some hotels are disgraceful - run down and
dirty. It seems many owners simply don't want to spend on them -
and have you seen some of the furniture in the hotels? Either years
old or purchased from the charity shop. The area itself it run down.
Enter Yarmouth from Acle and look towards the bridge to the right
- travel along that road - what must visitors who have the option
of travelling abroad think of Yarmouth?
Certainly
not "Great". Most things are too expensive - eg. pubs, restaurants
and customer service a thing of the past - do any employees smile
any more and say thank you when you make a purchase? Come on Yarmouth
get your act together - but I fear its too late. And I worked in
tourism for eight years!!!!
RICK, AYLSHAM
Having
travelled to Yarmouth a number of times it is with great dismay
that I feel the town is slowly deteriorating in all forms. I have
noticed how dirty the streets are, shabby houses badly in need of
a coat of paint or repairs. Does anyone care how their city looks
to tourists?
Granted
the new paving along the quayside is very nice, but why cannot the
rest of the town be made to look as good? One thing in Yarmouth's
favour - the people are very friendly and lovely to talk to. Come
on Yarmouth, where is that town pride and spirit. So much potential
is there.
SANDRA ALLEN, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
I
would agree with him. Compared with facilities in many other seaside
towns Yarmouth is very jaded and dirty.
SEFFE,
DEREHAM
As
a frquent visitor to the Broads, it is time Great Yarmouth Borough
Council did something with the Yacht Station. It is a disgrace.
JOHN KENDALL, LEICESTER
I
do think that Great Yarmouth needs rejuvenation, and more attractions
rather than amusement arcades and nightclubs. It is totally aimed
for tourism, and they are making an effort for example the Historic
South Quay, however it is still considered by many to be tacky.
In contrast on the other side of the water is Gorleston which is
more pleasant, with nice beaches, and more to see and do in the
surrounding countryside. Instead of trying to cover the cracks,
mend them!!!
TERESA,
A LOCAL
I'm
afraid Jim is right - you are blessed with a wonderful coastline,
great natural scenery and friendly locals, however (and Cromer has
similar problems), the lack of investment in the area (not just
hotels) is all too evident. The question is I suppose - does Yarmouth
have the desire or capability to move upmarket?
PAUL,
A FREQUENT VISITOR TO NORFOLK
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